Polyamory Pride Flag: Both Versions Explained (2026)
The short version
- Polyamory is a form of consensual non-monogamy where people have romantic relationships with more than one partner, with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved.
- The original polyamory pride flag was designed by Jim Evans in 1995: blue, red, and black stripes with a yellow Greek letter pi (π) in the centre.
- In 2022, the community ran a democratic redesign process called PolyamProud. The winning design by Red Howell features light blue, magenta, and dark purple horizontal stripes with a white triangle on the hoist (left edge) containing a gold heart.
- Both flags are still in active use, the original retains a strong following, and the new design has been adopted widely. There's no "official" version; the community uses both.
- Polyamory is a relationship structure, not a sexual orientation. Polyamorous people can be of any orientation or gender identity.
We're Delwin and Jimmy, co-founders of Proud Zebra, a queer-owned Canadian small business designing pride pins and accessories from the Lower Mainland, BC. Polyamory shows up across our customer base in interesting ways: solo poly folks, polycules buying matching merch for partners, ace and aro polyam people, queer triads, and every configuration of "more than two, with consent" we hear about at our pride festival booth.
This guide covers both versions of the polyamory pride flag (the 1995 original and the 2022 PolyamProud redesign), what polyamory means, how it differs from related relationship structures, and where it sits within the broader LGBTQ+ community. It's part of our complete guide to LGBTQ+ pride flags.
What does polyamory mean?
Polyamory is a form of consensual non-monogamy where people have romantic relationships with more than one partner, with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved. The "poly" prefix comes from Greek for "many"; "amory" comes from Latin for "love." Many loves.
The defining features are honesty and consent. Polyamorous relationships aren't cheating, sneaking, or secret, every partner involved knows about the other partners and has agreed to the structure. The specific shape varies enormously: some polyam people have a "primary" partner plus other relationships, some practice "relationship anarchy" with no hierarchy at all, some live in triads or quads, some are solo poly with multiple separate partners.
What polyamory is not:
- Not the same as cheating. Cheating breaks an agreement; polyamory operates inside a different agreement.
- Not the same as swinging or open relationships in the casual-sex sense. Polyamory specifically involves multiple romantic relationships, rather than only multiple sexual encounters.
- Not a sexual orientation. Polyamory is a relationship structure. Polyam people can be straight, gay, bi, pan, ace, aro, or any other orientation.
- Not inherently unstable. Plenty of polyamorous relationships and polycules last for decades and raise children together.
What does the original polyamory pride flag look like?
The original polyamory pride flag, designed by Jim Evans in 1995, has 3 horizontal stripes with a yellow Greek letter pi (π) in the centre.
| Element | Colour / detail | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe 1 (top) | Blue | Openness and honesty among all partners |
| Stripe 2 | Red | Love and passion |
| Stripe 3 (bottom) | Black | Solidarity with people who must keep their polyamory private |
| Centre symbol | Yellow Greek letter pi (π) | The first letter of "polyamory" in Greek; also references mathematical infinity |
The flag served the polyamory community for nearly three decades. Evans created it specifically to give polyam folks a unified visual symbol at a time when polyamory was rarely talked about openly, the black stripe specifically acknowledged that many polyam people couldn't be out due to family, workplace, or legal pressure.
What is the 2022 PolyamProud redesign?
By the late 2010s, the original flag had drawn community concerns. Critics noted that the pi symbol was visually busy, that the colour palette resembled other unrelated flags (including some far-right ones), and that the design hadn't aged well aesthetically.
In 2022, the community ran a democratic redesign process called PolyamProud. The project invited the polyamory community to submit and vote on new flag designs. After multiple rounds of community voting, the winning design was created by Red Howell:
| Element | Colour / detail | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe 1 (top) | Light blue | Openness and honesty between partners |
| Stripe 2 (middle) | Magenta | Love and attraction |
| Stripe 3 (bottom) | Dark purple | Solidarity and the polyamorous community |
| Hoist element | White triangle on the left edge containing a gold heart | The heart symbolizes that emotional bonds, not just romantic or sexual ones, are central to polyamory |
The 2022 flag has been adopted widely since the vote, but the original 1995 flag retains a strong following. Both are now in active community use simultaneously, which is unusual for pride flags but reflects how the community handled the transition: through a vote rather than a top-down replacement, with no requirement that anyone abandon the older design.
"I was down for the PolyamProud initiative to democratically choose a new flag design but I SO MISS THE OLD FLAG/MERCH, I love these."
Emma, on our polyamory flag cube set
That review captures the community sentiment well: many polyam folks supported the redesign process while still feeling attached to the original flag they grew up with. We design polyamory pride pins and polyamory lace locks across both flag designs because the community uses both. Browse the full pride pins collection for the complete range.
How is polyamory different from open relationships?
Both fall under "consensual non-monogamy" but they describe different relationship structures.
| Structure | Defining feature |
|---|---|
| Polyamory | Multiple romantic and emotional relationships, with the consent of all involved |
| Open relationship | One primary romantic partnership, with sexual freedom outside it (often without the romantic component) |
| Swinging | Couples engaging in sexual activity with other couples or singles, typically as a recreational activity |
| Relationship anarchy | Rejection of relationship hierarchy entirely; all relationships defined on their own terms without "primary/secondary" labels |
Polyamory specifically centres the "many loves" framing, multiple full romantic relationships, rather than only multiple sexual partners. People often combine elements; someone might be polyamorous with relationship-anarchy principles, or in an open relationship that has evolved into polyamory over time.
Is polyamory a sexual orientation or part of LGBTQ+?
Polyamory is a relationship structure, not a sexual orientation. Polyam people can be of any sexual orientation or gender identity. Plenty of polyam relationships are entirely heterosexual; plenty are entirely queer; plenty are mixed.
That said, polyamory has substantial overlap with LGBTQ+ communities, for several reasons:
- Queer communities have historically been more willing to question default monogamy alongside questioning other heteronormative defaults.
- Many bisexual and polysexual people find polyamory naturally compatible with attractions across multiple genders.
- The polyam community has built much of its visible infrastructure (events, books, podcasts, terminology) inside or adjacent to queer community spaces.
The polyamory pride flag is often included in LGBTQ+ flag collections (including ours) for these reasons, even though polyamory itself is a relationship structure rather than an orientation.
Resources for learning more about polyamory practice and ethics include Loving More, a community organization that's been supporting the polyamory community since 1985.
Frequently asked questions
What does polyamory mean?
Polyamory is a form of consensual non-monogamy where people have romantic relationships with more than one partner, with the knowledge and consent of everyone involved. The defining features are honesty and consent. Polyamorous relationships aren't cheating; they operate inside an explicit agreement that allows multiple partnerships.
Who designed the polyamory pride flag?
There are two flags in active use. The original was designed by Jim Evans in 1995 (blue, red, black horizontal stripes with a yellow Greek letter pi in the centre). In 2022, a community redesign process called PolyamProud selected a new flag designed by Red Howell, three horizontal stripes (light blue on top, magenta in the middle, dark purple on the bottom) with a white triangle on the hoist containing a gold heart. Both flags are currently in use.
Is polyamory the same as cheating?
No. Cheating breaks an agreement; polyamory operates inside a different agreement. Polyamorous relationships are explicitly non-monogamous with the knowledge and consent of all partners. The defining features are honesty, communication, and consent, the opposite of what cheating involves.
Is polyamory a sexual orientation?
No. Polyamory is a relationship structure, not a sexual orientation. Polyamorous people can be straight, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, aromantic, or any other orientation. The polyamory pride flag is often included in LGBTQ+ collections because of substantial overlap between polyam and queer communities, but the structure itself is independent of orientation.
What's the difference between polyamory and an open relationship?
Polyamory specifically involves multiple romantic and emotional relationships, all with consent. An open relationship typically describes one primary romantic partnership with sexual (but not always romantic) freedom outside it. Both fall under consensual non-monogamy, but polyamory centres the "many loves" framing rather than "many sexual partners."
Carrying the flags forward
Polyamory has built decades of visible community infrastructure, and the 2022 PolyamProud redesign process is a good example of how the community operates: democratically, with respect for both legacy and evolution. Both flags now flying side-by-side reflect that ethos.
If you wear a polyamory pride pin in the original Evans design, the 2022 Howell redesign, or one of the more specific identity flags from our complete pride flags guide, you're carrying forward a community that's been quietly rewriting relationship defaults for over thirty years. For the closely-named-but-distinct polysexual orientation, see our bisexual + polysexual guide; for adjacent attraction-based identities, see our pansexual canonical guide.
We've donated $10,219.58 CAD to LGBTQ+ organizations to date, including Rainbow Refugee Society, Covenant House Vancouver, GLSEN, and UNYA (Urban Native Youth Association), with past support for Sayoni. See our donations page for the full list. Every order helps that number grow.
Written by Delwin Tan, Co-Founder of Proud Zebra
Published 2026-05-06. Last updated 2026-05-06.
Delwin co-founded Proud Zebra with his partner Jimmy Cheang in late 2020. We're a queer-owned Canadian small business, designing pride pins, stickers, and accessories from the Lower Mainland, BC. We've donated $10,219.58 CAD to LGBTQ+ organizations to date.
