Gay and lesbian symbols
LGBT Symbols
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Non-binary, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Ally (sometimes also Asexual)
Rainbow Flag
Use of the rainbow colored flag to symbolize celebration goes back to 1978 at a San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Autonomy Day Parade. Designed by Gilbert Baker, the colors in the flag stand for the diversity of the community and have reach to represent LGBTQIA celebration everywhere in the society it is displayed.
Inverted Triangles
Use of inverted triangles as a symbol of homosexual pride began to be widespread in the adv 1970s Gay Liberation Movement. It was adopted to remember that homosexuals were forced to wear a pink triangle in the Nazi Concentration Camps of World War II. Since the pink triangle has been generally a homosexual male symbol, a pink triangle in a jet circle, or simply a black triangle, is sometimes used by lesbians.
Lambda
Lambda, the Greek letter “L”, has been used since the early 1970s to denote LGBTQ pride, possibly because “L” stand for Liberation. Some people think It may also refer to same-sex love in ancient Greek culture.
Labrys
This axe, called a labrys, was adopted from matriarchal societies to symbolize the strength and c
LGBTQ+ Terms
The following is a list of LGBTQ+ inclusive terms.
A
Agender
A person who identifies as having no gender.
Ally
A non-LGBTQ person wo shows back for LGBTQ people and advocates for equality in a variety of ways.
Androgyne/androgynous
Identifying and/or presenting as neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine.
Asexual
A person who experiences small or no sexual attraction to others. Asexuality is not the same as celibacy.
Assigned Sex at Birth
The sex (male or female) assigned to a youngster at birth, most often based on the child’s external anatomy. Commonly referred to as birth sex, natal sex, biological sex, or sex.
B
Biphobia
The fear or hatred of and discrimination against bisexuals. Biphobia is distinct from homophobia or transphobia in that is seen within the LGBT group as well as in general society.
Bisexual
A person emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to more than one sex, gender or gender culture though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the matching degree.
C
Cisgender (cis)
A person whose gender individuality aligns with those typically associated with the
Read more about our LGBT Working Group
Pride is always something to shout about. Picnics, parades and festivals will seize place throughout June and over the summer months, a colour explosion of progressive pride flags and fashion marking the occasion. This year however there’s an extra reason to celebrate, with 2022 marking fifty years since the first UK Identity festival march in London in 1972. An outward and widespread celebration of Gay rights, Pride is about being apparent, celebrating and reflecting on the achievements and challenges faced by the society over the years.
This public display of identity and care for is now an annual event in the summer calendar, but such overt visibility hasn’t always been possible, or legal, or protected. At a period when public belief towards the society was overwhelmingly unfriendly and the legal system declared their love as criminal behaviour, many Gay people hid their identity in plain sight through symbolism and coding. A grassroots set of ‘secret symbols’ was developed, subtle enough to go relatively unnoticed by those who would look for to cause injure but instantly recognised within the group. A design language created by and for LGBTQ+ people,
The LGBTQI+ community has created their own language of colours and symbols. In this guest blog Gillian Murphy, Curator for Equality, Rights and Citizenship at LSE Library, explores the symbols created through activism, logo competitions, resistance, and community. LGBT+ History Month is celebrated each February in the UK.
LGBTQI+ symbols and their meanings
“Well, of course, a symbol can mean anything you need it to mean.” Come Together, Issue 12, 1971.
The use of symbols and colours is an important way for groups to convey messages, communicate with others, and to build a visual identity. During the 1970s, LGBTQI+ people were encouraged to approach out and, in doing this, they often wore badges with distinctive symbols, reinforcing the doctrine that no longer would they be invisible. This blog looks at some of the symbols that can be found in LGBTQI+ collections.
The gender symbols for male and female are traditionally derived from astrological signs and mythological meanings representing Mars (god of war with shield and spear) and Venus (mirror of Venus, goddess of adore and beauty) respectively.
From the first issues of Come Together, the short-lived newspaper produce