While not everyone identifies with the many labels or symbols in the greater LGBTQIA+ community (which is completely valid in of itself), many others do and the “true” meanings and boundaries of all of them are often discussed and debated. These often revolve around the plethora of flags that have been created to recognize the diversity in our community, and the Transgender Pride Flag is no stranger in this regard. When having these conversations, it is important to remember that gatekeeping and invalidating the identities of others is never going to be the right answer in all of this, even when disagreements or misunderstandings do occur. As a history student, I may be biased as I put a lot of weight on the literal intention of the creators in the inception, creation, and application of these symbols. In some cases, however, meanings can change or be expanded but more often than not if people don’t feel like they are fully represented by one label or symbol, new ones are made. With all of that said, I will be sharing the origins of the Transgender Flag as we know it today and how myself and others can fit into in ways many may not know of!
Monica Helms’ created the Transgender Pride Flag, commonly known as “the Transgender Flag”, in 1999. She came out as a transgender woman in 1987 and in the years leading up to her creating the flag became deeply involved in trans advocacy. In a 2017 interview, she claimed that it was with the urging of Michael Page, who created the Bisexual Pride Flag, that she filled the need of providing one for the trans community ("Monica Helms," Transilient). According to Helms herself, the meaning of her flag is as follows: The stripes at the top and bottom are light blue, the traditional color for baby boys. The stripes next to them are pink, the traditional color for baby girls. The stripe in the middle is white, for those who are transitioning or consider themselves having a neutral or undefined gender (Iovannone, "A Brief History of the Transgender Pride Flag"). On a personal note, I had no clue that was the original meaning of the white stripe until recently! To be fair, I only realized that I was nonbinary last year, thus I had not pondered the subject very often prior to that point. My original understanding of it encompassed the component of transition and my additional interpretation was that it meant to erase a prescribed identity that one did not agree with. In part, the latter assumption wasn’t incorrect, but I didn’t think that I was explicitly included in the symbolism of the flag as a nonbinary person. Though I identify with other gender identities and their flags (the Nonbinary, Genderqueer, and Demiboy ones to name a few), I am immensely appreciative to be included in Helms’. With that knowledge, I do feel great pride in using or sometimes wearing her flag, though I recognize that not all nonbinary or gender nonconforming people identify as trans themselves. To me, much like the Rainbow Flag, it serves as a welcoming umbrella for all who identify with it to any capacity. Unfortunately, in spite of Helms’ inclusive definition, many people in the trans community do tend to gatekeep other trans people in terms of who “can” use and identify with the flag or with who is actually trans in general. I will never understand the need to police people and their bodies, especially in our own community. Whether it is in regard to not being comfortable with the fact that some do not adhere to the gender binary or choose to not transition in ways that are more commonly accepted by the majority (if they choose to transition at all), we have to do better as a community as life is hard enough for all of us outside of it. Even if one does not identify as trans in the same way another does, that does not and cannot make anyone “less trans” than the other. We are all still in very real danger today, especially our youth, and need to take good care of each other. To give a further interpretation of Helm’s Transgender Pride Flag based on a deeper understanding of it, I think it is safe to say that it symbolizes that we can all be different and coexist as one entity at the same time, no matter our specific gender identities or expressions. - Bek Works Cited and Further Reading Iovannone, Jeffrey J. "A Brief History of the Transgender Pride Flag." Medium, 27 July 2017, medium.com/queer-history-for-the-people/a-brief-history-of-the-transgender-pride-flag-93c1c2a1c39. Katz, Joeli. "LGBT historical items celebrated at the Smithsonian." GLAAD, 20 Aug. 2014, www.glaad.org/blog/lgbt-historical-items-celebrated-smithsonian. "Monica Helms." Transilient, 19 Aug. 2017, wearetransilient.com/interview-gallery-archive/2017-monica-helms.
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January 2024
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