Introduction
The Lesbian Pride Flag is a community symbol representing lesbian identity and solidarity. Its most widely recognized contemporary version features a seven-stripe design with shades of orange, white, and pink. This flag is distinct from the general rainbow pride flag, specifically centering the experiences and visibility of lesbians.
The design has evolved through several iterations, with the "Labrys Flag" and the "Pink Flag" being notable historical predecessors. The current dominant design, often called the "Sunset Lesbian Flag" or "Orange-Pink Lesbian Flag", was created to be more inclusive and free of associations deemed problematic by parts of the community.
It is commonly seen at Pride events, used in online spaces, and displayed as a symbol of personal and collective identity. The flag's warm color palette is its most immediately recognizable visual feature, setting it apart from other pride flags.
Meaning & Symbolism
The colors of the seven-stripe Lesbian Pride Flag carry specific meanings related to lesbian identity and community. From top to bottom: dark orange represents gender non-conformity, orange for independence, light orange for community, white for unique relationships to womanhood, pink for serenity and peace, dusty pink for love and sex, and dark rose for femininity.
The warm spectrum of colors is intentionally distinct from the cooler tones often associated with gay male pride symbols. The central white stripe is a key element, symbolizing those who are transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming within the lesbian community, emphasizing inclusivity.
History of the Lesbian Pride Flag Flag
The first known lesbian-specific pride flag was the "Labrys Flag", designed by graphic designer Sean Campbell in 1999. It featured a purple background with an inverted black triangle and a white labrys, a double-headed axe. However, due to the historical use of the black triangle against lesbians in Nazi concentration camps and debates over the labrys symbol, this design did not achieve universal adoption.
The more recent and now prevalent seven-stripe orange-pink design was created by blogger Emily Gwen and posted to Tumblr in 2018. It was a redesign of an earlier five-stripe pink flag from 2010. Gwen's version gained rapid popularity online for its inclusive intent and appealing aesthetic, leading to its widespread use as a community symbol.
Curiosities
- The flag is sometimes called the 'Sunset Lesbian Flag' due to its stripes resembling the colors of a sunset.
- Unlike many national flags, there is no single official governing body that ratified the design; its adoption was organic and community-driven.
- The specific color hex codes for the stripes are often cited in digital design to ensure accurate representation: #D52D00, #EF7627, #FF9A56, #FFFFFF, #D162A4, #B55690, #A30262.
Download Flag
Download the flag of Lesbian Pride Flag in high-quality SVG vector format or PNG raster images. SVG files can be scaled to any size without losing quality.
Construction Sheet
The flag consists of seven horizontal stripes of equal height. The common aspect ratio is 2:3. The stripe order from top to bottom is: dark orange, orange, light orange, white, pink, dusty pink, and dark rose. The design is simple with no emblems or charges, making reproduction straightforward based on the defined color palette and stripe sequence.
Flags Similar to Lesbian Pride Flag
Common Misidentifications
Occasionally confused with the sunset-themed Five-stripe Lesbian Pride Flag or other pink/orange community flags due to the shared color family.