An introduction to LGBTQ+ flags
Continue reading to discover the origins and meanings behind several LGBTQ+ flags, as we've compiled a list for you.
Why are there multiple LGBTQ+ flags?
The LGBTQ+ community uses several flags to symbolize diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, romantic orientations, and subcultures, with each colour on the flags signifying distinct meanings, similar to national flags.
Why are there multiple LGBTQ+ flags?
The rainbow flag, also known as the pride flag or the "original" LGBT flag, consists of six-coloured stripes: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
Harvey Milk challenged its designer, Gilbert Baker, to create a representative flag for the community.
Before its creation, the pink triangle, a symbol with a dark history, was used to represent the community.
Originally, there were eight differently coloured stripes on the flag, each signifying something meaningful.
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Pink - Sex
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Red - Life
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Orange - Healing
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Yellow - Sunlight
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Green - Nature
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Turquoise - Magic/Art
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Indigo - Serenity
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Violet - Spirit
The flag's rainbow theme was inspired by various sources, such as the Hippie movement and Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow."
New variations of the LGBT flag have emerged to represent subcultures within the community.
Check out our list below for details, but note that there are numerous other flags and variations.
Lesbian Flag
The Lesbian Pride Flag is another lesser-known pride flag. It features shades of orange, pink, and white and represents women attracted to other women.
Genderfluid Flag
The genderfluid flag, designed by JJ Poole in 2012, features five stripes: pink, blue, purple, black and white.
-Pink represents femininity
-White represents all genders
-Purple represents both masculinity and femininity
-Black represents the lack of gender
-Blue represents masculinity.
Bisexual Flag
The Bisexual Pride Flag was created in 1998 by Michael Page. His idea for the flag represents pink and blue blending to make purple. The way that bisexual people can blend into the straight community and the gay community.
Non-Binary Flag
In 2014, Kye Rowan created the Nonbinary Pride Flag to
represent people who do not identify as male or female binary. The colours of the nonbinary flag are yellow, white, purple, and black. The colours each symbolise a different subgroup of people who identify as nonbinary.
Asexual Flag
The Flag for the Asexual Community was created in 2010 by the Asexual Visibility and Education Network. Asexuality is the lack of sexual attraction to others or low interest in sexual activity, but asexuality can mean different things to different people, it is
best to ask each individual what it means to them.
Transgender Flag
The Transgender Flag was created in 1999 by Monica Helms, a transgender woman. Light blue and pink are used as they are the traditional colours associated with baby boys and girls. The white stands for those who are intersex, transitioning, or those who do not feel identified with any gender.
Inter-sexual Flag
In 2013, Morgan Carpenter chose yellow and purple for the Intersex Flag. Morgan moved away from the rainbow symbolism and selected these colours because neither is associated with the social constructs of the gender binary. The circle, perfect and unbroken, represents the wholeness of intersex people. It is a reminder that intersex people are perfect how they are or choose to be.
Pansexual Flag
The Pansexual Flag was created in 2010. Pansexuality represents those people who feel attracted to a person without thinking about gender. Pansexual people may consider themselves gender-blind, asserting that gender and sex do not determine their romantic or sexual attraction to others. This means that they can feel attracted to those who identify as women, men, both or neither.
The New Pride Flag
While this article has covered some of the LGBTQ+ flags, there are multiple variations of each flag. All flags represent a group of people and carry a message. If you plan to display a flag in support of the community, we recommend the new pride flag, which incorporates elements from different LGBTQ+ subcultures.
The Ally Flag
The Straight Ally Flag uses the black-white "colours" of the heterosexual flag as a field, it adds a large rainbow-coloured "A" (for "Ally") to indicate straight support for the Gay
Pride/Equal Marriage movement.
Please refer to our LGBTQ+ Ally Leaflet for more information.