Puerto Rican designer creates new Pride flag to include trans and people of color

The new flag created by Julia Feliz in response to Quasar’s flag. | Photo: Julia Feliz/Kickstarter

A new Pride flag has been created to promote inclusivity for trans and people of color.

Julia Feliz, a Puerto Rican and LGBTI community member approached the LGBTI trans community and people of color to design a flag for them.

Feliz’s Pride flag features the trans flag intersecting the original rainbow flag while centering black and brown people of color, in honor, memory, and acknowledgment.

The flag is a response to a previous Pride design created by Daniel Quasar.

Quasar, who identifies as a ‘queer non-binary demi-guy’, introduced it to the world in an Instagram post last June.

“We need to always keep progress moving forward in all aspects of our community.” UPDATE JUNE 7th: Many have asked how they can get there hands on this flag, and I’ve started a Kickstarter to fund everything. Please check it out: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/danielquasar/progress-a-pride-flag-reboot Flag Description: Background: LGBT 6 full sized color stripes representing life (red), healing (orange), sunlight (yellow), nature (green), harmony/peace (blue), and spirit (purple/violet) Hoist: 5 half sized stripes representing trans identity (light blue, light pink, white), marginalized POC communities (brown, black), as well as those living with AIDS and the stigma, and those no longer living (black). Explanation: When the Pride flag was recreated in the last year to include both black/brown stripes, as well as the trans stripes, I felt there needed to be more thought put into the design and emphasis of the flag to give it more meaning. The 6 stripe LGBT flag should be separated from the newer stripes because of their difference in meaning, as well as to shift focus and emphasis to what is important in our current community climate. The main section of the flag (background) includes the traditional 6 stripe LGBT flag as seen in its original form so as not to take away from its original meaning (seen above). The trans flag stripes and marginalized community stripes were shifted to the Hoist of the flag and given a new arrow shape. The arrow points to the right to show forward movement, while being along the left edge shows that progress still needs to be made. DESIGNER: Name: Daniel Quasar, quasar.digital Pronouns: he/him, xe/xem ID: queer non-binary demiguy please feel free to share, and credit me on my tumblr (@kueezaa), my instagram (@myfairsaturn) or on my FB page (@quasardigital.pdx) Thanks! USE: Sharing with no alteration for non-commercial purposes is currently permitted. Any commercial use is not permitted. #pride #pridemonth #prideflag #lgbtq #trans #transpride #representation

A post shared by DΔΠΙΞL ϘUΔSΔR (@myfairsaturn) on Jun 5, 2018 at 6:01pm PDT

Quasar’s flag maintains the usual rainbow background but features another set of stripes on the hoist.

This part, in fact, presents five half-sized stripes. They represent ‘trans identity (light blue, light pink, white), marginalized POC communities (brown, black), as well as those living with AIDS and the stigma, and those no longer living (black)’.

Quasar’s flag attempted to promote inclusivity across the community. However, the designer has now been accused of exploiting the LGBTI people of Puerto Rico.

Is Quasar’s flag exploiting the Puerto Rican LGBTI flag?

Amanda ‘AC’ Baker, a non-binary trans person, feels the flag might be cultural appropriation.

Quasar’s flag has the same design as the Puerto Rican flag. The latter consists of five equal horizontal bands of red alternating with white and a blue triangle on the hoist side bearing a five-pointed star in the center.

The Puerto Rico Pride flag is modeled upon the country’s flag and was designed and copyrighted in 2000.

There are some similarities to Quasar’s flag.

‘Quasar claimed to be honoring black and brown trans people with his design,’ said AC Baker.

‘But he has not, to our knowledge, given any money or credit to the black and brown trans people of Puerto Rico, who are still, along with their communities, struggling with the devastation caused by the callous exploitation and wilful neglect of the USA towards all the people of Puerto Rico after last year’s Hurricane Maria.’

‘This cultural and financial theft from the LGBTI community of Puerto Rico is an act of white supremacy,’ Baker also added.

GSN has reached out to Daniel Quasar for comment.

You can download Feliz’s Pride flag for free here. Reproduction for commercial use is possible provided 50% of profits go towards supporting trans people of color. You can also support the new flag through Kickstarter.

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