Bisexual Flag

The Bisexual Pride flag is an important and recognizable symbol created to provide visibility and recognition for bisexual identity within the broader LGBTQ+ community and society as a whole. It serves as a powerful expression of pride, uniqueness, and solidarity for people who are attracted to more than one gender. The flag is intended to combat the misconceptions and stigma often directed at bisexual people and to create a space for their self-identification.

Design and Symbolism

The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of different widths and colors:

• Wide pink stripe (at the top): This color symbolizes attraction to the same sex.

• Wide blue stripe (at the bottom): This color symbolizes attraction to the opposite sex.

• Narrow purple stripe (in the middle): The purple color, which results from the mixture of pink and blue, symbolizes bisexuality. It represents attraction to both sexes and the unique position that bisexuality occupies, as if "crossing over" between homo- and heterosexuality.

History of the Flag's Creation

The Bisexual Pride flag was created in 1998 by activist and designer Michael Page. At the time, bisexual people often felt invisible or misunderstood, both within the LGBT community and outside of it. Page wanted to create a unique and recognizable symbol that would allow bisexual people to openly express their identity.

Michael Page drew inspiration from an earlier symbol—the so-called "biangles," which also used pink, purple, and blue colors. Page designed the flag to be recognizable even when its colors were faded or distorted. He unveiled his flag on December 5, 1998, and since then, it has become widely used around the world as the official symbol of bisexual pride.

Meaning for People

For bisexual people, the flag has deep meaning because it provides them with visual confirmation of their identity. It is a symbol of recognition and pride, helping to combat so-called "bisexual invisibility"—a problem where bisexuality is ignored or mistakenly perceived as a "phase" or a "non-existent" identity.

The flag creates a sense of community and belonging, allowing people who may feel isolated to see that they are part of a larger group with a shared identity and shared experiences. It also serves as an educational tool for non-bisexual people, helping them understand the uniqueness of bisexuality as a distinct and valid sexual orientation.

Interesting Facts

• Michael Page intentionally did not copyright his design so that the flag could be freely used by all bisexual people and their allies.

• Each of the three stripes of the flag has its own size. The pink stripe occupies 2/5 of the flag's height, the blue stripe 2/5, and the purple stripe 1/5.

• The Bisexual Pride flag has inspired the creation of many other pride flags that also use three horizontal stripes to signify their identity.

In the demonstration images, full-size flags are shown with proportions of 2:3, and hand-held flags with proportions of 1:2.