11 JUNE 2025 • PRIDE
For decades, the rainbow flag has been the universal symbol of Pride, a beacon of unity, resistance, and love. But as the world evolved, so did the queer experience.
Today, a new generation of LGBTQIA+ individuals is growing up in a world where queerness is more visible and, dare we say it, more ordinary. And so, for many of them, the traditional Pride symbols (rainbow flags, glitter bombs, and protest imagery) feel a little out of touch. So, we had some fun and put together our take on the updated symbols of Pride.
A manicure adopted by many lesbians for “practical” reasons. / Christina House / Los Angeles Times
Not Just Out BUT Understood: The New Queer Struggle
Here’s the thing: visibility is no longer the only fight. For many Gen Z queer people, simply existing isn’t as revolutionary as it once was. Their struggles are different, less about being seen and more about being understood in all their complexity. Non-binary identities, fluid expressions, and intersectional experiences are pushing the community past the traditional binaries and broad strokes that the rainbow flag represents.
Drag icons, Trixie and Katya, may not be marching at every protest, but their chaotic honesty, chosen family dynamic, and unapologetic queerness make them powerful symbols of what Pride looks like today.
From Parade to Reality: Rethinking Pride in a New Era
A survey by Vice Media found that 67% of queer Gen Z respondents felt Pride events were too commercialized and disconnected from their everyday reality. The glitter and rainbow streamers? For some, it feels like an aesthetic that belongs to a different era, one where loud visibility was the primary goal. Now, it’s about nuance, about living queer lives that are multifaceted and, sometimes, beautifully ordinary.
The Bisper is a phenomenon of anti-LGBTQ reappropriation through social networks.
Evolving Symbols: Rethinking What Pride Looks Like
That’s not to say the rainbow flag isn’t powerful. It absolutely is. But maybe it’s time to expand the symbols we use to represent Pride. Just like the Progress Pride Flag sought to include trans, non-binary and BIPOC people, perhaps we’re overdue for another evolution. One that captures queerness as it’s lived today. Think less spectacle, more substance. Less glitter, more grit.
To most, it’s just a shark plush - but for many trans people, IKEA’s Blåhaj has become a symbol of their communitY
From Memes to Movements: Gen Z’s Everyday Queer Culture
Some of this is already happening organically. The digital world has birthed new ways of expressing Pride through art, community-led projects, and even meme culture. A quick scroll through TikTok during Pride Month will show you that for Gen Z, queer identity is about living it day-to-day, not just performing it for the parade.
two of the most viral queer memes - a perfect example of how something simple can offer everyday recognition and a sense of representation.
Built on Protest, Growing with Purpose
None of this is about erasing the past. The rainbow flag, the protest imagery, and the glitter-covered celebrations paved the way for where we are now. But the evolution of Pride isn’t about leaving that behind; it’s about building on it. Honouring the movements that got us here while heroing the reality of queer life today.
