The Asexuality Flag

This is the Asexuality Flag.

The need for a flag was driven primarily by the desire to have a symbol that belongs to all of us, something that we could use to identify as ace and represent asexuality with that was not tied to a specific group. Prior to its adoption, people would use things like the AVEN triangle or a half-filled heart, but those had problems which prevented their wider adoption. The AVEN triangle is, well, the AVEN triangle. It’s the logo of a single website that not every asexual person is affiliated with. The half-filled heart implies romance, which meant that many aromantics were uncomfortable using it.

In the Summer of 2010, a number of asexuality sites, led by users on AVEN, came up with a number of designs for an asexuality flag, then held a multi-stage vote to determine the winner.

The selected design was created by AVEN user standup, and first posted at 4:36 PM on June 30th, 2010.

Some of the other designs included hearts and spades and triangles and all manner of other symbols.  Some of the designs looked like country flags.  In the end, the simple, four-bar design was chosen.  This design avoids the unwanted connotations that specific symbols like a triangle or heart might have, it avoids any hint of national affiliation, and perhaps most importantly, it fits in with the striped designs of most other GSM pride flags.

(Plus, it’s really easy to draw.)

Since the flag was selected in 2010, its use has exploded.  You can get buttons and bumper stickers and clothes with the flag on it.  It’s been seen at pride parades around the world, and some flag makers now offer it for sale.  Many asexuality related websites or blogs now incorporate the flag into their design.  And, of course, people have even made ace flag cakes.  Additionally, the black-grey-white-purple color scheme has been adopted by many aces as a way of indicating their asexuality.  I’ve seen ace shirts, ace nail polish, ace friendship bracelets, ace headbands, and ace scarves.  Even the logo of this site incorporates these four colors.

For more information:

You can trace the progression of designs and the voting process through these threads over at AVEN:

http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?/topic/40768-flag/

http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?/topic/51646-asexual-flag-thread/

http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?/topic/51751-asexual-flag-voting-first-round/

http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?/topic/51825-discussion-20-asexual-flag/

http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?/topic/53110-asexual-flag-round-three/

http://www.asexuality.org/en/index.php?/topic/53435-asexual-flag-and-the-winner-is/

http://www.asexuality.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_asexual_flag

Here’s some shots of the flag in the wild:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaV8nhhNQyE

http://www.flickr.com/photos/levitte/6020404486/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevieontario/5902251358

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lgf/6086752311/

http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2010&mm=10&dd=10&nav_id=70193

http://skepticsplay.blogspot.com/2011/06/asexuality-at-sf-pride-2011.html

32 thoughts on “The Asexuality Flag

  1. I just want to thank you for this blog, I’ve always felt alone and like I was a freak because of that fact I’m asexual and now I am nearly in tears because I feel like I’m now part of something. I now know I’m not alone and this blog has helped me by explaining a few things!! Thank you so much!!

  2. One thing you may have missed in your research is that the flag colors slightly predate the flag. That’s the reason why, when all the flag proposals were being made, they stuck more or less to the same color scheme. I’d find the relevant AVEN thread but AVEN is down at the moment.

  3. I like the flag. I discovered after reading a magazine article, and after my brother asking me if I was, that I am asexual. It explains a lot. I’ve always been different. And I just recently realized that there’s also something called aromantic. I’m not romantic at all either, which means I’m also aromantic. the prefix a means without, so I’m without what? Without sexuality and without romance. Anyway, I never knew there was an asexual flag. Where can I get one?

  4. I always thought I was just a normal Hetro, but I realised all the people I thought I was in love with, I didn’t feel sexual attraction to them, I only liked them because I mistook friendship as a love thing. I also suffer from erotophobia, I personally like not relying on people, because that’s just the person I am.

      • I think crushes mean a desire to have a romantic relationship with a person, but a squish means a desire to have a great friendship with a person. I’ve never had a crush, but I’ve had squishes.

    • Me too. I’ve been in a few relationships before. But along the way, I realised I’ve never felt very attracted to my exes (maybe because i mistook a friendship as love thingy) . it almost feels like a guilt in every relationship i had. And I’m still a virgin!

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  6. I only fairly recently had the realisation that I am asexual, I am interested in having close relationships but I never stopped to think that I’ve never had any sexual attraction to anyone I had been with. After reading a fair amount I finally feel sane again XP

  7. I’ve only just recognized that I’m asexual, and I’m so relieved to see this flag. I have a large support system of members of the LGBTQA* community who have helped me accept and love myself, even without feeling sexual needs for others. Thank you for your hard work on the flag and raising awareness in the community!

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  9. I never really noticed that I was ace and aro until a kid back in middle school confessed to me. I felt like i was supposed to like him because others found him attractive, but I found myself not feeling anything. And i started noticing those feelings remained constant through my life. So I searched for what might be wrong with me, and I found out that nothing was wrong but that there were other people like me. I was m i n d b l o w n and I finally felt comfortable with myself. Its strange how the colors on the flag are the ones I prefer in real life too. XD

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  11. i only just found out there was such a thing as Asexuality and i was just like Oh My Gosh i think i have finally found out who i am

  12. I feel the exact same way!!!! Especially science all of my friends LOVE that sort of stuff. So when I was in like 8 grade and high school people would just be like oh there sooooo hot and I’d be there just so confused!!

  13. dang it I really like the idea of spades now that i’ve discovered it was in the running to be on the flag, but this flag is more in solidarity with the others i agree

  14. I’m not sure entirely what I am I went most my life thinking I was straight and finding gay -nes weird. But as I matured I noticed that I wasnt into the pictures I was getting from guys. Which made me intrested in if I would feel anything with a girl and I did but not alot. I’m not closed off to both genders I just dont know which one I like. I dont really like doing things with guys past kissing really it makes me feel uncomfortable especially if i dont have a emotional connection with them. If i have an emotional connection I can but in other situations its repulsive to me. So I dont know what I really identify as well obviously girl duh but yeah I was hoping you could help me

    • Sounds like you might be demi or grey ace. Demisexuality falls under the umbrella of asexuality; it’s when you don’t feel sexual attraction unless there’s a strong emotional bond. Interest in romance is considered a separate thing so you could even be biromantic ace/demi. With or without a label though don’t feel like you have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with; your boundaries should be respected.

  15. It’s an indescribable feeling of relief to know that you belong somewhere. For the past 3.5 year I was making myself doing things I didn’t want to do because I felt like it will make me normal and I there was something wrong with me. I was disgusted with myself every time. But finally, after all this time I came to peace with myself.

  16. Thank you very much for this article on asexuality. I have just this year come out to my husband, grown children, and other close family members that I am asexual. It is nice to know that I am not alone in the world. I do not have feelings of sexual attraction nor romantic attraction, but I do love. Most people I know have a difficult time understanding this. Throughout my life I have had many different kinds of relationships, but none of them have ever included any kind of sexual or romantic feelings on my part. For a long time I thought I was broken or that something was wrong with me. Now I know and accept that I am perfect just the way I am, and there are others just like me out there in the world.

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