What are the gay pride colors

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The message and impact of Pride continue to expand stronger each year, uplifting more voices and identities that have long been marginalized or erased. While the rainbow flag is still a central symbol of unity, each LGBTQIA+ group has its possess flag, representing the unique experiences and histories within the community.

For every organization celebrated in Pride, there is a distinctive flag (or sometimes several!) to represent them, with its own colors, style, and design. There are too many identity groups to catalogue comprehensively, but I’ll provide 15 commonly used Pride flags with their precise color hex codes, so you can apply the exact hues in your Pride designs and graphics.

Whether you're sampling colors from an existing image or creating lgbtq+ fest content from scratch, using an online editor is the fastest way to create new media.


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Classic Rainbow

The imaginative rainbow that Harvey Milk commissioned from Gilbert Baker in had 8 stripes, then it was updated later with only 7. Now, you’re most likely to see a simplified 6-stripe version emblazo

You might be familiar with the six-colored rainbow flag that is widely used to represent the Gay community. But did you know that this is a relatively new rendition of the original? 

The imaginative flag (shown here) was designed by activist, veteran, drag queen, and painter, Gilbert Baker, and made its debut at the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Pride in He was inspired by the Rolling Stones song She’s a Rainbow, and the s hippies movement, assigning each shade with a specific meaning:

  • Pink: Sex (later removed)

  • Red: Life

  • Orange: Healing

  • Yellow: Sunlight

  • Green: Nature

  • Turquoise: Magic (later removed)

  • Indigo: Serenity

  • Violet: Spirit 

The evolution to the six-colored flag used today happened out of practicality. 

After the parade in , request for the Pride Flag increased, but the scorching pink fabric was complex to find in big quantities. Then, the Paramount Flag Company started making a version out of the standard rainbow colors to help meet insist , and a seven-color event flag was the modern norm.

A year later,

The Progress Pride flag was developed in by non-binary American artist and planner Daniel Quasar (who uses xe/xyr pronouns). Based on the iconic rainbow flag from , the redesign celebrates the diversity of the LGBTQ community and calls for a more inclusive culture. In , the V&A acquired a bespoke applique version of the Progress Pride flag that can be seen on display in the Design – Now gallery.

'Progress' is a reinterpretation of multiple iterations of the pride flag. The original 'rainbow flag' was created by Gilbert Baker in to honor members of the gay and woman loving woman political movement. It comprised eight coloured stripes stacked on top of each other to evoke a rainbow, a symbol of long for. Baker assigned a specific meaning to each colour: pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, grassy for nature, turquoise for magic, indigo for serenity and violet for energy. A year later the pink and turquoise stripes were dropped owing to a shortage of pink fabric at the time and legibility concerns, resulting in the six-colour rainbow flag most commo

The traditional rainbow pride flag is the most recognizable symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. Since it first appeared in , dozens more pride flags have been created to represent people across the gender and sexuality spectrums.

Today, there are flags for people who identify as transgender, attracted to both genders, asexual, intersex, genderqueer, two liveliness, and more.

LGBTQ flags give communities a sense of pride. They also help create visibility and foster inclusion. The flags are often colorful—just like the playfully fun clothing and accessories worn by many members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Keep reading to absorb more about the meaning and history behind some of the many LGBTQ flags.

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The Gilbert Baker Pride Flag

Also called the “LGBTQ flag” or the “gay pride flag,” the classic rainbow flag is named after artist and gay rights activist Gilbert Baker. He created it in at the request of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California. Baker chose the rainbow style not only for its cheerful look, but also because it’s a universal symbol of hope. 

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