Official Pride Flag and General Flag Etiquette
In 2021, Valentino Vecchietti (she/they) of Intersex Equality Rights UK adapted the Progress Pride flag (English only) to incorporate the intersex flag, thereby creating the Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag.
The Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag is the official Pride Flag of the federal public service of Canada!
In the spirit of all previous iterations of the Pride flags listed below, the Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag continues to represent persons with diverse sexual orientations and those with diverse gender identities and expressions, whilst also explicitly including the intersex community.
Journey to the Inclusive Pride flag
- 1978 Gilbert baker - The Rainbow Pride flag
- 1999 Monica helms - The Trans Pride flag
- 2013 Morgan carpenter - The Intersex Pride flag
- 2017 Amber Hikes - The More Color, More Pride flag
- 2018 Daniel Quasar - Progress Pride flag
- 2021 Valentino Vecchietti - Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag
For more information about the Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag, and its meaning, please visit our Resource Page.
Flag Specifications
All flags flown on federal buildings must follow strict protocol requirements, as identified by Public Services and Procurement Canada and Canadian Heritage, and respect flag specifications outlined by the flag creator(s).
For more information about the construction and material requirements for flags being flown on federal buildings, please contact the PSPN directly. For more information on the official specifications of the Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag, such as pantone colour codes and flag measurements, individuals are welcomed to connect with the flag creator, Valentino Vecchietti, directly by visiting their Global Inclusive Pride Flag webpage.
Symbolism of colours and patterns
The Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag includes horizontal stripes in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, as well white, baby pink, baby blue, brown and black chevron stripes pointing to the right, and a purple circle over a golden yellow triangle.
Each colour has its own meaning, of which is detailed below and in greater detail within our Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag Backgrounder located on our Resource Page.
- Red, for celebrating life
- Orange, for healing
- Yellow, for sunlight
- Green, for nature
- Blue, for serenity
- Purple, for the human spirit
- White, baby pink and baby blue are the colours of the Transgender Pride flag
- White, to represent people who are intersex, transitioning, or who do not have a defined gender
- Baby pink and baby blue, colours that have traditionally been associated with girls and boys (gender binary)
- The chevron arrow points to the right to show forward movement, while being along the flag’s hoist edge to show that progress still needs to be made as it relates to the inclusion of transgender people within society and Pride
- Black and brown, which were added to provide people of colour more representation in Pride
- The chevron arrow points to the right to show forward movement, while being along the flag’s hoist edge to show that progress still needs to be made as it relates to the inclusion of racialized persons within society and Pride
- A purple circle on a golden yellow background, the colours and design of the Intersex Pride flag
- These colours avoid referencing gender stereotypes, sometimes seen in other colours like blue and pink
- The circle represents wholeness, completeness, and intersex people’s potentialities
Pride flag variations
The Pride flag exists so that gender- and sexually-diverse persons can celebrate and feel the joy of their own existence. The Pride flag also provides the diverse communities that make up the broader 2SLGBTQIA+ ‘community’ with the opportunity to come together in solidarity and allyship, to uplift each other’s voices, and to campaign for intersectional inclusion, equity and representation in all spheres of society.
The PSPN understands the inability or difficulty of one Pride flag appropriately or effectively acting as a unifying symbol for the entire ‘community’. While the Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag strives to represent all 2SLGBTQIA+ persons and communities, the PSPN acknowledges that the Flag may not resonate and may not capture the breadth and depth of realities of all gender- and/or sexually-diverse persons.
Our 2SLGBTQIA+ communities are rich and made up of diverse individuals with a variety of intersecting identities. Each person and their community should feel recognized and respected for their unique positionality.
There are limitations as to how the federal public service can display and fly flags on the exterior of federal buildings. The PSPN does, however, encourage individuals to display the Pride flag of their choice within their respective team spaces.
Copyrighting
Use of the Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag is permitted. However, Valentino Vecchietti, the creator of the Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag, asks to be credited/acknowledged in association with its use.
Flag Protocol
The manner in which flags may be displayed in Canada is not governed by legislation but rather by established practice. The etiquette outlined in this section is an adaptation of international usage and of customs that the federal government has been observing for many years.
Pride flag raising and displaying
Pride flag raising during half-masting
The National Flag of Canada half-masting notices provide details about half-masting events in Canada, or in special circumstances, in a foreign country. See the Rules for Half-masting the National Flag of Canada for more information.
In the event that the National Flag is to be flown at half-mast, all flags within the surrounding stand of flags must be lowered accordingly.