The old gay flag

Flags are often used as symbols of pride. It is no surprise then that numerous pride flags have been created to represent the sexual and gender diversity of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Explore all the different flags and their meanings.

Interested in exploring further? Take the online Positive Space: Foundations course to learn more about sex, sexuality, and gender diversity.

This resource is not intended to provide an exhaustive list of pride flags. If you possess a suggestion for a flag to add or have any feedback on the information provided, please contact us.

• Achillean Flag

  Achillean: Men or men-aligned individuals who are attracted to other men and men-aligned people. It is sometimes known as men loving men (MLM). Achillean individuals may or may not be attracted to other genders. While this label isn’t exclusive, it is used to unify men-aligned people or men who adore other men.

  Date:
  Creator: Redesigned by DeviantArt (Tumblr user)
  Flag meaning: The first iteration was created by pridenpositivity (Tumblr user). The flag contains the color blu
  
  

  First LGBT Pride Flag

  The closing LGBT artifact that I would like to verb is the first LGBT pride flag. The original gay pride flag was created by Gilbert Baker in Baker was an openly gay artist and activist (Prisco 1.) When Baker was 27 years old, he had sewed the first gay pride flag by hand. The flag ended up being 30x60 feet (Prisco 1.) The flag was first flown at the United Nations Plaza for Gay Pride Day in San Francisco on June 25th Gilbert unfortunately passed away at age 65 on March 31, leaving behind a legacy and a flag that is now incredibly meaningful to the LGBT community.

  The pride flag originally had eight colors, while today’s version that you would see anywhere only has six. In an article called “Rainbow Flag” by Linda Rapp, she states “In Gilbert's original design, each of the eight colors represented a concept. Hot pink stood for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for the sun, green for nature, turquoise for art, indigo for harmony, and violet for spirit” (Rapp 1.) Today’s pride flag does not have pink or turquoise and indigo has been replace
  

  The History of the Pride Flag

  With its vivid colours and significant meaning, the Rainbow Flag is a symbol recognised all over the world to represent the LGBTQ+ communities. It’s a symbol of hope, unity and empowerment to allow love to be love regardless of gender, ethnicity or labels. But where did this renowned flag come from? And how was the design chosen? 

  The original Pride Flag originates from San Francisco Activist Gilbert Baker, who desired to design an emblem of pride for the gay community. In the Rainbow Flag was created, as Baker recognised that a flag is one of the most significant aspects of identity, and wanted his creation to be a unified symbol of gratification for all those who identify within these communities. 

  In England, homosexuality was decriminalised in , with Scotland following in , and Northern Ireland by Before this time, it was illegal to engage in ‘private homosexual acts’, and those caught or believed to be engaging in same-sex relationships could tackle imprisonment, public shame and a life-long criminal records. Society was homophobic, with th
  

  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 time and legibility concerns, resulting in the six-colour rainbow flag most commo