What Is the Transgender Symbol? Its Origins & Meaning

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Learn the fascinating history of the trans flag and symbol
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Symbols in the LGBTQ+ community are deeply meaningful, containing layers of history going back decades, centuries, and beyond. So, what exactly is the transgender symbol—and where does it come from? We can explain! The transgender symbol (⚧) combines three different symbols (representing masculinity, femininity, and androgyny) to create an inclusive emblem of transgender pride. In this article, we’ll cover the history and meaning behind the transgender symbol, as well as other important symbols within the LGBTQ+ community.

A Quick Overview of the Transgender Symbol

The transgender symbol (⚧) is a combination of the female gender, or Venus, symbol (♀), the male gender symbol (♂), and the symbol for androgyny ((⚨); it represents inclusivity and the transgender identity. The combined male-female symbol (⚦) also represents androgynous and transgender people.

Section 1 of 4:

What is the transgender symbol?

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  1. The trans symbol (⚧) combines the male, female, and androgyny symbols. It consists of a circle with a cross at the bottom, an arrow coming out of the top-right side, and a stroked arrow to the top-left. This design incorporates male gender symbol (♂), the female gender symbol (♀), and the symbol for androgyny (⚨), thus representing inclusivity within the transgender umbrella (as well as the transgender identity itself).
    • The ⚧ symbol is also a sign of gender inclusivity within the LGBTQ+ community. However, it’s mainly recognized as the most prominent and popular transgender symbol!
    • This symbol was originally designed by Holly Boswell in the 1990s, according to Nancy R. Nangeroni of the GenderTalk Radio talk show. Nangeroni also created a digital, colorized version of the symbol incorporating the original design (⚧) in bright blue with a down-pointing lavender triangle in the background. [1]
      • The lavender triangle is a reference to the pink and black triangles used to identify gay and lesbian prisoners in Nazi Germany (which have today been reclaimed as queer pride symbols).
      • Nangeroni described her colorized transgender symbol as a “symbol of pride and freedom” and a “rallying point” that “includes everyone, excluding none.” [2]
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Section 2 of 4:

The History & Origins of Gender Symbols

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  1. 1
    Gender symbols are based on ancient astronomy. In ancient astronomy, the planet Venus got its name from the Roman goddess of love and femininity, and the female gender symbol (♀), in turn, is believed to represent the goddess Venus’s hand mirror. Similarly, the planet Mars got its name from the Roman god of war and masculinity, leading the male gender symbol (♂) to be designed in the image of Mars’ shield and spear. [3]
    • The gods weren’t just associated with astronomy in ancient times—they were also connected to various metals, as illustrated in scripts from alchemists and metallurgists.
  2. 2
    Today’s current gender symbols have been used since the 16th century. The exact date of their first use is hard to verify, but Swedish biologist and botanist Carl Linnaeus is believed to have been one of the first to use them in his book, Mantissa Plantarum Altera . In the book, Linnaeus used the male symbol ♂ to indicate male flowers (with only stamens) and the female symbol ♀ to indicate female flowers (with only pistils). [4]
    • For flowers with both stamens and pistils, Linnaeus used the mercury (☿) symbol, which is also considered a symbol for intersex or intergender individuals.
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Section 3 of 4:

More Transgender Symbols

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  1. 1
    The transgender flag The transgender flag was conceived by Monica Helms in 1999, featuring five horizontal stripes—which, in order, are: light blue, light pink, white, light pink, and light blue. The blues and pinks on the flag are symbolic of the colors traditionally associated with baby girls (pink) and baby boys (blue), while the white stripe represents transgender individuals identifying as intersex or gender-neutral, or who are transitioning. [5]
  2. 2
    Combined male-female symbol This combined male-female symbol (⚦) features the original male gender symbol with a stroke through the arrow (reminiscent of the female gender cross symbol ♀). Thus, it’s used to represent transgender and androgynous individuals in addition to the transgender symbol above (⚧). [6]
    • In alchemical terms, the combined male-female symbol (⚦) represents iron or crocus of iron.
  3. 3
    Butterflies Butterflies are associated with the transgender identity because of their metamorphosis, changing from caterpillar to butterfly as they grow and develop. Butterflies are a symbol of transformation, which is why the transgender community also uses them as a symbol of gender transition and change.
  4. 4
    The Blåhaj shark Did you know there’s an IKEA toy associated with the transgender community? IKEA’s plush shark toy—called “Blåhaj” (or “blue shark”) has similar colors to the transgender pride flag, which led to its association with LGBTQ+ culture. And, to their credit, IKEA even leaned into the association with an ad campaign supporting same-sex marriage in Switzerland using the shark!
    • IKEA Canada also hosted a giveaway for a special edition Blåhaj made with the colors of the transgender pride flag in 2022.
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Section 4 of 4:

Other Significant LGBTQ+ Symbols

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  1. 1
    Agender (null) symbol The null symbol (∅) consists of a circle with a backslash through it. In mathematics, it’s used to indicate an empty set; in linguistics, it’s a symbol for zero. However, it’s also used by agender and neutrois people—individuals identifying as genderless, or having no gender. [7]
    • For agender people, the null ∅ symbol also indicates their lack of gender due to the backslash, which is only a line (whereas the male and female symbols have an arrow or a cross).
  2. 2
    Double male (gay) symbol The symbol for gay men, men loving men (MLM) and the gay community as a whole consists of two interlocking male gender symbols (⚣). It was first used in the 1970s, though it’s based on the original male gender symbol (♂), which, as mentioned above, has been in use since the 16th century. [8]
  3. 3
    Double Venus (lesbian) symbol The symbol for lesbians, women loving women, and the sapphic community consists of two interlocking female gender symbols (⚢). Like the double male gay symbol (⚣), it rose to prominence in the 1970s, and was based on the original female gender symbol (♀) representing Venus, goddess of fertility. [9]
    • Some early variants of the lesbian flag also feature the double Venus symbol (⚢), although the main lesbian flag today contains seven pink, orange, and white stripes.
  4. 4
    Intersex circle “Intersex” refers to individuals with variations of sex characteristics that don’t align with the traditional definitions of “male” or “female.” The intersex pride flag features a golden yellow background with a purple circle; that purple circle symbolizes the completeness of all intersex people and their right to be exactly who they want. [10]
  5. 5
    Transfeminist and trans equality symbols The transfeminist and trans equality symbols are both based on the transgender symbol (⚧) above. The transfeminist symbol features a transgender symbol with a raised fist in the central circle, symbolizing the power of the transfeminist movement. Meanwhile, the trans equality symbol features an equal sign in the central circle, symbolic of the fight for equal rights for transgender people. [11]
  6. 6
    Lambda (gay liberation) symbol The lambda is a lower-case Greek letter (λ) which became the official symbol of the New York Gay Activists Alliance in 1970. It was originally chosen for its meaning in the scientific world, where it’s the symbol for Wavelength. Since then, the lambda has also become a symbol of gay liberation and international LGBTQ+ rights. [12]
    • The gay rights organization Lambda Legal also derives its name from the lambda’s status as an LGBTQ+ symbol.
  7. 7
    Lavender (plant, word, and color) In the 19th century, the color lavender began to be associated with homosexuality; later, during the McCarthy era, America experienced a “Lavender Scare” in which people believed to be gay were persecuted and fired from government jobs. The LGBTQ+ community went on to reclaim the color (and, by extension, the flower as well), using lavender as a symbol of gay pride and the fight for equal rights. [13]
  8. 8
    Triangles In Nazi Germany, concentration camps used downward-pointing triangles to identify prisoners; gay and bisexual men as well as transgender women were forced to wear a pink triangle, while lesbian women were forced to wear a black triangle. The LGBTQ+ community later set out to reclaim those symbols, turning them into symbols of pride, strength, and resilience. [14]
    • Now, the pink triangle is a pride symbol for the gay community, just as the black triangle is a pride symbol for lesbians.
    • Additionally, artist Liz Nania designed “biangles” (overlapping pink and blue downward-pointing triangles that form a lavender triangle where they meet) for the bisexual community.
  9. 9
    Double crescent moon (bisexual) symbol The double crescent moon symbol was created because some members of the bisexual community reject the biangles as a pride symbol (due to their association with Nazi Germany and persecution). These overlapping crescent moons feature the colors of the bisexual flag (pink, blue, and purple) and were designed by Vivian Wagner in 1998. [15]
  10. 10
    Ace playing cards The term “asexual” is often shortened to “ace,” leading to the association with Ace playing cards! Thus, Ace cards are sometimes considered a symbol for the asexual community; more specifically, the Ace of Hearts represents romantic asexuality, while the Ace of Spades represents aromantic asexuality. [16]
    • Additionally, the Ace of Clubs represents gray asexuality and grayromanticism.
    • The Ace of Diamonds symbolizes demiromanticism and demisexuality.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.gendertalk.com/tg-symbol/
      2. ↑ https://www.gendertalk.com/tg-symbol/
      3. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1322246/
      4. ↑ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/151919#page/5/mode/1up
      5. ↑ https://outrightinternational.org/insights/flags-lgbtiq-community
      6. ↑ https://emojipedia.org/male-with-stroke-sign
      7. ↑ https://www.gendergp.com/what-is-agender/
      8. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20051230095156/http://www.lambda.org/symbols.htm
      9. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20051230095156/http://www.lambda.org/symbols.htm
      1. ↑ https://morgancarpenter.com/intersex-flag/
      2. ↑ https://archive.org/details/transbodiestrans0000unse/page/620/mode/2up
      3. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20051230095156/http://www.lambda.org/symbols.htm
      4. ↑ https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/how-lavender-became-a-symbol-of-lgbtq-resistance
      5. ↑ https://remember.org/educate/elman
      6. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20110409235810/http://andrejkoymasky.com/lou/sym/sym05.html
      7. ↑ https://www.campuspride.org/resources/introduction-to-asexual-identities-resource-guide/

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