A flag isn’t just a piece of fabric; it’s a canvas filled with meaning, painted with colors and symbols that embody the values, history, and dreams of a community or nation. Whether waving at a parade, hanging from a government building, or displayed in a classroom, flags are crafted to be unforgettable and significant.
Scroll down to skip to our quiz and test your knowledge of pride flags versus country flags—and see how many can properly identify.
Before the quiz, though, let’s review some fun facts about flags and what makes them signfiicant.
How about we take this to the next level?
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The sign of a good flag
A good flag is distinguished by its simplicity, memorability, and symbolism. The best flags feature a few bold colors and a simple design that can be easily recognized from a distance. They avoid overly complicated symbols or text, adhering instead to a few meaningful elements that can be instantly associated with the group or nation they represent.
Effective flags also utilize colors and shapes that have significant cultural or historical relevance, ensuring that they convey deeper meanings while remaining visually striking. While many flags break these rules, the most iconic and universally recognized flags adhere to them, standing the test of time as symbols of pride and unity.
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Similarities between pride flags and country flags
Pride and country flags are actually designed with similar principles in mind. It’s all about keeping things simple and meaningful. And the colors and patterns chosen have deeper significance.
Consider the most well-known pride flag: the rainbow flag, which was designed by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. It originally had eight colors, each with their own symbolism: pink for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic/art, indigo for serenity/harmony and violet for spirit.
National flags also follow suit—for example, the colors of India’s saffron, white, and green flag represent courage and sacrifice, peace and truth, and faith and chivalry, respectively.
These flags also share a significant cultural role, acting as beacons of identity. Pride flags are a rallying symbol for the LGBTQ+ community, highly visible at events like Pride, championing rights and inclusivity. Country flags similarly symbolize national identity and are prominent during celebrations of national pride and in international engagements, such as the Olympics.
Now onto the quiz…
Guess the flag!
Pride flags showcase the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community, each reflecting different identities and ways to love, accept, and celebrate ourselves. Similar to national flags, each tells its own unique tale of culture and identity.
But can you tell which is which? Take our quiz below to see how well you can recognize them.
Country's pride or the LGBTQ+ community's colors?
This is the flag of Ukraine!
The Ukrainian flag has two equal horizontal bands—blue on top, yellow on bottom, symbolizing the sky and wheat fields. Ukraine has legalized homosexual activity and made strides against discrimination, but still does not legally recognize same-sex marriage.
Is this representing a country or the LGBTQ+ community?
This is the flag of Thailand!
The Thai flag symbolizes Thailand's history: red for bloodshed in independence, white for purity and Buddhism, and blue for the monarchy. Thailand is known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ culture and offers legal protections against discrimination.
Which is this: A flag of a country or of LGBTQ+ pride?
This is the Asexual Pride Flag!
The asexual pride flag has black, grey, white, and purple stripes symbolizing asexuals, demisexuals, sexuals/allies, and the community, respectively.
Is this flag representing a country or queer pride?
This is the Demisexual Pride Flag!
The black triangle symbolizes asexuality, while the white, purple, and gray stripes represent sexuality, community, and the gray-asexual community respectively.
What's this flag waving for: Pride or a country?
This is the Bisexual Pride Flag!
In the Bisexual Pride Flag, pink stands for sexual attraction to the same sex (gay and lesbian), blue for the opposite sex (straight), and the mix of both makes purple for attraction to more than one sex (bi).
National anthem or Pride parade: Which does this flag hail from?
This is the flag of Luxembourg!
In Luxembourg's flag, red symbolizes vibrancy, revolution, and power, white represents harmony, peace, and innocence, and blue signifies perseverance and determination. Luxembourg is recognized for its progressive stance on LGBTQ+ rights.
Does this flag belong to a nation or the LGBTQ+ community?
This is the original Polyamorous Pride Flag!
Created in Microsoft Paint with web-safe colors, this flag symbolizes openness, honesty (blue), love, passion (red), and solidarity with those concealing polyamorous relationships (black).
Sovereign colors or spectrum of pride?
This is the flag of the Czech Republic
The Czech flag's colors have symbolic and historic significance. White symbolizes the region of Bohemia and the sky, red represents the Moravia region and the blood shed for freedom, and blue is associated with the traditional color of Slovakia. The Czech Republic is generally considered to be progressive regarding LGBTQ+ rights, having decriminalized homosexual activity as far back as 1962.
What type of flag is on display here?
This is the Sapphic Pride Flag!
Sapphic flags show two pink stripes symbolizing love, with a lavender center stripe featuring a violet flower representing love between women-aligned individuals.
What does this flag represent: a place or pride?
This is the Intersex Pride Flag!
Morgan Carpenter from Intersex Human Rights Australia created the Intersex Pride Flag intentionally avoiding traditional gendered colors (pink and blue). The circle represents wholeness and potential.
Which flag is this: National or Pride?
This is the flag of Gabon!
Gabon decriminalized homosexuality in 2020, but lacks many anti-discrimination laws for LGBTQ+ individuals. The flag's stripes symbolize green for natural resources, yellow for the Equator passing through, and blue for the sea.
Country or Pride: Which category does this flag fall into?
This is the Pansexual Pride Flag!
Pink and blue represent binary gender, while yellow is a universal symbol of life and happiness. The pan flag also creatively includes yellow to show non-binary attraction, setting it apart from bisexual flags.
Can you identify if this is a country's flag or a pride flag?
This is the Nonbinary Pride Flag!
The nonbinary flag features 4 horizontal stripes: yellow represents genders beyond the binary, purple for those in between, white for multigender, and black for agender.
Guess the flag! Is it national or is it pride?
This is the flag of Estonia!
The colors of Estonia's flag symbolize different aspects. Blue represents faith, loyalty, and the country's natural beauty, black signifies the nation's tragic historical struggles, while white symbolizes the pursuit of enlightenment and virtue. Gay marriage was officially legalized in Estonia on January 1, 2024.
Is this flag hoisted for pride awareness or country representation?
This is the flag of Palau!
Palau's flag represents the Pacific Ocean with light blue and the full moon with a yellow disk. While Palau decriminalized homosexuality in 2014, it's still on the journey to LGBTQ+ equality. Currently, there are no legal rights to gay marriage in the country, for example.
Are we looking at a country flag or a pride flag here?
This is the Genderqueer Pride Flag!
The Genderqueer Pride Flag consists of lavender, green, and white horizontal stripes. Lavender represents queer cultural connections, white symbolizes neutral or undefined gender, and green acts as a complementary inverse to lavender.
Does this flag wave for a country or for Pride?
This is the flag of Botswana!
The colors of Botswana's flag symbolize racial harmony (white and black) and the importance of resources like the sky and water in the Kalahari desert (blue). In Botswana, gay marriage is not legal, but homosexual activity is not penalized. The country also allows gender confirmation and prohibits discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.
Is this a symbol of national identity or LGBTQ+ pride?
This is the Transgender Pride Flag!
The trans pride flag symbolizes various aspects of trans experiences with blue for masculinity, pink for femininity, and white for those transitioning or identifying as gender neutral/nonbinary. Its design enables it to be displayed correctly in any direction, reflecting trans individuals embracing their true selves.
Share results:
Guess the flag!
Don't forget to share:
abfab
Uh, oh.
RIGay
…yup. I am beyond confused. Can I just put up my Rainbow Flag, circ. 1990?
inbama
Actually, it shows that you are sane and have taste.
abfab
Actually?
inbama
Yes, definitely,
SUPREME
missed two: Estonia and Botswana
still_onthemark
I only missed one: Palau. Reading Q****ty for a decade really pays off!
still_onthemark
Did Jim Parsons help write this?
Mr.Gavin Elster
Nope, when you’re that rich you have someone write it for YOU, all retro Bob Hope-like.
Invader7
YES !
Mr.Gavin Elster
So…um? Where do the “comments awaiting moderation” actually go, and, who or what are the moderators?
abfab
The wood shed.
SoPluckyWhat
Sent to the astro-plane. Circulating the world for ever and ever!
abfab
dinkleberrycranz collects them
Kangol2
Nowhere.
War On Free Speech
SHUT THE COMMENTS DOWN
abfab
Hush.
dbmcvey
How about you stop commenting.
abfab
She’s finally blown that last gasket.
Invader7
NO.. Keep the comments section OPEN !!
Diplomat
Really don’t care anymore
inbama
We’ve gone from Harvey Milk to Harvey Marceline.
Is there a light at the end of this tunnel?
I don’t think so.
Diplomat
Make laws, that’s where it’s at.