In our last blog, we listed the flags and symbols commonly used by the gay and lesbian communities. You can read the blog here: Lesbian and Gay flags and other symbols

In this one, we continue the same with more subcultures which consider themselves under the LGBTQ+ umbrella.

BISEXUAL FLAGS AND SYMBOLS

Michael Page, creator of the Florida-based organization BiCafe and BiNet for queer awareness, is also the creator of the bisexual pride flag. Inspired by his work with his organization, he created the flag in 1998, where the bottom 40% is blue to represent attraction to opposite gender, the top 40% is pink representing attraction to same gender and the two colours blend in the middle to form a 20% strip of lavender or purple, representing an overlapping of the two.

Source: Huffington Post

The creator of the flag, Michael Page, had a very profound sentiment regarding the colours of the flag. He said:

“The key to understanding the symbolism of the Bisexual pride flag is to know that the purple pixels of colour blend unnoticeably into both the pink and blue, just as in the ‘real world,’ where bi people blend unnoticeably into both the gay/lesbian and straight communities.”

Page also said that the influence behind the bisexual pride flag was the ‘Biangles’ or the bi-triangles. They have the pink and blue colours, which blend together into lavender/purple in the middle.

Source: Pinterest

Although vividly used, the origin of the two overlapping triangles is quite unknown. Some say that the idea has come from the inverted triangles used in the Nazi camps to mark gay and lesbian people. As far as the colours are concerned, it can either be a combination of homosexuality and heterosexuality or feminine and masculine gender.

However, the connection to the concentration camps was a source of disconcert for the bi community and so, as an alternative, the double crescent moon was designed by Vivian Wagner in 1998 incorporating the same colours.

Source: Pinterest

Like the double male and double female symbols for gays and lesbians, bisexuals too have their own. It is either a male or a female symbol in the middle with symbols of both genders on either side. Sometimes, the middle one is replaced with just a circle.

PANSEXUAL FLAG AND SYMBOLS

Pansexuality is attractions towards people of any and all gender identities and sexualities – binary, non-binary or fluid/queer. Lots of people used to confuse pansexuality with bisexuality, and that excluded the agender, gender-fluid, gender-queer, asexual, demi-sexual and other people. So this flag with blue representing masculinity, pink for femininity and yellow standing for everything in between or beyond the binaries, was adopted by the pansexual community at large.

The P-symbol does not have a name, and is simply referred to as the pansexual symbol. The arrow at the tail of the letter P refers to the arrow in the male symbol of Mars and the cross across the tail is for the female symbol of Venus.

Source: Dreamstime.com

ASEXUAL FLAG AND SYMBOLS

In 2010, a non-AVEN (Asexual Visibility and Education Network) conducted a vote where the flag with black, grey, white and purple was chosen as the asexual flag, where the black represents asexuality, white represents sexuality, grey is for the area between the two and purple (or violet) is for the community as a whole.

Source: Rosy Rainbow

By phonetic shortening, asexual became ‘ace’ and thus the aces of spade and heart are used by the community. Aromantic asexuals use the ace of spade and romantic asexuals use the ace of heart.

Source: Ace Toronto

The aromantics have a flag of their own as well.

Source: AVEN

INTERSEXUAL FLAG

Intersexual people are those who have biological characteristics of both male and female gender and do not conform to the laws of any one particular gender. The Intersex Human Rights Australia, formerly known as Organisation Intersex International Australia, created the intersex pride flag in 2013. They ditched the usual pinks and blues and went with a purple circle against a yellow background, calling them the hermaphrodite colours.

DEMISEXUAL FLAG

POLYSEXUAL FLAG

TRANSGENDER FLAGS AND SYMBOLS

Different genders under the umbrella term of transgender have their own flags and symbols. Since the word ‘transgender’ means identifying with a gender not assigned at birth, there are other subcategories that are off the transsexual binary, like gender fluid, gender queer, agender, gender neutral and others.

The transgender community has a common flag and symbol which everyone uses. The flag was designed by trans woman Monica Helms in 1999 and was flown in a pride march in Phoenix, Arizona. It has blue and pink stripes on both sides representing males and females and the white stands for the intersex, transitioning or queer genders.

Source: Mashable

The symbol uses the same planetary insignia, with small variations representing each sub-category of gender.

The left one is used by transsexuals. The middle one represents non-binary people while the right hand side one includes agenders and gender fluids as well. The flags used by some of the subcategories are:

AGENDER

GENDER FLUID

GENDER QUEER

NON-BINARY

This list is by no means exhaustive. People belonging to the community always choose their own flags and symbols to express themselves. Colours get added to the existing flags on platforms like Tumblr all the time for more inclusiveness, because that is the main purpose of the LGBTQ movement.