Guide to LGBTQ+ Symbols and Signs

Updated/Revised Date: 23rd Mar 2026
Author: Sexual Diversity | Contact: SexualDiversity.org
Additional References: LGBTQ+ Symbols Publications

Synopsis: Information and example images of LGBTQ+ symbols, including colors, designs, their meanings, symbolism, and a guide to their history.

Definition

LGBTQ+ Symbols

In the past, and currently in some countries to this day, LGBTQ+ people came up with many covert ways such as items of clothing, accessories, slang, styles, or small tattoos that could easily be covered up to signal to each other that they were part of the gay community. An example of common gender symbols today include astrological signs from ancient Roman times, such as the pointed Mars symbol representing males and the Venus symbol with the cross representing females.

Main Section

Throughout history, the LGBTQ+ community has adopted symbols, flags, and colors for self-identification to demonstrate unity, pride, shared values, and allegiance to one another. These signs and symbols communicate ideas, concepts, and identities within LGBTQ+ communities and everyday mainstream culture.

Intertwined pink female and blue male symbols. The pointed Mars symbol represents males, and the Venus symbol with the cross represents females.

The original female and male gender symbols are derived from the astronomical symbols for the planets Venus and Mars, respectively. Following Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician, biologists use the planetary symbol for Venus to represent the female sex and the planetary symbol for Mars to represent the male sex.

Unicorns and Rainbows

In 2017, Alice Fisher of The Guardian wrote:

"The unicorn has also done its bit for the LGBT community in the last century... Rainbows and unicorns are so intrinsically linked (the association is also a Victorian invention) that, unsurprisingly, the magic creature started to appear on T-shirts and banners at Gay Pride around the world, with slogans such as 'Gender is Imaginary' or 'Totally Straight' emblazoned under sparkling rainbow unicorns."

Green Carnations

Nearly a century before the rainbow pride flag came onto the scene, LGBT people, most notably gay men, used another symbol to identify and connect, a green carnation. This came about due to Playwright Oscar Wilde. He had an actor wear one of these synthetically dyed green carnations onto the stage during a production of Lady Windermere’s Fan. Following the play's production, green carnations began to be worn in buttonholes of men's suits from the late 1800s. It was considered a symbol of the aesthetic movement and loving whoever you chose to love. When Wilde was prosecuted for loving men, people wore the green carnation to show support and solidarity.