A Complete Guide To All The LGBTQIA+ Flags & What They Mean

Most people know what the LGBTQIA+ pride flag looks like. The six-colour rainbow flag shows up everywhere during Pride (sometimes with a few extra colours). If you're in a city, you'll likely see rainbows in shop windows, and no matter where you live, you'll probably run across a few rainbow-washed logos from your favourite brands on social media. But show up to a Pride parade, and it's more than just the rainbow flag that you'll see. The rainbow is only one of many.

While the rainbow flag works as a general flag for all LGBTQIA+ people, other parts of the queer community — transgender people, asexual people, bisexual people, genderqueer people, and more — have created their own flags. Separate flags are necessary so that non-queer people and even queer people who aren't a part of those groups can recognise that LGBTQIA+ doesn't just mean gay — it means pansexual, non-binary, intersex, and many more identities. As Monica Helms, creator of the transgender pride flag, put it, “I say the rainbow flag is like the American flag: everybody’s underneath that. But each group, like each state, has their own individual flag.”

The flags also give communities a sense of pride. And visible symbols of pride and support can be powerful, as LGBTQIA+ activists know well. We can think of no better way to celebrate every facet of the LGBTQIA+ community than by letting all of their flags fly. Read on to see what each LGBTQIA+ flag looks like, and the important sexual orientations and gender identities they represent.