October 8, 2021

Nonbinary Flag History: Know It All

Although nonbinary people have existed for centuries, the nonbinary flag is new. So is culture around nonbinary people is relatively new. Learn more about the nonbinary flag: its purpose, history, and use in modern times. 

What Does Nonbinary Mean?

A nonbinary person is someone who feels like their assigned gender at birth is wrong. Sometimes nonbinary people think of themselves as having both genders. Sometimes nonbinary people think of themselves as neither gender. And sometimes nonbinary people feel like they inhabit a gender different from either male or female, but not all nonbinary people identify the same way.

Nonbinary also describes any person who does not exclusively align with "male" or "female" as a gender. Many nonbinary people consider themselves transgender, but some do not. Not all nonbinary people will "transition" into a nontraditional gender appearance, nor will all nonbinary people get medical help for transitioning.

Who Made The Nonbinary Flag?

Kyle Rowan, the creator of the Nonbinary Flag, began designing it in 2014. This flag was not designed to take the place of the Genderqueer flag; instead, it was created to fly alongside it to represent the full spectrum of nonbinary experiences. The colors yellow, white, purple, and black are meant to represent nonbinary people's experience. Kyle was just 17 when he designed the flag.

a narwhal for nonbinary rights as a car decal, flying the nonbinary flag

What Do The Nonbinary Flag Colors Mean?

The nonbinary flag has four colors. The color yellow represents individuals who identify as neither male nor female. The white stripe represents people with a wide range of genders. The purple represents those who fall in between male and female, or are a mix of the two genders. Finally, black represents those that feel they have no gender.

It shares the purple color with the genderqueer flag, but otherwise, the flag's colors provide a striking design full of contrast. Despite the flag being less than ten years old, it already appears in many places: at pride events, on merchandise, and in artwork. Many nonbinary folks love the flag, what it represents, and what it looks like.

Who Are Some Famous Nonbinary People?

Many people think that they don't know any nonbinary people, but that's simply not true. There are many famous people who have recently come out as nonbinary. Famous nonbinary people include Sam Smith, Demi Lovato, Jonathan Van Ness, and Indya Moore. These celebrities are following the path of trans pioneers. Hopefully, they'll make it easier for trans and nonbinary kids to come out of the closet.

Can I Fly The Nonbinary Flag If I'm Not Nonbinary?

This is a common question, and has an easy answer. Fly the flag that feels most comfortable to you. We decorate with pride flags to show our support and allyship. But we also may identify with the label. You may have to explain that you're just an ally, but most queer people love to see visible signs of support from friends and family - even if they don't identify that way.

Here are some great products with the nonbinary flag on them. There are nonbinary flag t-shirts, stickers, pins, magnets, and more!

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