Nonbinary, trans, both, or perhaps an ally? Regardless of your identity, you’re going to want to know about this new flag that has merged the trans and nonbinary flags into one inclusive option.
Visibility is key to understanding. It’s important that everyone has representation, a way to celebrate who they are, and methods of connecting with like-minded people.
Flying a nonbinary trans flag is a great way to celebrate who you are or support your friends and family members who embrace this identity.
Let’s learn more about what this unique flag is, why it is rising in popularity, and what it represents today.
Cisgender, Transgender, and Nonbinary Gender
Nonbinary and transgender (“trans”) are both terms that deal with the concept of gender identity. Gender is a socially constructed way to express our internal sense of gender identity.
Those who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth are often called cisgender. Those that identify as a gender other than that which they were assigned at birth are often called transgender.
In addition to those identities, yet another one exists—one that I myself embrace. This identity is nonbinary gender.
While it can vary substantially from person to person, most nonbinary people feel that their gender doesn’t fall on either side of the male-female binary. Nonbinary people may identify as both, beyond or in-between man and woman. They may identify as genderless, or they may alternate between gender identifications over time.
Personally, I identify as nonbinary, because I identify with a spectrum of gender identities.
Nonbinary vs. Trans…Or Nonbinary and Trans?
Because people whose gender doesn’t match the sex they were marked at birth can be considered to be transgender, it follows that people who are nonbinary may also identify as transgender.
For example, if you were marked “male” at birth but you identify as having nonbinary gender, then your gender now doesn’t match the sex you were marked at birth. Of course, because gender identity is personal identity, there is no right or wrong way to identify.
Naturally, transgender people can identify as nonbinary too, particularly if they don’t want to be defined by the traditional male/female binary.
Given these multi-layered identities, the term “nonbinary trans” and “trans nonbinary” are rising in popularity.
What do these terms mean? They are simply a way to express that identities (and allyship) are often multi-faceted.
The Meaning Behind the Nonbinary Trans Flag
There are so many queer pride flags to choose from these days. Two of these popular flags include the trans pride flag and the nonbinary pride flag.
Up to this point in history, people who identified as both nonbinary and trans either had to use both flags or use neither. Now, nonbinary trans folks also have their own unique set of colors to fly with pride.
Naturally, most transgender people would like to be inclusive of nonbinary people and visa versa. Thus, this new flag embraces both of these identities in a single 6-striped flag.
This nonbinary trans flag is a combination of the colors of the trans pride flag and the nonbinary pride flag, merged into one.
Let’s look at the meaning behind this integrated design.
Colors of the Nonbinary Trans Flag
The trans pride flag is made up of stripes of pastel blue and pink, the traditional colors for baby girls and boys. The color white is included for those who are intersex, transitioning, or undefined.
In contrast, the nonbinary flag is made up of the colors yellow, white, purple and black. It was created by Kye Rowan in 2014. On this flag, the color white represents those with all or many genders, which is different from the trans flag.
Yellow represents those whose gender is outside of the binary. Purple is for those who feel they are a mix of both male and female. The color black is for those who identify as being without a gender.
Now, the new nonbinary trans flag represents both communities using an integrated six-striped design.
It combines the colors (and meanings) of the trans and nonbinary flags together into one.
The blue and pink of the trans pride flag compose the top two stripes of the nonbinary trans flag, while the yellow, white, purple, and black of the nonbinary flag compose the bottom four stripes.
A Flag for the Nonbinary Trans Community
More inclusion and more visibility is always a reason to celebrate. Now that you know the history and meaning behind the nonbinary trans flag, it’s time to fly it with pride.
Share this flag with friends and family, allies, and others from across the LGBTQ+ community. This flag and it’s beautiful colors deserves to be seen, just like nonbinary trans people.
Looking for more ways to support diversity and inclusion? Join nearly two million other readers who are learning from Cade.