The saying, “These colors don’t run” is one most every American has heard at one time or another, referring to the colors on the American Flag. It’s a saying that is supposed to tell everyone not to mess with America because we will not back down from a fight. Of course, in recent years, we happen to become the bully, picking on other countries first.

In the recent intense situation of transgender people fighting for their rights, I have decided to adopt the same attitude toward those who want to prevent us from being included in equal rights legislation. “These colors don’t run,” but the colors are not that of the American Flag, but of another flag that has been seen more and more lately, the Transgender Pride Flag.

Created in 1999, the flag that has been used mostly by the transgender community has five stripes on it. The stripes at the top and bottom are light blue, the traditional color for baby boys. The stripes next to them are pink, the traditional color for baby girls. The stripe in the middle is white, for those who are intersex, transitioning or consider themselves having a neutral or undefined gender. The pattern is such that no matter which way you fly it, it is always correct, signifying us finding correctness in our lives. The one in the picture above is the original flag.

These colors are appearing in artwork, logos and even buttons. Rebecca Romjin was photographed at the last year’s national HRC dinner wearing one that also had the words, “Trans and Proud” on it. The button was created for San Diego Pride by Autumn Sandeen. She also created one that said, “Trans Ally.”

“These colors don’t run.” The transgender community will not run and hide from what will become the most important fight we have ever been involved in. This time, we are not alone. Millions of gay, lesbian, bisexual and straight people will be standing by us as we drew the line in the sand. We stand together as one community, staring down those who want us thrown on the garbage heap of history. IT WILL NOT HAPPEN!

Sticking with the military analogy, like all wars, some battles are lost and some are won. The “enemy” in Congress won the Battle of 2007, but we already have plans to regroup and come back in 2009 to mount a counter attack.

Okay, okay, enough of the military analogies. There is a lot of strength in the transgender community, strength that our allies know very well. We were the ones who started the Compton Cafeteria Riots in San Francisco in 1966 and started the entire “gay movement” at the Stonewall Inn in 1969.

The Rainbow Flag was created in 1978 to show the pride of LGBT people and it has been shown many times in history that those colors don’t run either. Even though the transgender community is part of that beautiful rainbow, we needed to show our individuality. That’s why the Transgender Flag was created. This is the same as individual states having their own flags, but they all are part of America and use the American Flag as well. We are part of the Rainbow that is the LGBT community.

“These colors will NOT run.” Those who want to prevent us from having our equality will understand this soon enough.