LGBT Flags and their Meaning

Pride is all about freedom and being able to love who you want and who you are. The LGBTQ+ movement is ever-growing, which means all the different flags and symbols may be confusing at first. This guide will help you understand what each of the pride flags means.🌈

Remember, no matter which you choose to fly, you have the freedom to choose which represents you!

8 STRIPE PRIDE FLAG COLOURS MEANING

8 stripe pride flag meaning

 

Probably the most familiar, the rainbow pride flag is widely used as a symbol for the entire LGBT+ community. It has evolved over time, and the above example is the '8 stripe' or '8 colour pride flag'. 

What do the colours in the 8 Stripe Pride Flag mean?

  • Black & Brown: People of colour
  • Pink: Sex
  • Red: Life
  • Orange: Healing
  • Yellow: Sunlight
  • Green: Nature
  • Indigo: Harmony
  • Violet: Spirit


Celebrating pride has to be fully inclusive, and that needs to involve recognising and elevating people of colour. This was recognised by the City of Philadelphia in 2017, who realised that we need people of all races to feel comfortable and seen in the LGBTQIA+ community, and thus, black and brown were added to represent people of colour. It’s only two more stripes but it’s a change that can make a real difference.
Check out our POC rainbow flag socks.

PANSEXUAL FLAG COLOURS MEANING

Pansexual flag meaning

 

Why subscribe to loving only one gender? Pansexuality means feeling love for the person rather than what their gender identity is.

What do the colours in the Pansexual Flag mean?

  • Blue: Male
  • Pink: Female
  • Yellow: Those who don’t sit under a gender-confirming binary.

It’s a love of ALL people no matter who they are which makes being pansexual so special.

Keep your head warm with a Pride beanie! 

NON-BINARY FLAG COLOURS MEANING

Nonbinary flag meaning

Sometimes you’ve got to ask, why live your life within the restricting boundaries of male or female? You can just thrive in between! If you feel as though you don’t fit under traditional binaries, this is the flag for you!

What do the colours in the Non-Binary Flag mean?

  • Yellow Stripe: People who identify outside of the gender binary
  • White Stripe: People who identify as many or all genders
  • Purple Stripe: The combination of male and female genders
  • Black Stripe: Agender people

BISEXUAL FLAG COLOURS MEANING

Bisexual flag colours meaning

When you are bi-sexual, you have a physical or romantic attraction to two or more genders. The community is valid, present and needs to be heard. Whether you are attracted to all genders equally, or one more than the other – or are questioning your sexuality, this flag hears you, as amazing as you are!

What do the colours in the Bisexual Flag mean?

  • Pink: Attraction to people of the same gender
  • Purple: Attraction to two or more genders
  • Blue: Attraction to people of a different gender

STRAIGHT ALLY FLAG MEANING

Straight ally flag meaning

Even if you don’t identify as LGBTQIA+, you can still help to directly address the equality imbalance of people who do. You can be the best straight ally if you educate yourself, start discussions and celebrate the work of the community. The straight ally flag represents all straight and cis-gender people who are allies of the LGBTQ+ community. The ‘A’ stands for ally and activist, proudly showing an active role in championing LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion.

What does the Straight Ally Flag mean?

  • “A”: Allies
  • Rainbow: LGBTQ+ community
  • Black and White Stripes: Straight and cisgender people


Check out how you can support your LGBTQ friend as a straight ally 

LESBIAN FLAG COLOURS MEANING

Lesbian flag colours meaning

 

Alexa, play ‘Girls, Girls, Girls! Lesbians are the L in LGBT, a diverse spectrum of incredible people. This flag celebrates everything that makes girls who love girls great!

What do the colours in the Lesbian Flag mean?

  • Dark Orange Stripe: Gender nonconformity
  • Medium Orange Stripe: Independence
  • Light Orange Stripe: The lesbian community
  • White Stripe: Unique connections to womanhood
  • Light Pink Stripe: Serenity/peace
  • Medium Pink Stripe: Love/sex
  • Dark Pink Stripe: Femininity

GENDERQUEER FLAG MEANING

Genderqueer flag colours meaning

Genderqueer is an umbrella term for people who identify with non-binary genders. What makes being genderqueer so beautiful is the fluidity of it. Sometimes you just got to live your life outside traditional male/female boundaries and celebrate how awesome it is! The word ‘Queer’ has been used negatively over the years but this is a way of the LGBTQ+ reclaiming a word used against them, into something positive and beautiful.

What do the colours in the Genderqueer flag mean?

  • Lavender Stripe: Androgyny, a combination of traditional male blue and female pink
  • White Stripe: The agender community
  • Chartreuse Green Stripe: The inverse colour to lavender, people who are outside of the gender binary
 

ASEXUAL FLAG COLOURS MEANING

Sometimes you can feel little or no sexual attraction to others and that’s okay! You’re not alone and there is a whole community of people who are the same. Let’s use this flag to help other people who are A-Sexual and normalize conversations about this amazing identity.  

What do the colours in the Asexual Flag mean?

  • Black Stripe: Asexuality
  • Gray Stripe: People who identify as grey-asexual and demi-asexual (people who fall between asexuality and sexuality)
  • White Stripe: The non-asexual partners and supporters of people in the community
  • Purple Stripe: The asexual community as a whole

 

TRANSGENDER FLAG COLOURS MEANING

Transgender flag colours meaning

Did you know that one of the most incredible things you can do is live your life as the gender you want to be, no matter what you were assigned to at birth? The transgender flag is a symbol for those wishing to represent their true identity. What makes this flag so unique is that no matter which way you hold it, the flag is always on the right side up! Symbolising how there is no right or wrong gender to be who you want to be.

What do the colours in the Transgender Flag mean?

  • Pink Stripe: Traditional colour for baby girls
  • White Stripe: Intersex, transitioning, or other gendered people
  • Blue Stripe: Traditional colour for baby boys


Click HERE to support homeless LGBTQ+ youth charity akt, we donate 10% of profits of select LGBTQ+ products directly to them.
akt supports LGBTQ+ young people who are homeless or living in a hostile environment. Formed in Manchester in 1989, they help people aged 16-25 into safe homes and employment, education or training in an environment that celebrates LGBTQ+ identities.

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