What Do the Colors in Bisexual Flag Mean?

A rainbow holds different memories and meanings for every individual. Many people recognize it as a connection between earth and heaven. Few others believe that leprechauns hide huge gold behind rainbow ends. On the other side, Prophet Joeseph Smith often stated that he was told that Messiah’s second coming would not happen in any of those years when rainbow will be seen. Many people in Bulgarian lore also believe that passing under a rainbow can lead to an instant gender switch. However, in the recent times of global pandemic, the rainbow was declared as a sign of hope that the world will fight and win the battle against crises.

The first rainbow flag was designed by Gilbert Baker in the year 1978 as a symbol of gay pride in San Francisco. It took very little time for the flag to receive international acceptance and people started celebrating the integrity of the gay community under the same flag.

bisexual community

It is important to mention that the first bisexual movement started in the 1960s with Stonewall Riots. After that, people started gathering for parades every year to celebrate gay pride. They decided to use the rainbow flag as a symbol of transgender, bisexual, gay, and lesbian social movement; but the bisexual community started feeling shadowed under this. Later in the 1990s, the Bi Visibility concept became more common with a potential focus on three main goals:

  • Increased awareness and recognition for the LGTB family as well as movement.
  • Eliminate the notion that bisexuality is simply a phase on a journey to exclusive homosexuality.
  • Elimination of the common misidentification of bisexuals depending upon their current partners.

With the burning desire to have own recognition and respect in the community, Michael Page, the famous bisexual activist ultimately introduced Bi-flag in the year 1998. The main aim of Page was to develop a memorable and easily recognizable flag that could fly with the gay pride flag. The inspiration for the bisexual flag was taken from the lesser-known bi-symbol which is named Biangles. This symbol was used by Bi Women’s Community in Boston for the first time and the symbol holds a blue and pink triangle in it while creating a lavender color in the middle where both triangles overlap.

The lesbian flag depicts a unique color scheme and Page believed that the combination has to be notable and striking. As per Page, the pink color in the bisexual flag depicts sexual attraction to only lesbian or gay; the blue color on the other side represents opposite-sex attraction whereas the resultant purple overlap represents attraction to both. The symbolism was explained in detail by Page while stating that purple pixels in the flag blend into blue and pink unnoticeably; same as real-world where people with bisexual orientation blend perfectly well into both straight and lesbian/gay communities. The bi flag was modified and redesigned by several bisexual activists over the years; however, the rainbow-like color combinations and appearance continued. The pattern is now accepted worldwide and bisexual communities use bi-flags to represent their unity to the world.