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July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Everyday Life • Lgbtq+

Bisexual Flag

The bisexual flag is a pride flag representing bisexuality, bisexual people, and the bisexual community.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

The bisexual flag is a pride flag representing bisexuality and bisexual people. Designed by activist Michael Page in 1998, it uses pink, purple, and blue horizontal stripes to symbolize attraction to the same gender, attraction to more than one gender, and attraction to a different gender.

What it is

The bisexual flag consists of three horizontal bars: pink, purple, and blue. The outer colours are commonly described as representing same-gender attraction (pink) and different-gender attraction (blue), while the centre purple stripe represents the overlap or combination, often explained as attraction to more than one gender.

Why it matters

Michael Page designed the flag in 1998 as a visibility symbol for bisexual people and unveiled it in December of that year. The flag was created in response to bisexual underrepresentation and erasure, aiming to give the community a distinct symbol of recognition.

Key details

The bisexual flag is used as a pride symbol in LGBTQ+ activism, community events, and identity representation. In Canada, it is widely used during Pride events and in university and community resources to support bisexual visibility and advocacy.

In short

  • Created in 1998 by Michael Page.
  • Three horizontal stripes: pink, purple, blue.
  • Colours represent same-gender, different-gender, and attraction to more than one gender.
  • Designed to increase bisexual visibility and counter erasure.
Canadian angle

The bisexual flag is widely used in Canada as part of Pride events, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and bisexual visibility efforts, including through Canadian university and community resources.[4]

Quick questions

Who created the bisexual flag?
Activist Michael Page designed the bisexual flag in 1998.
What do the colours mean?
Pink is commonly said to represent same-gender attraction, blue different-gender attraction, and purple attraction to more than one gender.
When was the bisexual flag first unveiled?
It was first unveiled in December 1998.

Sources

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisexual_flag
    Supports: Basic description, design, colour meanings, and creator information.
  2. UBC Equity & Inclusion Officehttps://equity.ubc.ca/pride-flags/
    Supports: Flag meaning, first unveiling in December 1998, and bisexual visibility context.
  3. Case Western Reserve Universityhttps://case.edu/news/waving-proudly-learn-meanings-behind-lgbt-flags
    Supports: Michael Page’s 1998 unveiling and the flag’s symbolism and purpose.
  4. Outright Internationalhttps://outrightinternational.org/insights/flags-lgbtiq-community
    Supports: Flag design, creator, and colour symbolism.