“I created the Pink Jack as an expression of my pride in being gay and British and in recognition of the many amazing friendships with my straight friends over the years and the love and acceptance they’ve always shown me, starting as a school kid in Matlock , Derbyshire. It made me think that Britain is cool and I wanted to celebrate that.”
David Gwinnutt
Pink Jack History
Pink Jack was conceived and founded by David Gwinnutt. David is an artist and photographer and during his career he’s known and photographed many of the most influential gay people of our time. He found that his gay ‘experience’ was at odds with those who had been shaping his world and wanted to describe this..
As a young man exploring his identity, David was disenchanted by the symbols being used by the gay community: the Pink Triangle and the Rainbow Flag. He felt that they didn’t represent him or his experience growing up as a gay kid in Derbyshire. He wanted something that represented the positive experiences he’d had …and his pride in being both gay and British.
David made his first Pink Jack in 1999 but not until 2004 did he realise the idea fully and carried a large version and carried it at London Pride that year. It was photographed by QX magazine and the ensuing interest encouraged him to make more the following year. His stall at Europride was swamped and the idea took off.
If you’re straight show the love and support you have for your gay friends by joining in with something Pink Jack… it was inspired by such friendships
Pink Jack is a registered Trademark and is proud to support The Peter Tatchell Foundation. David is involved in organising events to raise money for the work Peter Tatchell does for human rights
In 2013 David was voted No 16 in the Independent’s Pink List of the top 100 most influential gay people in Britain.