Cheers to Inclusivity! The Story Behind the Progress Pride Flag and Why It Matters

There is a pretty good chance you have seen the Progress flag around, although you may not have recognized the distinct colors. The flag, designed in 2018 by artist Daniel Quasar, builds upon the traditional rainbow design by including additional colors to represent marginalized groups.

The Pride Flag was designed by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. In 2017, the city of Philadelphia introduced a version of the flag that included black and brown stripes. These strips represent LGBTQIA+ people of color, with the hopes of addressing racial inclusivity within the community. A year later, Quasar further developed this idea — creating what we now call the Progress Flag.

The Progress Flag incorporates more LGBTQIA+ members.

The original Pride Flag had eight colors: hot pink for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic and art, indigo for serenity, and violet for spirit. After production delays with the hot pink material, the flag’s colors were modified to seven stripes. The turquoise stripe was also removed to maintain symmetry when displayed on street lamps.

Then came the Progress Flag. This design added a five-colored chevron to the classic rainbow flag with the hopes of being more inclusive. The black and brown stripes represent marginalized LGBTQ+ communities of color and those affected by HIV/AIDS. The light blue, pink, and white stripes reflect the colors of the Transgender Pride Flag, representing the trans community. Quasar created the flag to include more community members, with no intention of replacing the OG Pride Flag.

“It was never my intention for my flag to be a replacement for the original Pride flag,” Quasar told The Trevor Project. “Something I noticed going to Seattle Pride this year was that all Pride flags were being flown: the Philly flag, the Intersex Inclusive flag, Gilbert Baker’s original version, and so many others. It was incredible to me.”

There is also an intersex-inclusive Pride flag!

Some experts estimate that nearly 2% of the general population is born with intersex traits. This percentage suggests that intersex traits are about as common as having red hair. Now, there is a flag to represent members of this community.

In 2021, Valentino Vecchietti of Intersex Equality Rights UK updated the Pride flag by incorporating intersex representation. This redesign added a yellow triangle with a purple circle — symbols from the intersex flag created by Morgan Carpenter in 2013 — to the Progress Pride Flag.

“We need to see flags that include, support, and celebrate our community. This is why I designed our new intersex-inclusive Pride Progress flag,” Vecchietti told Diva Magazine. “It creates significant cultural inclusion, and I hope that organizations will show support and allyship by using it.”

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A post shared by Valentino (she/her) Vecchietti (@valentino_vecchietti)

Since its introduction, the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag has gained international recognition. In 2022, London’s Regent Street featured 100 of these flags in celebration of Pride.

Additionally, the Progress Pride Flag has become common at festivals celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. However, the list of Pride Flags is growing. The designs of Pride flags are regularly evolving as proof of the LGBTQIA+ community’s dedication to fully embracing diversity.

Which Pride Flag is your favorite? Comment below!

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