June, Pride Month June is recognized as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, a colorful period celebrating diversity and acceptance. Although the rainbow flag is widely recognized, there are more than 20 different pride flags, each with its own meaning.
The Pride Flags and Their Meanings
Gilbert Baker Flag:
Created in 1977 by Gilbert Baker, this eight-color flag was the first symbol of the queer community. Each color has a specific meaning, such as hot pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic and art, indigo for serenity, and purple for the spirit of LGBTQ+ people.
6-Color Flag:
A simplified version of Baker’s flag, this flag has become the most recognized symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. It includes the colors red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, and purple.
Philadelphia Pride Flag:
Launched in 2017, this flag adds black and brown stripes to the traditional flag to represent people of color within the LGBTQ+ community.
Transgender Flag:
Created in 1999 by Monica Helms, this flag uses light blue and pink to symbolize the colors traditionally associated with boys and girls, while white represents intersex people, those in transition, or those who do not identify with any gender.
New Progressive Pride Flag:
Designed to reflect the evolution of the LGBTQ+ community and society, this flag incorporates the colors of the transgender flag as well as black and brown stripes to represent people of color and those living with HIV/AIDS.
Non-binary Flag:
Created in 2014, this flag represents people whose gender identity is not limited to male/female binary. The colors yellow, white, purple, and black symbolize different subgroups within the non-binary community.
Intersex Flag:
Adopted in 2013, this flag uses yellow and purple, colors not associated with the gender binary, with a circle to symbolize the completeness and integrity of intersex people.
Asexual Flag:
Created in 2010, this flag represents the asexual community, with colors symbolizing asexuality, demisexuality, allies of the community, and the asexual community as a whole.
Bisexual Flag:
Introduced in 1998, this flag symbolizes attraction to the same gender (pink), a different gender (blue), and both or multiple genders (purple).
Pansexual Flag:
Representing people attracted to others regardless of their gender, this flag includes pink for attraction to women, blue for men, and yellow for those who do not identify as either male or female.
Lesbian Flag:
This flag features different shades of pink and sometimes a red kiss to represent “lipstick” lesbians. It was created in 2010 by Natalie McCray.
Abrosexual Flag:
Representing a fluid or changing sexuality, this flag was introduced in 2015 to symbolize people whose sexual orientation may vary.
Gay Men’s Pride Flag:
This lesser-known flag features different shades of green, blue, and purple to represent a wide range of gay men, including those who are transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming.
Heterosexual Flag:
Although controversial, this flag exists to represent heterosexual people. It is often associated with debates on inclusion and visibility within the LGBTQ+ community.
Drag Pride Flag:
Created in 1999, this flag with a phoenix in its center symbolizes rebirth and the drag community’s passion for raising awareness and fundraising for various causes.
Maverique Flag:
Introduced in 2014, this flag represents a non-binary or abinary gender identity, neither masculine nor feminine, but distinct and autonomous.
Bigender Flag:
Representing people who identify with two genders, this flag features shades of pink, blue, and purple, with white in the center to symbolize the non-binary nature of bigender.
Graysexual Flag:
Created in 2013, this flag symbolizes people who are between asexuality and allosexuality, with periods of sexual attraction.
Genderflux Flag:
Representing gender identities whose intensity varies, this flag features stripes of different colors representing women, demigirls, agenders, demiboys, men, and non-binary genders.
Genderqueer Flag:
Created in 2011, this flag with lavender, white, and chartreuse green stripes represents queer, neutral, and gender non-binary identities.
Demiboy Flag:
Introduced in 2015, this flag represents people who identify partially or fully with the male gender, with colors symbolizing masculinity, non-binary, and partial connections to other genders.
Heterosexual Ally Flag:
Using the colors of the heterosexual flag, this flag adds a large rainbow “A” to symbolize heterosexual support for the gay pride movement and marriage equality.
