Direct Answer
What do Pride flags mean?
Direct answer
Pride flags turn identity, solidarity and protest into visible symbols, helping LGBTQ+ communities claim space and recognise one another.
- Status
- reviewed
- Reviewed
- 2 June 2026
- Sources
- 7
- High trust
- 6
Curated Routes
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Explanation
Different Pride flags carry different histories. The rainbow flag became a broad LGBTQ+ symbol after Gilbert Baker and collaborators created it in 1978. The asexual flag was selected through a community process in 2010, using black, grey, white and purple stripes. The intersex flag, created by Morgan Carpenter in 2013, uses yellow and purple with an unbroken circle to symbolise wholeness and bodily autonomy. Later Progress Pride designs brought additional attention to trans people, LGBTQ+ people of colour and intersex inclusion.
Timeline Evidence
Design of the Pride Flag
Artist Gilbert Baker designed the first rainbow flag for San Francisco's Gay Freedom Day Parade, with each colour symbolising a different aspect of LGBTQ+ community and pride. Originally featuring eight stripes, the flag was later simplified to six colours and rapidly became the most widely recognised symbol of LGBTQ+ identity worldwide.
Asexual Pride Flag Created Through Community Vote
The asexual pride flag was designed by AVEN user 'standup' and selected through a multi-stage community voting process. The flag features four horizontal stripes: black (asexuality), grey (grey-asexuality and demisexuality), white (allosexuality/allies), and purple (community). The purple was inspired by AVEN's website design. It has since become widely recognised in Pride events worldwide.
Intersex Pride Flag Created by Morgan Carpenter
Morgan Carpenter of Intersex Human Rights Australia created the intersex pride flag, featuring a purple circle on a golden yellow field. The colours were chosen as free from gender associations, and the unbroken circle symbolises wholeness. Released under Creative Commons, the flag was later incorporated into the Progress Pride Flag by Valentino Vecchietti in 2021.
