Birmingham LGBT unveils new inclusive flag for this year’s Pride celebrations

Birmingham LGBT will unveil its new flag this Friday (17 May) at an event to mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia.

The flag will be used by Birmingham LGBT at events like Birmingham Pride and the Pink Picnic, as well as on all communications that include the use of a Pride flag.

Birmingham LGBT is the city’s leading charity advocating for and supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities within Birmingham. The flag will be used by Birmingham LGBT at events like Birmingham Pride and the Pink Picnic, as well as on all communications that include the use of a Pride flag.

The unveiling of the flag will be spearheaded by writer and director Rikki Beadle Blair. Blair has been named several years running on the Independent on Sunday’s Pink List as one the 100 most influential gay people in Britain, and is best for films KickOff (2011), a comedy about a football match between a gay and straight football team, Fit (2010), and Stonewall (1995).

The new flag is based off the design of Daniel Quasar, who is based in Portland, Oregon, US. Quasar identifies as a ‘queer non-binary demiguy’ and prefers xe/xem/xyr pronouns, reports LGBTQ Nation. Xe created the flag following earlier adaptations to the existing, six-stripe rainbow flag first created by the artist Gilbert Baker.

Quasar calls the flag a ‘reboot’ of the original Pride flag – with an emphasis on ‘inclusion and progression.’

‘We still have movement forward to make. There still is work to be done. I wanted to highlight that’, xe says.

Yet critics have claimed this flag is ‘problematic’, suggesting that the original rainbow flag represents an abstract concept through each colour, and not a specific group or identity. This feature allowed the flag to be claimed by a wide range of people — as it has been.

Friday’s unveiling will happen as part of a celebratory event that will also feature talks and performances. The event, which takes place at the Birmingham LGBT Centre from 6pm, will be catered. In consideration of Ramadan, the centre will remain open late so that members of the Muslim community can break fast as part of their evening experience.