Polyromantic Pride Flag

Overview

To provide a pride symbol specifically for polyromantic identity, distinct from but related to the polysexual flag, reflecting the split attraction model.

Polyromantic is the romantic counterpart of polysexual, describing romantic attraction to many but not all genders. The term was coined before July 4, 2015. The split attraction model, which distinguishes romantic and sexual orientation as separate dimensions, is the framework that gives polyromantic its distinct meaning from polysexual. Multiple flag designs exist. An early flag consisted of the polysexual flag with a heart overlay (creator unknown, before May 10, 2016). A distinct design was created by Tumblr user pride-flags-for-us on or before August 30, 2015. An alternative flag was designed by an anonymous wiki user on October 21, 2020, using lighter pink and blue for aromantic-spectrum polyromantic individuals and light green for peace and trans polyromantic individuals.

Identity & Context

Represented Identity

Polyromantic people, meaning individuals who experience romantic attraction to many but not all genders

Subcommunity

multi-attraction spectrum

Creators

The Creator

Attribution notes

A flag designed by Tumblr user pride-flags-for-us was posted on or before August 30, 2015. That Tumblr account has since been deactivated. An earlier flag, consisting of the polysexual flag with a heart overlay, existed before May 10, 2016, but its creator is unknown. An alternative flag was designed by an anonymous wiki user on October 21, 2020.

Origin

Digital Origin

true

Digital origin; no verified physical location.

Posted on Tumblr by pride-flags-for-us on or before August 30, 2015. The account has since been deactivated.

Dates & Chronology

Year Created

2015

First public use

August 30, 2015

Period in Use

2015-present

The polysexual pride flag (pink, green, and blue, designed by Samlin on Tumblr in 2012) is often used for polyromantic identity as well. Dedicated polyromantic flags have limited but growing recognition in online Queer communities.

Major revisions

1. 2020-10-21

   An alternative polyromantic flag was designed by an anonymous wiki user, using lighter pink and blue for a-spec poly individuals, and light green for peace and trans poly individuals.

The polysexual flag by Samlin (2012) remains the most widely recognized symbol associated with polysexual and polyromantic identities. Dedicated polyromantic flags are less widely adopted.

Lineage

Indirect influences

Polysexual Pride Flag, Rainbow Pride Flag

Direct children

Polyromantic Alternative Pride Flag (2020)

Related flags

Abroromantic Pride Flag, Abrosexual Pride Flag, Androromantic Pride Flag, Androsexual Pride Flag, Biromantic Pride Flag, Ceteroromantic Pride Flag, Ceterosexual Pride Flag, Demiromantic Pride Flag, Demisexual Pride Flag, Gyneromantic Pride Flag, Gynesexual Pride Flag, Omniromantic Pride Flag, Panromantic Pride Flag

The polyromantic flag is conceptually related to the polysexual pride flag (Samlin, 2012), which is often used interchangeably for both polysexual and polyromantic identities. The early heart-overlay flag was a direct modification of the polysexual design.

Lineage tree

Every record reachable from this one through documented parent and child relationships: 2 records across 2 generations.

This record

Polyromantic Pride Flag

Children

Polyromantic Alternative Pride Flag (2020)

Colors & Symbolism

When using the shared polysexual flag, the three stripes represent attraction to different genders. The color meanings were established by Samlin in 2012 for polysexual identity but are understood to apply equally when the flag is used for polyromantic identity, with the distinction being romantic rather than sexual attraction.

This flag has no official digital palette. Color values shown are approximate.

These meanings originate from Samlin's polysexual flag (2012) and are carried over when the same flag is used for polyromantic identity. Dedicated polyromantic flag variants exist but are less widely adopted. The 2020 alternative version by an anonymous wiki user adds lighter pink and blue for a-spec polyromantic individuals and light green for peace and trans polyromantic individuals.

These hex values are from the polysexual flag (Samlin, 2012), which is the most widely used flag for polyromantic identity. Dedicated polyromantic flag variants have different color schemes. No creator-issued color specifications exist for the polyromantic-specific variants.

Design

Aspect Ratio

3:2

Orientation

horizontal

Stripe Count

3

Layout

horizontal stripes

Stripes (Top → Bottom)

pink, green, blue

Three equal horizontal stripes. This is the polysexual flag design by Samlin (2012), which is shared with polyromantic identity. Dedicated polyromantic variants also exist.

Three equal horizontal stripes, from top to bottom: pink, green, and blue. This is the polysexual pride flag designed by Samlin on Tumblr in 2012, which is the most commonly used flag for polyromantic identity as well. The green stripe replaces the yellow of the pansexual flag to distinguish polysexual/polyromantic (attraction to many genders) from pansexual/panromantic (attraction to all genders). Dedicated polyromantic variants include a heart-overlay version (creator unknown, pre-2016), a design by pride-flags-for-us (on or before August 30, 2015, now deactivated), and a 2020 alternative with softer colors by an anonymous wiki user.

Usage & Adoption

First Users

Online Queer and multi-attraction spectrum communities

Online Usage

Tumblr, LGBTQIA+ identity wikis

Current Status

active

Dedicated polyromantic flags have limited adoption. The polysexual pride flag (Samlin, 2012) is more commonly used to represent both polysexual and polyromantic identities.

Image Archive

Flag design (shared with polysexual-pride-flag-2012-samlin entry)

Discourse & Debates

• Whether polyromantic is meaningfully distinct from biromantic, given that both describe romantic attraction to multiple genders. Some community members find the distinction useful (biromantic implies two or more, polyromantic implies many but not all), while others view the proliferation of closely related labels as fragmenting multi-attraction solidarity.

Common misidentifications

• Polyromantic flags are sometimes confused with polysexual flags, since the polysexual flag is frequently used for both identities.

Common confusions

• Polyromantic is distinct from polyamorous. Polyromantic describes romantic attraction to many genders; polyamorous describes a relationship structure involving multiple partners.
• Polyromantic is the romantic counterpart of polysexual. The distinction is grounded in the split attraction model, which treats romantic and sexual attraction as separate dimensions.

The split attraction model distinguishes polyromantic (romantic attraction to many but not all genders) from polysexual (sexual attraction to many but not all genders). The term was coined before July 4, 2015.

Footnotes & Citations

Image Sources

Rendering

Shared polysexual flag (Samlin, 2012)

• The polysexual pride flag (Samlin, 2012), which is the most widely used flag for polyromantic identity as well. Pink represents attraction to women, green represents attraction to nonbinary people, and blue represents attraction to men. The flag is shared across both polysexual and polyromantic communities. · Shared polysexual flag SVG