Colour lgbt
Here’s What the Different LGBTQIA+ Flags Represent
LGBTQIA+
When we think 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 depict the diverse queer community. While many in the LGBTQIA+ community identify 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 at the seek 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 Pride Flag
This is the iteration of the Pride Flag that we all know today, use
The rainbow flag was created as a symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride and identity, and has since been used by millions of people around the world to signal safety, allyship and inclusion.
More recently, variations of the rainbow flag have become popular, it can be difficult to realize when to use each one, or even which is the “correct” one to use. Our advice is to use the flag that most aligns with your expression or values. If you are part of a team or organisation, formulate this decision together as a team or with your community.
To aid you work through this process, here’s a run down of the most popular flags and what they mean today.
Original Rainbow Pride Flag
You’ll recognise this flag as the “original” rainbow pride flag. This rainbow flag serves to signal pride - or allyship - to represent the entire LGBTQIA+ community.
History of the Flag
The original rainbow pride flag was designed in by Gilbert Baker, an openly gay artist and activist. The flag originally featured eight stripes, each of which represented something different. From top to bottom, the stripes represented
The Progress Pride flag was developed in by non-binary American artist and designer Daniel Quasar (who uses xe/xyr pronouns). Based on the iconic rainbow flag from , the redesign celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQ community and calls for a more inclusive society. In , the V&A acquired a bespoke applique version of the Progress Pride flag that can be seen on display in the Design – Now gallery.
'Progress' is a reinterpretation of multiple iterations of the pride flag. The original 'rainbow flag' was created by Gilbert Baker in to celebrate members of the gay and lesbian political movement. It comprised eight coloured stripes stacked on top of each other to evoke a rainbow, a symbol of hope. Baker assigned a specific meaning to each colour: pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic, indigo for serenity and violet for spirit. A year later the pink and turquoise stripes were dropped owing to a shortage of pink fabric at the day and legibility concerns, resulting in the six-colour rainbow flag most commo
Flags of the LGBTIQ Community
Flags have always been an integral part of the LGBTIQ+ movement. They are a evident representation meant to celebrate progress, advocate for representation, and exaggerate the demand and drive for collective action. There have been many LGBTIQ+ flags over the years. Some have evolved, while others are constantly being conceptualized and created.
Rainbow Flag
Created in 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, leafy for serenity with nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit. 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 by nonbinary artist Daniel Quasar, the Progress Pride flag is based on the iconic rainbow flag. With stripes of black and brown to illustrate marginalized LGBTIQ+ people of color and the triad of cobalt , pink, and white from the trans flag, the desig