What does pride flag mean

what does pride flag mean

Flags of the LGBTIQ Community

Flags have always been an integral part of the LGBTIQ+ movement. They are a noticeable representation meant to rejoice progress, advocate for advocacy, and amplify the require and drive for collective action. There have been many LGBTIQ+ flags over the years. Some own evolved, while others are constantly being conceptualized and created.

Rainbow Flag

Created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, the iconic Pride Rainbow flag originally had eight stripes. The colors included pink to represent sexuality, red for healing, yellow for sun, green for serenity with nature, turquoise for art, indigo for unity, and violet for essence. In the years since, the flag now has six colors. It no longer has a pink stripe, and the turquoise and indigo stripes were replaced with royal blue.

Progress Pride Flag

Created in 2018 by nonbinary creator Daniel Quasar, the Progress Pride flag is based on the iconic 1978 rainbow flag. With stripes of black and brown to represent marginalized LGBTIQ+ people of color and the triad of cerulean, pink, and white from the trans flag, the design represents diversity and inclusion.

Trans Flag

Conceived by Monica Helms, an

Here’s What the Different LGBTQIA+ Flags Represent

LGBTQIA+

When we reflect of Pride Month, the first image that typically comes to mind is the classic rainbow flag. However, many people don’t realize that along with the Rainbow Pride Flag, there are an array of different identifiers that represent the diverse lgbtq+ community. While many in the LGBTQIA+ community spot with the all-encompassing rainbow flag, each group has its own flag to represent its unique contributions and stories within the community. Here’s a rundown of the different flags and what they represent.

The Gilbert Baker Pride Flag

The original rainbow pride flag was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978 at the request of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California. Gilbert chose the rainbow as it represents a symbol of hope. 

Original flag colors and meaning: 

Pink: sex; Red: life; Orange: healing; Yellow: sunlight; Green: nature; Turquoise: magic; Blue: harmony; Violet: spirit.

Rainbow Event Flag 

This is the iteration of the Pride Flag that we all grasp today, used to symbolize the overall LGBTQIA+ group. In this version, the pink and turquoise were exclu

The Progress Pride flag was developed in 2018 by genderqueer American artist and designer Daniel Quasar (who uses xe/xyr pronouns). Based on the iconic rainbow flag from 1978, the redesign celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQ group and calls for a more inclusive society. In 2020, the V&A acquired a bespoke applique version of the Progress Pride flag that can be seen on exhibit in the Layout 1900 – Now gallery.

'Progress' is a reinterpretation of multiple iterations of the pride flag. The original 'rainbow flag' was created by Gilbert Baker in 1978 to mark members of the gay and woman loving woman political movement. It comprised eight coloured stripes stacked on top of each other to evoke a rainbow, a symbol of optimism. Baker assigned a specific meaning to each colour: pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, lush for nature, turquoise for magic, indigo for serenity and violet for energy. A year later the pink and turquoise stripes were dropped owing to a shortage of pink fabric at the time and legibility concerns, resulting in the six-colour rainbow flag most commonly used in the first decades of the 21st century.

Baker's flag was embra

The Pride Flag

Flying the Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag – or other iterations of the Pride Flag – in our federal buildings supports federal tries and mandates to assemble a diverse and inclusive workforce, in addition to serving diverse Canadians in an inclusive way. 

Visible Identity festival flags are a basic way to contribute to a sense of belonging and demonstrate that your department, agency and/or team celebrates the diversity of all staff. This seeable representation leads to inclusion and a sense of belonging, providing equity-deserving groups and employees with a positive feeling of entity recognized, acknowledged and renowned.

The Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag can be flown at various times during the calendar year. These dates can include:

  • International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia – May 17
  • International Diurnal of Pink (second week of April, annually)
  • Pride Month (dates vary across provinces and territories, from June to September annually)
  • Public Service Pride Week (third week of August, annually)

There is no directive that states that the National Flag of Canada must be the only flag to fly in the lobbies or other open spaces within Governmen

Pride Flags

Flags are often used as symbols of pride. It is no surprise then that numerous pride flags own been created to represent the sexual and gender diversity of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Explore all the different flags and their meanings.

Interested in exploring further? Accept the online Positive Space: Foundations course to learn more about sex, sexuality, and gender diversity.

This resource is not intended to provide an exhaustive list of pride flags. If you contain a suggestion for a flag to add or include any feedback on the information provided, please contact us.

 

  • Achillean Flag

    Achillean: Men or men-aligned individuals who are attracted to other men and men-aligned people. It is sometimes recognizable as men loving men (MLM). Achillean individuals may or may not be attracted to other genders. While this label isn’t exclusive, it is used to unify men-aligned people or men who love other men.

    Date: 2016
    Creator: Redesigned by DeviantArt (Tumblr user)
    Flag meaning: The first iteration was created by pridenpositivity (Tumblr user). The flag contains the color blue to represent men and a lime-green carnation in the center, which was popularized by Oscar Wilde