Q: What does "bear" mean in the LGBTQ+ community?
In the LGBTQ+ community, a bear typically refers to a larger, often hairier man within the gay male community. The bear subculture celebrates body positivity, self-acceptance, and embracing natural masculinity. The bear community has grown into one of the most recognizable and welcoming subcultures within the broader LGBTQ+ community.
Q: What do the colors on the Bear Pride Flag represent?
The Bear Pride flag features earth tones of dark brown, orange, tan, cream, white, grey, and black, with a bear paw print in the upper left corner. The colors represent the fur colors of bear species found throughout the world, celebrating the diversity within the bear community. The flag was designed by Craig Byrnes in 1995.
Q: What is the concept and inspiration behind the Proud Cubes Series?
Proud Zebra's founder and designer, Delwin, has a love for geometric designs that comes from his background in Architecture. His goal when designing the Proud Cubes was to make them meaningful and resonate well with our community. Each of the designs is subtle and unique by intention, allowing you to wear it everywhere without outing yourself accidentally.
Till date, we've created 9 designs in the Proud Cubes series, each symbolizing a value that we believe holds true to the LGBTQ+ community. The 9 designs are Signature Cube, Flag Cube, Community Cube, Freedom Cube, Love Cube, Peace Cube, Rubik's Cube, and Medal Cube. You can read more about each of the designs and their meanings in this blog.
Q: Does Proud Zebra give back to the LGBTQ+ community?
Yes! We're a queer-owned small business, and a portion of every sale is donated to local LGBTQ+ charities and the pride festivals we set up at. We also have 6 awareness pride pins where 100% of the profits go directly to specific 2SLGBTQIA+ partners. As of May 2026, we've donated $10,219.58 to LGBTQ+ charities and community partners since 2021, and we'll keep going. You can see our full donation record here.
Q: What type of backing is on the pin?
All our pins come with 2 rubber clasp pinbacks, creating a tight fit to secure the pin. Rubber clasps are light in weight, skin-friendly, easy to remove, and held down by friction. Upgrading to a deluxe locking clasp would provide a more secure placement of the pin and keeps the pin in place. A deluxe locking clasp is a safer option if the placement of the pin experiences lots of movement (eg. backpack, scarf, lanyard, keychain). Learn more about our pinbacks in this article.
Q: Where can I learn more about all the pride flags?
We wrote a complete guide to all 32 LGBTQ+ pride flags — covering each designer, year, and what every colour means. Read the full 32-flag guide →
