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5 Essential Facts About The Bisexual Pride Flag You Didn't Learn In School

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The Bisexual Pride Flag is much more than just a colorful banner; it is a profound symbol of identity, visibility, and resistance against erasure for millions of people worldwide. As of December 23, 2025, this iconic three-striped design remains the most widely recognized emblem for the bisexual community, providing a powerful visual representation that stands proudly alongside the classic Rainbow Flag.

Created in 1998, the flag was a direct response to the feeling that the bisexual community lacked a distinct, recognizable symbol to call its own. Its design is intentionally simple yet deeply meaningful, using a specific combination of magenta, lavender, and blue to capture the essence of attraction across the gender spectrum and to assert the validity of bisexual identity in the face of persistent prejudice and misunderstanding.

The Creator and History: Michael Page and the 1998 Launch

The Bisexual Pride Flag was designed by activist and writer Michael Page, who was also known by the moniker "BiMagical." Page created the flag in an effort to increase the visibility of the bisexual community, both within the broader LGBTQ+ movement and in society as a whole.

Michael Page: A Profile of the Bi Flag Designer

  • Name: Michael Page (also known as "BiMagical")
  • Role: Bisexual activist, writer, and volunteer for organizations like BiNet USA.
  • Inspiration: The flag was inspired by an older bisexual symbol called the "bi-angles," a logo created by artist Liz Nania in 1987, which featured overlapping pink and blue triangles to form a purple center.
  • Creation Date: December 5, 1998.
  • First Public Appearance: The flag was first flown publicly in 1999 at the Philadelphia Gay Pride Parade.
  • Motivation: To give the bisexual community its own easily recognized symbol, comparable to the Rainbow Flag, and to combat the pervasive issue of bisexual erasure.
  • Other Contributions: Page was also the creator of BiCafe (now closed), an early online resource for the bisexual community.

Page’s design was a conscious effort to move away from the abstract nature of the "bi-angles" and create a universally recognizable banner. He intended the flag to be freely available for public use, stating that it belonged to everyone in the bisexual community. This decision cemented its status as the official and most widely adopted symbol of bisexual pride.

The Profound Symbolism: What the Pink, Purple, and Blue Truly Represent

The Bisexual Pride Flag consists of three horizontal stripes of unequal size, each carrying a distinct and powerful meaning that encapsulates the experience of bisexuality. The proportions are 40% magenta (top), 20% lavender/purple (middle), and 40% royal blue (bottom).

The Three Colors Explained

The colors were chosen to represent the complexities of attraction, moving beyond the simplistic binary of male and female. This is a crucial distinction, as the flag’s meaning is often misinterpreted.

  • Magenta (Pink) Stripe (Top): This color represents attraction to the same sex or same gender (homosexuality). It is a vibrant acknowledgment of the queer side of bisexual identity.
  • Royal Blue Stripe (Bottom): This color represents attraction to different sexes or different genders (heterosexuality). It acknowledges the connection to the broader population and attraction to those who are not the same gender as oneself.
  • Lavender (Purple) Stripe (Middle): This is arguably the most important stripe. It is the resulting "overlap" of the pink and blue, representing attraction to both sexes/genders, or more broadly, attraction regardless of sex or gender. This middle color is the heart of the flag’s message.

The purple stripe is intentionally placed in the middle, blending the two outer colors. Michael Page explained that the key to understanding the symbolism is that the purple color blends unnoticeably into both the pink and blue, just as bisexual people often blend into both the heterosexual and homosexual communities.

Combating Bisexual Erasure: The Flag’s Primary Mission

The creation of the bisexual flag was a direct response to a phenomenon known as bisexual erasure, or "bi invisibility." This is the tendency to ignore, deny, or re-explain evidence of bisexuality in history, media, and everyday life.

Bisexual people often experience biphobia and marginalization from both the heterosexual community and, sometimes, from within the larger LGBTQ+ community. The flag serves as a necessary, non-negotiable assertion of identity.

  • The Problem: When a bisexual person is in a relationship with someone of the same gender, they are often labeled as gay or lesbian. When they are with someone of a different gender, they are often labeled as straight. This persistent mislabeling denies the existence of their actual identity.
  • The Solution: The flag provides a permanent, visible symbol that cannot be erased or re-explained. Waving the flag at a Pride Parade, displaying it on clothing, or using it online is a powerful act of defiance against this invisibility.
  • The Impact: By having its own distinct emblem, the bisexual community gains a collective identity, fostering a sense of belonging and solidarity among individuals who might otherwise feel isolated or misunderstood.

The flag’s message is clear: the purple stripe exists, the overlap is real, and the identity is valid on its own terms, separate from monosexuality.

Technical Specifications: The Official Bisexual Flag Color Codes

For designers, artists, and flag manufacturers, the official color codes are essential for ensuring the flag is reproduced accurately, maintaining its integrity and recognition worldwide. Using the correct colors is a key part of respecting the flag's symbolism.

The standard colors for the Bisexual Pride Flag are as follows:

Official Bisexual Flag Color Palette

Color Represents HEX Code RGB Code CMYK Code
Magenta (Pink) Same-Gender Attraction #D60270 214, 2, 112 0, 99, 48, 16
Lavender (Purple) Attraction Regardless of Gender (The Overlap) #9B4F96 155, 79, 150 0, 49, 3, 39
Royal Blue Different-Gender Attraction #0038A8 0, 56, 168 100, 67, 0, 34

These specific codes ensure that the colors are consistently displayed, whether on a physical flag, a digital screen, or in print materials. The magenta is a deep, vivid pink, while the blue is a strong, saturated royal blue, making the purple blend distinct and noticeable.

The Flag’s Ongoing Legacy and Topical Authority

Since its debut, the Bisexual Pride Flag has become a cornerstone of LGBTQ+ representation, influencing other symbols and flags within the community. Its success lies in its simplicity and its powerful, direct message. It is now a universally recognized icon used by organizations like BiNet USA and celebrated annually during Bisexual Awareness Week in September.

While new, more inclusive flags like the Progress Pride Flag have emerged, incorporating elements from various identities, the pink, purple, and blue flag remains the definitive and standalone symbol for bisexuality. It is a testament to the persistent need for specific, targeted visibility within the broader queer movement. Its continued prominence in 2025 highlights the ongoing fight against biphobia and the importance of affirming bisexual identity in all its forms.

Understanding the bisexual flag is a step toward understanding the diversity of human sexuality. It’s an invitation to recognize that attraction is fluid and complex, and that identity is not defined by who you are currently with, but by who you are capable of loving.

5 Essential Facts About the Bisexual Pride Flag You Didn't Learn in School
what is the bisexual flag
what is the bisexual flag

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