SA Pride Month: What do these eight LGBTQI+ flags mean?

SA Pride Month: What do these eight LGBTQI flags mean?In celebration of Pride Month in South Africa, we take a look at the meaning of eight LGBTQI flags used across the globe.

by Naledi de Wee

04-10-2022 16:41

in LGBTQIA

NEW YORK, NEW YORK JUNE 26: Various Pride flags are sold near Bryant park before the 29th Annual New York City Dyke March on June 26, 2021 in New York City. The Dyke March which calls itself a march protest, rather than a parade, is a demonstration of our First Amendment right to protest according to their website. Due to the coronavirus pandemic the march was held virtually in 2020. This year's march began at Bryant Park and ended in Washington Square Park. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/ Getty Images)

Pride Month marks a time in South Africa where the LGBTQI community gets together to celebrate the things that make us all unique. With Pride Marches and Pride Parades planned in the upcoming months, you might see a few flags you don't recognise.

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Here is your quick guide to all the LGBTQI flags you might run into and what they mean.

ALSO READ: It's SA Pride Month: Thami Dish raises the flag on Constitutional Hill [watch]

1. GILBERT BAKER'S LGBTQI FLAG The first openly gay elected official in California, Harvey Milk challenged American artist Gilbert Baker to design a symbol for the gay community. Gilbert's Pride flag has eight colours that each have a different meaning.

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Pink: Sex

Red: Life

Orange: Healing

Yellow: Sunlight

Green: Nature

Turqoise: Magic

Violet: Spirit

Image via Twitter @Mewtiic 2. RAINBOW PRIDE FLAG This flag is a variation of what Gilbert Baker had originally designed in 1978. The pink and turquoise were excluded from the flag to make it easier for production purposes.

Image via Pixabay 3. PROGRESS PRIDE FLAG Non-binary musician and graphic designer Daniel Quasar designed this flag in 2018. Quasar who goes by xe/they pronouns explained that it was important to add more emphasis on the design. The black and brown stripes represent people of colour and people who have succumbed to AIDS. The pink, white and blue colours are from the transgender flag.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND AUGUST 27: Rainbow bunting is on display during Pride In Manchester 2021 on August 27, 2021 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images) 4. TRANSGENDER PRIDE FLAG This flag was designed by American transgender activist and United States Navy veteran Monica Helms in 1999. The pink stripe represents trans women, while the blue stripe represents trans men. The white strip that joins them in the centre represents gender-neutral or non-binary people.

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TORTOLA DE HENARES, SPAIN MARCH 30: Unidas Podemos councillor Raffaella Corrales, 58, hangs a trans flag at Tortola de Henares town hall on March 30, 2021 in Guadalajara, northeast Madrid, Spain. The transgender activist was one of the 70 people who went on hunger strike for a week until the ruling left-wing coalition submitted a draft legislation, known as Trans bill, on March 17, to allow gender self-determination without a doctor's diagnosis. (Photo by Isabel Infantes/Getty Images) 5. BISEXUAL PRIDE FLAG The bisexual pride flag was designed by Michael Page in 1998. According to Pride, Page designed the flag using two overlapping triangles as a symbol of bisexuality and pride. The blue colour represents men while the pink represents women. The lavender colour in the middle represents both sexes.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA JUNE 09: People marching with anBi, a bisexual organization, carry a bisexual flag in the 43rd L.A. Pride Parade on June 9, 2013 in West Hollywood, California. More than 400,000 people are expected to attend the parade in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) ALSO READ: Feathers and drag queens: Colourful events lined up for SA Pride Month

6. PANSEXUAL PRIDE FLAG Pansexuality refers to people who are attracted to other people regardless of their gender identity. This flag was created in 2010. The pink represents people who identify as female, the blue represents males and the yellow stripe represents people who identify as genderqueer, non-binary or anyone who does not identify as male or female.

Image via Pixabay 7. ASEXUAL PRIDE FLAG Asexuality refers to people who lack a sexual attraction to all genders. The Asexual pride flag came after a competition held by the Asexual Visibility and Education Network to create a flag for asexual people. Each colour has a different meaning.

Black: Asexuality

Gray: Gray-asexuality

White: Non-asexual partners and allies

Purple: Community

Image via Twitter: @GenderThingOTD 8. NONBINARY PRIDE FLAG The nonbinary pride flag was created in 2014 by 17-year-old Kye Rowan for people who don't fit within the male or female binary. Yellow represents people who fall outside of the binary, white presents all genders or people with many genders, purple represents people whose gender identity falls between male and female and black represents people with no gender.

Image via Facebook: My Gender Pride

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