the fruitful flag
an alternative bi + sapphic flag intended for jewish women who may not feel comfortable with or represented by michael page's bi flag
flags + symbolism
the orange stripes are a nod to the newer tradition of including an orange on the seder plate to symbolize the fruitfulness of LGB inclusion within judaism
the red stripes represent pomegranates, a quintessential jewish symbol that also just feel rly sapphic to me, and apparently i'm not the only one who feels that way!
the icon on the left flag is a stylized trillium, a flower associated with bisexuality as a pun, since trilliums are "bisexual" in that they have both male and female reproductive organs
the icon on the right flag is the double crescent moon, a bisexual symbol devised by vivian wagner as an alternative to the biangles
purpose + background
(content warning: flag discourse, mentions of nazi identification badges)
as i've been reconnecting with my bisexuality, i have struggled to feel comfortable using the popular bi flag. its colors are based on the biangles, which were meant to "reclaim" the pink triangle, despite discomfort from many jews and gay men.beyond my jewish-specific reservations, i don't feel represented by that flag on the basis of my womanhood. sapphic women were not forced to wear the pink triangle like achillean men were. if any nazi identification badge were to be reclaimed by sapphic women, it would be the black ("asocial") triangle, as seen in the labrys flag. i do not believe the pink triangle is something i can reclaim.i am not saying that michael page's flag, or the biangles for that matter, are bad™. i am merely explaining the source of my discomfort, and calling attention to a history i think many are unaware of. i find there to be a lack of both critical thinking and compassion in the lgbtq+ community, particularly among younger folks, with regards to sensitive symbols like these. i think historian klaus müller put it best: "the pink triangle...became an international symbol of gay and lesbian pride because so few of us are haunted by concrete memories of those who were forced to wear them."i am not imploring anyone to use the fruitful flag instead of michael page's, nor am i admonishing anyone for identifying with the latter. i coined this flag in self-indulgence, but wanted to share it both to raise awareness in a time of unprecedented antisemitism among progressives, and in the event that the flag will be as meaningful to someone else as it is to me <3
QNA
q: can i use this flag and the popular one?
a: of course!q: why can't you just use xyz alt flags, or a recolored bi flag?
a: every alt flag i am familiar with still uses the biangles' color pallette, even if in addition to other colors. as for recolored flags, those still keep the thin middle stripe, which is again a callback to the biangles. i have seen pretty alts/recolors, but i was still left wanting something more fitting for meq: i'm not jewish/bi/sapphic/a woman, can i still use this flag?
a: please think carefully about why this flag and its purpose resonates with you if you are not directly connected to it, and discern for yourself!q: i'm pan/omni/poly, can i still use this flag? what if i'm a lesbian?
a: this flag is intended for jewish women who fall under the bi+ and sapphic umbrellas simultaneously, since that is the experience i can speak to. make a judgement call based on how you feel about the intentions behind the flag!q: can i make a male/nonbinary/etc version of this flag?
a: that depends, do you mean a flag for bi jewish men/enben/etc in general? of course! i don't own that concept. do you mean essentially using this flag + explanation as a template, slotting in the word "men/enben/etc" where you see fit? no, i am not okay with that. if you see all the symbolism and purpose behind this flag as perfectly applicable to, say, men, then i think you really missed the point. that said, i will link the pngs that i made/used for the symbols, because the trillium and double crescents are not concepts i invented, and i think especially the trillium could be nice to see in more bi flags!