Flag Directory

Written and lllustrated by: Cami Miceli | Layout by: Angela Zheng and Cami Miceli

DISCLAIMER:

This article is meant to serve as a general overview of and introduction to certain flags and their corresponding identities within LGBTQ+ communities. It is NOT an exhaustive list, nor is it meant to strictly define or limit what each term can mean. As always, it is up to individuals to choose their own labels and definitions as they see fit.

The A-Spectrum

ATTENTION: Some people who fall along the a-spectrum and are part of aroace communities use what is known as the Split-Attraction Model (SAM) to differentiate between romantic and sexual attraction. This model does not work for everyone, but it can be useful to acknowledge the presence of different forms of attraction (romantic, sexual, platonic, aesthetic, etc.).

Asexuality refers to a lack of sexual attraction. One ace person may be sex-repulsed, while another is sex-neutral and enjoys sex. Having sexual attraction is NOT the same as having a sex drive, and the asexual experience is just as diverse as the allosexual experience. Ace folks have a tradition of wearing a black ring on their right middle finger.

Aromanticism refers to a lack of romantic attraction. One aro person may be averse to dating, while another enjoys being part of a relationship, regardless of their aromanticism. Aro folks have a tradition of wearing a white ring on their left middle finger. Although there are many versions of the flag, this is the one flown by UCLA’s LGBT Center.

Demisexuality refers to the possibility of sexual attraction only after an emotional bond has been formed. It differs from graysexuality (whose flag is not included here), which refers to the middle-ground between complete asexuality and complete allosexuality. Both are important in cementing the idea sexuality occurs on a spectrum.

Another identity that falls under the a-spectrum is known as quoiromanticism or WTFromanticism. Someone who identifies as WTFromantic is unsure if they experience romantic attraction. Oftentimes, folks who identify as WTFromantic struggle to differentiate strong platonic feelings from romantic feelings.

Good aro/ace representation is few and far between, with lack of attraction often linked to being a robot, alien, vampire, or some other non-human being. But some awesome books that delve into the nuances of asexuality and aromanticism include: The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy (by Mackenzi Lee), Let’s Talk About Love (by Claire Kann), and Vanilla (by Billy Merrel).

What is Gender? (and how can I hack it?)

Some people who do not identify with their assigned gender at birth adopt identities that fall outside of the gender binary. Loosely, these identities are known as non-binary genders. They encompass a wide range of terms such as agender (the lack of a gender) and genderfluid (the constant flux of gender identity). There is a misconception that genderfludity can only describe movements from one binary gender to another. In actuality, genderfluid is a label that can be adopted by anyone who feels a noteworthy shift in their gender over any span of time. These fluctuations can be betweennon-binary genders, binary genders, or any combination of the two. Whether someone identifies as non-binary in addition to genderfluid is a choice completely up to the individual.

the non-binary flag

the agender flag

the genderfluid flag

IHRA defines intersex folks as “people born with physical sex characteristics that don’t fit medical norms for female or male bodies.” The application of the term intersex is highly contextual, as what is considered normal changes based on time and location. These norms can refer to external or internal anatomy, as well as hormones and chromosomes. IHRA designed an intersex pride flag in 2013. The colors were chosen to avoid the colors typically associated with binary genders (blue and pink), while the ring symbolizes the commonality between the “female” symbol of Venus and the “male” symbol of Ares. Not everyone who identifies as intersex also identifies as LGBTQ+, but the overlap is large enough that some organizations include an I for intersex in the LGBTQ+ acronym.

The genderqueer flag, pictured below, is a good example of how online communities have come togeher to design pride flags. Created in 2010, its designer Marilyn Roxie (they/them) identifies as genderqueer and runs a blog where they continue to accept feedback on the flag’s design. Like the non-binary flag, it features the colors white and piurple, to symbolize the absence of a gender and the presence of binary genders, respectively. However, the genderqueer flag does NOT feature a black stripe and substitutes yellow for olive-green. Both the yellow of the non-binary flag and the green of the genderqueer flag symbolize non-binary genders (the opposite of the binary color puprle).

Intersex Human Rights Australia isa non-profit company that works toaffirm the rights of intersex folks.

The transgender pride flag was designed in 1999 by trans woman Monica Helms (she/her), who wanted the pattern to be symmetrical so that, whichever way the flag is flown, the patterm is still correct. To her, this parallels the way trans people can always find balance and a sense of rightness in their daily lives.

FLAG VARIANTS:

The aromantic flag included earlier is NOT the only one circulating in online communities. In fact, even though it has one of the most aesthetically pleasing color schemes, it lacks the symbolism of some other versions. For example, another aro flag includes the colors green (the opposite of the red typically associated with romance), yellow (because yellow roses represent friendship), orange (for those who fall in between red romance and yellow friendship), and black (for those who reject “traditional ideas of romance”).

Bisexuality and Pansexuality

There is a common misconception that bisexuality enforces the gender binary and only includes attraction to men and women. This often stems from the desire to differentiate conclusively between bisexuality from pansexuality. However, the truth of the matter is, there is more overlap than many people would like to admit. Whether someone identifies as bi or pan is largely a personal decision — and sometimes it has to do with something as arbitrary as a color scheme preference. Other times, it stems from a more complicated attachment to an identity label. For instance, someone who learned about bisexuality before pansexuality might prefer to stick with the term they know best, though it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to adopt the label pan instead. In fact, there is so much overlap between these two identities that bipan fluidity groups are not uncommon, and some people choose to identify as “bi/pan.”

While some people argue the “bi” in bisexuality means “two” (as in binary or bicycle) and thus cannot refer to someone who experiences attraction to more than two genders, there is another helpful way of interpreting the “bi” prefix. It is possible to still think of bisexuality in terms of two if it is viewed as attraction that goes in two directions: (1) toward people of the same gender, and (2) toward people of different genders (whether this is one other gender or many). This allows for a more nuanced understanding of bisexuality — though bi folks are never obligated to defend their identity to anyone.