The Lavender Rhino was a Boston-born LGBTQ+ visibility symbol first conceived in 1974 by the group Gay Media Action-Advertising. It was designed as part of a subway ad campaign to “alleviate the invisibility of the gay community” by introducing a series of eye-catching, symbolic posters in phases. The rhinoceros was chosen because it had no preexisting cultural association, was misunderstood as dangerous despite being a gentle creature, had “horns” for both sexes, and carried a sly nod to sexuality through the horn-as-aprodisiac myth. It was colored lavender — the mix of “masculine” blue and “feminine” pink — and given a red heart to symbolize shared humanity.
The campaign planned three posters: one showing the rhino among gray rhinos (“different yet similar”), one emerging from closet doors (“coming out”), and one in a diverse herd (“society in harmony”). Initially, the MBTA’s advertising agency approved the ads at the public service rate of $2/poster/month, but at the last minute, their legal team refused, tripling the cost. The community was outraged, selling buttons and shirts, rallying political allies, and turning the Lavender Rhino into a pride rallying point.
Despite legal challenges, the MBTA held firm, likely to avoid setting a precedent amid another case involving abortion rights ads. Rather than abandon the project, organizers raised more funds, scaled back the scope, and launched the ads on the Green Line in late 1974. Though reduced from the original plan, the campaign marked a major visibility milestone for Boston’s LGBTQ+ movement, and the Lavender Rhino remained a lasting symbol of pride and resilience.
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