Valentino Vecchietti, an intersex equality campaigner, designed the latest Pride flag in 2021 during the pandemic, a time when intersex people were excluded from the UK census. Her design will be flown across London for Pride weekend.
Flag design and inspiration
Vecchietti updated the flag by adding Morgan Carpenter's purple circle on a yellow background, representing intersex people, next to the chevrons symbolising the trans community. She also adjusted the colours using new inks and textures to produce more vibrant hues. 'Intersex' is an umbrella term for people born with or developing biological sex traits that differ from binary male or female bodies.
Global acceptance and impact
Vecchietti said her design was not 'selected' but was internationally accepted through her activism. 'People across the globe contacted me and said, "My gosh, that's amazing, [it] suddenly gave us hope and we felt included and valued." It was the most beautiful moment,' she told MyLondon.
Personal significance
Growing up as an intersex woman with a beard, Vecchietti faced body shaming. Designing the flag felt 'liberating'. She added: 'I'm a second-generation immigrant. I was homeless as a child. To come from my background and have done this piece of activism on a really clunky laptop, and then suddenly be accepted and welcomed as an intersex woman with a beard, felt really liberating.'
Continued advocacy
Vecchietti receives worldwide support, including badges and photographs of the flag from large organisations and community groups. She emphasised that her flag respects all prior versions of the Pride flag and supports people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. 'As long as there's breath in my lungs, I'll continue to fight for the LGBTQ+ community,' she said.
