Lesbian Pride Flag (2018)

History

Designer Emily Gwen posted a five-stripe version in 2018 on Tumblr and later expanded it to seven stripes for greater nuance. The design addressed long-standing dissatisfaction with the earlier 'lipstick lesbian' flag, which many felt excluded butch lesbians and centred a narrow presentation of femininity. Gwen's palette — moving from earthy orange to soft rose — was intended to encompass the full range of gender expression within lesbian communities. The 2018 flag displaced earlier lesbian designs rapidly on social media and has been adopted by LGBTQ+ organisations worldwide, though some communities still use earlier variants out of familiarity or tradition.

Colors

dark orange, orange, light orange, white, pink, dusty rose, dark rose

The orange-to-pink gradient represents gender non-conformity, independence, community, unique relationships to womanhood, serenity, love, and femininity.

Symbols

seven horizontal stripes

The symmetrical orange-to-pink colour field moves from non-conformity toward femininity, reflecting the diversity within lesbian identity.