All About Pride Flags
By Sassafras Lowrey
As Pride season approaches there are few things more iconic than the visual sight of pride flags. Seeing rainbow (and other) pride flags flown in public. Pride flags are symbols of pride, but also of community, and connection. Displaying pride flags is a great way to open up conversations about your own identities. It’s also a time when government agencies, allies, businesses, and organizations will fly pride flags as signs of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.
History of the Rainbow Flag:
The original pride flag that most of us have come to associate with the LGBTQ+ community is the rainbow flag. This first pride flag was created by Gilbert Baker and debuted at Pride in 1978 in San Francisco. The original rainbow flag had six colors, which each had a meaning: Violet: Spirit, Indigo: Serenity, Turquoise: Magic, Green: Nature, Yellow: Sunlight, Orange: Healing, Red: Life, and Pink: Sex. The pride flag would later drop pink and turquoise to be the flag most of us are used to seeing representing the community.
There are now many pride flags that represent a variety of different identities that fall within the larger LGBTQ+ umbrella of identities. Having a pride flag that connects to your identity or identities can help individuals to feel more connected and seen. It’s also a way to signal to other people your pride who you are and how your identity. This can help people to form community and connections. Here are some of the most common pride flags you might see this season:
Trans Pride:
The Transgender pride flag was created by Monica Helmes in 1999. The transgender pride flag alternates light blue and light pink stripes with a white stripe in the middle to represent people who are considering transitioning, as well as people who are intersex. The original version of this flag is now is in the Smithsonian collection!
Lesbian Pride:
The most common lesbian pride flag involves alternating gradient stripes of orange, with a white line in the middle, and then alternating gradient lines of pink. The colors on the lesbian pride flag represent gender non-conforming identities, love, and femininity.
Pansexual Pride:
The pansexual pride flag involves pink, yellow, and blue stripes, the stripes of the flag represent attraction to people regardless of gender.
Asexual Pride Flag:
The asexual pride flag represents the full spectrum of asexual identities. The flag is made of black, grey, white, and purple stripes. The colors represent the full range of ace identities and experiences.
Nonbinary Pride:
The nonbinary pride flag includes yellow, white, purple, and black stripes. The flag represents the identities of people outside of the gender binary, and people whose identities exist outside of the gender binary. Although some nonbinary people identify with the transgender pride flag as well, this flag is specifically for nonbinary identities.
Progress Pride:
In 2018 Daniel Quasar updated a progressive version of the pride flag. The flag uses the traditional rainbow design the community has used since Gilbert Baker’s first flag, but includes a chevron of the Trans pride flag, and black and brown stripes to represent the role of people of color within queer culture. Because of the inclusive nature of this flag, it has in many people and places have replaced the traditional rainbow flag to signify unity within the community.
Pride Flag Activity:
Although there are now a wide range of pride flags for a variety of queer identities each person’s identity is different. Just because two people might have the same identity doesn’t mean they understand that identity in the same way. Don’t feel like any of the pride flags that you have seen really resonate with you? You can always make your own flag! Find some craft supplies, a drawing program on your phone or tablet, or even just a couple of markers and design your own pride flag! You don’t have to limit your flag to just stripes, you can add images, or symbols that resonate for you. Make a pride flag on your own or do the activity together with friends!
About the Author
Sassafras Lowrey’s novels and nonfiction books have been honored by organizations ranging from the American Library Association to the Lambda Literary Foundation and the Dog Writers Association of America. Sassafras’ work has appeared in The New York Times, Wired, and numerous other newspapers and magazines. Sassafras has taught queer writing courses and workshops at LitReactor, the NYC Center For Fiction and at colleges, conferences, and LGBTQ youth centers across the country. You can find more of Sassafras’ written works, including an edited collection exploring LGBTQ+ youth homelessness entitled Kicked Out, at www.SassafrasLowrey.com.
