If you’ve visited our store recently you may have noticed we stock a wide range of LGBTQ Pride flags. Although you may understand some, there may be some you don’t fully understand. Don’t worry!… From the Agender Pride flag all the way through to the Transgender Pride Flag, here’s a guide to all the different identity flags we currently stock with information on their history and adoption.
We know there are numerous other identities which we are yet to stock; We’re working hard on ensuring we find ethically sourced manufacturers for these like our others and have started creating our own products along the way!
LGBT or Gay Pride Flag
Before we start with the alphabetical ordering, we thought it was best to begin with the most commonly known Pride flag, the LGBT or Gay Pride rainbow flag.
The Rainbow Pride flag can be seen flown internationally at Pride events and is mostly used as the collective symbol for the entire LGBTQ+ community.
Although you may think this flag has always been the same, it has been altered slightly since the original design by Gilbert Baker in 1977. Read more about this in our blog titled “Why is the rainbow a symbol for LGBT Pride?“.
Agender Pride Flag
The Agender identity is simply translated as ‘without gender’. It can be both seen as a statement of not having a gender identity or as a Non-Binary identity. The majority of people who identify as Agender, also identify as Genderqueer, Non-Binary and/or Transgender.
The Agender Pride flag was created by Tumblr user Salem X back in 2014. The flag consists of seven horizontal stripes each with their own meaning. The black & white stripes represent the absence of gender, with the grey representing semi-‘genderlessness’ and finally the green central stripe represents Non-Binary genders.
Asexual Pride Flag
The identity Asexual comes from Asexuality and is used by those who have limited or no sexual feelings or desires.
The Asexual Pride Flag dates back to August 2010 and was created by a member of the Asexuality Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) as part of a contest by numerous Asexual communities to create a flag they could have for them-self.
The Asexual Pride flag consists of just four horizontal stripes. The black stripe represents Asexuality, the grey stripe representing the grey-area between sexual and Asexual, the white stripe represents sexuality and finally the purple stripe representing the Purple Stripe community.
Bisexual Pride Flag
Bisexuality is the sexual orientation whereby a person is attracted to two or more genders and/or sexes. Bisexuality is separate from homosexuality and heterosexuality and forming the attraction of two genders/sexes through to the attraction of all genders/sex.
The Bisexual Pride flag was designed by Michael Page back in 1998 in the efforts to bring wider awareness to Bisexuality and the community as a whole. The flag consists of three horizontal stripes. The top pink stripe represents the attraction to the same gender, with the bottom blue stripe for the attraction to the opposite/different gender with the centered purple stripe for the attraction across the gender spectrum.
Page stated that the message behind the flag was the concept of the purple blending into both the blue and the pink at the same time, the same way Bisexual people often blend unnoticed into both the gay and straight community.
Genderfluid Pride Flag
Genderfluid is the gender identity that refers to a gender which can vary over time. The identity of a Genderfluid person may change constantly or from time to time. Genderfluid people may also identify as Multigender, Non-Binary and/or Transgender.
The Genderfluid Pride Flag was created by JJ Poole has five horizontal stripes which are coloured from top to bottom; Pink, white, purple, black and blue. The pink stripes refers to femininity, the blue masculinity, purple being both femininity and masculinity with black referring to lack of gender and finally white for all genders.
Lesbian Pride Flag
The first letter in LGBT, Lesbian is the identity of somebody who identifies as a homosexual woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to a female. Some lesbians may also prefer to identify as gay.
The original Lesbian Pride flag features shades of pink, white and red and was originally the most commonly used flag to represent lesbians, although some felt it was only for ‘lipstick lesbians’ or ‘femme lesbians’ due to the orginal form of the flag created back in 2010 which features a lipstick mark in the top left hand corner.
Although the flag is still widely used, some argue this version is still based of the original which is ‘butch-phobic. In addition others oppose the lipstick Lesbian flag in particular as the designer, Natalie McGray reportedly wrote racist, biphobic and transphobic comments on a since deleted blog. This all lead onto further variations in colour. (see next flag).
New Lesbian Pride Flag
Carrying on from the original Lesbian flags, the new Lesbian Pride flag consists of seven horizontal stripes meaning; Gender non-conformity, independence, community, unique relationships to womanhood, serenity and peace, love and sex alongside femininity.
The seven colour version of this flag was proposed by the author to be “a Lesbian flag for everyone” and has now been voted on approximately 5,000 people as a possibility for the new Lesbian Flag, which we fully back and support.
The flag here and the one we currently provide is a shortened version of the flag carrying the same important values.
Non Binary Pride Flag
Non-Binary sometimes shortened to ‘NB’ describes any gender identity which does not fit that of male and female binary spectrum. Non-Binary people may also identify as Transgender and/or Transsexual with the label Genderqueer also overlapping.
The Non-Binary Pride flag was created back in February 2014 by then 17 year old Kye Rowan after the call was put out by several community members for a flag that could represent those identifying as Non-Binary that didn’t feel the Genderqueer flag represented them truly.
The flag consists of four horizontal stripes each with their own meaning. Yellow represents those whose gender exists outside of and without reference to the binary with white representing those who have many or all genders; Purple being for those who feel their gender is between or a mix of both male and female with the final black stripe representing those who feel they are without a gender.
Pansexual Pride Flag
Pansexual, often shortened to ‘Pan’ is the identity of somebody who is attracted to people regardless of their gender. Pansexuality is often compared to Bisexuality or Omnisexuality, however those sexualities may be attracted to all or some genders the may feel a different attraction depending on the gender.
Another web created flag, the Pansexual Pride flag was created online back in 2010 and has since become more frequently and is a very visible flag at Pride events around the world.
The flag consists of just three horizontal stripes which Pansexual people describe as the blue representing the attraction to men, the pink for attraction to women and the yellow being to represent others in between.
Polysexual Pride Flag
Polysexual is a term which is used by those who are attracted to two or more genders however not necessarily all of them. For example a Polysexual person may be attracted to all genders except females, or be attracted to exclusively Non-Binary people.
One important thing to note is that Polysexuality should not be confused with Polyamory, the capacity to be in a relationship with multiple people at once (open relationships). In addition is should not be confused with Bisexual or Pansexual either.
The Polysexual Pride flag was created on Tumblr in 2012 by user Samlin and has since been recognisable in the LGBTQ+ community as a symbol of Polysexuality.
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes with the pink representing attraction to woman, green representing attraction to Non-Binary people with blue the representation of attraction to men.
Progress Pride Flag
Back in 2018, designer Daniel Quasar who identifies as Queer and Non-Binary took the Philadelphia’s inclusive flag approach to a new level. The flag was created to place a greater emphasis on “inclusion and progression”.
Quasar’s Progress Pride flag adds five arrow-shaped lines to the six-coloured Rainbow Pride flag, which is widely recognised as the symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities.
The white, pink and light blue parts of the flag represent the Transgender Pride flag, with the brown and black stripes representing people of colour and those lost to AIDS. With the remained being based of the original LGBT Gay Pride flag.
Straight Ally Pride Flag
The Straight Ally Pride flag stands for exactly what it’s titled. The flag is created for hetrosexuals who support the equal rights, gender equality and/or LGBT social movements which challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
An ally fully acknowledges that LGBT people face discrimination on a regular basis which in turn makes them socially disadvantaged. They aim to use their position as a heterosexual to counter discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.
Transgender Pride Flag
Transgender or Transexuality is an umbrella term for anybody who has an internal experience of gender that does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. Some Transgender people notice this from a very young age while others go through periods of questioning before they truly realise they are Transgender.
The Transgender Pride flag was created way back in 1999 by Trans woman Monica Helms. The flag has five horizontal stripes with the blue stripe representing men, the pink for women and the centred white stripe representing those who don’t neatly fit into the gender binary and Intersex. people.
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And that wraps up this in depth article on all the LGBTQ+ Pride flags we currently have available at Joshua Lloyd.
As mentioned, we’re fully aware of other identities which we are still yet to stock, we’re working hard on this behind the scenes and can’t wait to have them all available!
Have we missed your identity or do you want to share something with us? Let us know in the comments below we’d love to engage with you!