Many trace the term back to the 1980s porn industry that used that term to sell pornography of women having sex with other women to heterosexual men. Lipstick lesbian” is a slang for more feminine-presenting lesbians, who may use make-up (lipstick), wear dresses, and so on. Plus, new flags (and variations of flags) pop up every few years to make sure all members of the queer community feel represented and seen.

The " Lipstick Lesbian" Flag was created by Natalie McCray, who posted it on the blog "This Lesbian Life" in 2010. But there’s more pride flags than just the rainbow flag, and many of us might struggle to recognise or understand what those flags mean. While not representing any specific sexual orientation or gender identity, this flag has been used by the leather subculture since the 90s and was quickly embraced by the gay leather community, signifying pride for the BDSM and fetish subculture. This lesbian pride flag was designed by Emily Gwen in 2018, and became the most popular and recognised flag for the community. A 5-coloured version is also commonly used, where the middle orange and middle pink shades are removed.It’s a misconception that all intersex folks have both male and female genitalia; instead, non-physical traits, such as hormonal or chromosomal variations, are much more common. There is a history within the queer community of [that flag] not fully recognizing the needs of people with different identities," explains Chelsea Del Rio, PhD, co-chair of the American Historical Association's Committee on LGBT History and associate professor of history at LaGuardia Community College. This flag was designed in 1999 by Sean Campbell for the lesbian community, but hasn’t gained widespread adoption.

It’s not known who designed the demisexual pride flag, though it’s believed to be inspired by the asexual pride flag in 2010.The usage of the inverted black triangle reclaimed the symbol once used by Nazi Germany to identify lesbian women in concentration camps. In terms of the violet backdrop, the meaning of this color is said to come from a line in Sappho‘s poem “I Have Not Had One Word From Her”. Radesky is also the review editor for the American Historical Association's Committee on LGBT History. Although personal preferences exist, as well as various controversies, no design has been widely accepted by the community as the lesbian flag.

Nevertheless, Del Rio does point out a common thread between the most recognizable lesbian flags: the color purple. Ultimately, while flags are a great visible symbol of representation and community, they "are just one site where queer communities can reckon with their past as well as their present, and also claim space," Radesky notes. The prevalence of the rainbow pride flag, created by Gilbert Baker, has made it instantly recognizable as a prominent emblem of the LGBTQ+ community. Because the colors were drawn from shades of lipstick without any other notable significance to the community, many were concerned about it excluding butch, non-femme, and androgynous lesbians. Some reference the poetry of Sappho and her referencing violets, to effeminate cultural practitioners in the 19th century.Accusations that the creator of the flag is transphobic, and that the design was stolen from the sunset lesbian flag, were rampant. The asexual pride flag was formalised in 2010 after an online vote by members of various asexual communities.

The labrys lesbian flag was created in 1999 by graphic designer Sean Campbell, and published in June 2000 in the Palm Springs edition of the Gay and Lesbian Times Pride issue.Because demisexuality falls within asexuality, their flags share the same colours, but come with different shapes. There’s no better way to honor our movement than by knowing how one little lesbian flag could inspire thousands—but also divide us in many ways as well. Some lesbians have argued that the lipstick flag does not also represent butch lesbians, while others oppose its use due to controversial comments made by the flag's designer on her blog.