The polyamory flag: colors, meaning and symbols
The polyamory flag is a pride flag for polyamorous and non-monogamous people. Two designs are in common use: the original 1995 "pi" flag by Jim Evans, with blue, red and black stripes and a gold Greek letter pi, and a 2022 tricolor redesign by Red Howell, with blue, magenta and purple stripes, a white chevron and a gold heart.
Both flags appear at pride events, on profiles and on badges. Neither has any formal legal status, and plenty of people happily use either. This guide explains what each color means, how the newer flag came about, and the other symbols you may see, such as the infinity heart.
The original pi flag (1995)
The first widely used polyamory flag was designed by Jim Evans in 1995. It has three equal horizontal stripes and a symbol in the centre. In Evans's own description, as quoted by polyamory educators and the PolyamProud project, the elements mean:
- Blue (top stripe): openness and honesty among all partners.
- Red (middle stripe): love and passion.
- Black (bottom stripe): solidarity with people who are open and honest within their relationships but must hide them from the outside world because of social pressure.
- Gold pi symbol: the letter pi stands for the first letter of polyamory, and its gold color represents the value placed on emotional attachment to others, whether friendly or romantic, as opposed to purely physical relationships.
Evans placed the design in the public domain, so anyone could use it. The pi had practical appeal in the 1990s: it was easy to type and recognisable to people in the know, which mattered at a time when many polyamorous people kept their relationships quiet.
The pi flag was used for decades, but it was never loved by everyone. Critics found it visually harsh, felt the pi was obscure to people who were not mathematically minded, and noted that the black stripe made it hard to read at a distance.
The 2022 tricolor redesign
In 2021, a community project called PolyamProud began collecting new flag designs from around the world. A committee narrowed the entries to a shortlist of four, and a public vote using instant runoff ballots opened on 1 November 2022. PolyamProud reports that 30,827 people took part, and the winning design was by Red Howell.
The new flag keeps the spirit of the original while changing its look. It has three horizontal stripes and a white chevron that points across the flag, with a gold heart inside the chevron. According to PolyamProud's description of the design:
- Blue: openness and honesty, carried over from the original flag.
- Magenta: desire, love and attraction. It is shifted from the original red, and the addition of desire acknowledges that desire can exist without love or attraction.
- Purple: a united non-monogamous community.
- White chevron: possibility, the blank canvas on which each person builds their own relationships, and hope for the community's future. The chevron points across the flag as a sign of growth and sits off-centre to reflect relationships that do not follow the traditional shape.
- Gold heart: love in all its forms as the core of non-monogamy. Earlier descriptions of the design also link gold to the energy and perseverance of the community.
Like the original, the new flag was placed under a Creative Commons license so the public can use it. PolyamProud publishes the exact colour values: blue #009FE3, magenta #E50051, purple #340C46, gold #FCBF00 and white #FFFFFF.
Old flag vs new flag: which should you use?
Both are recognised. The tricolor is now widely shown on pride graphics and merchandise, while the pi flag remains familiar to people who have been in the community for years. Some polyamorous people prefer the pi flag for its history; others prefer the tricolor because it is easier to read and less tied to a single symbol.
There is no rule. If you are choosing for a group, an event or a profile, it is reasonable to pick the one that the people involved feel represents them, or to show both. What matters more than the design is what it signals: that honest, consensual non-monogamy is part of the wider story of love and identity.
Other polyamory symbols
The infinity heart
A heart joined with an infinity loop is one of the most widely recognised polyamory symbols. It suggests love without a fixed limit, and you will see it on jewellery, tattoos and badges. It has no single designer or approved version, and many variants exist, often in red or in the colours of one of the flags.
The pi symbol on its own
Some people use the Greek letter pi by itself, for example as a pendant or in a username, as a quiet reference to the original flag. Because pi is also a mathematical constant, it remains a discreet signal that people outside the community rarely notice.
Heart and figure designs
PolyamProud also published a five-heart symbol under the same open license as the flag. Many local groups and events create their own logos as well, often combining hearts, chains of linked figures or the colours of either flag.
Polyamory flag vs other pride flags
The polyamory flag is sometimes confused with the pansexual flag, because both include pink or magenta and blue. The pansexual flag has pink, yellow and blue horizontal stripes and no symbol, and it describes attraction regardless of gender, which is a sexual orientation. The polyamory flag describes a relationship approach. A person can be both pansexual and polyamorous, or one without the other.
The polyamory flag also overlaps in purpose with flags proposed for non-monogamy more broadly. PolyamProud explicitly framed its 2022 design as belonging to all non-monogamous people, not only to those who use the word polyamorous.
Using the flag well
If you fly the flag at an event or include it on a profile, a few courtesies help. Remember that some people in your network may not be out, so a flag in a group photo can reveal more than intended. If you sell or give away merchandise, both designs are licensed for public use, but it is good practice to credit the designers. And if someone asks what it means, the short answer is honest: it stands for loving more than one person openly, with everyone's consent.
For more of the vocabulary that goes with the symbols, our polyamory glossary explains terms such as metamour, polycule and compersion. If you are deciding whether to be visible about your relationships, our guide to coming out as polyamorous may help.
Frequently asked questions
What are the colors of the polyamory flag?
The original 1995 flag has blue, red and black stripes with a gold pi. The 2022 redesign has blue, magenta and purple stripes with a white chevron and a gold heart.
Who designed the polyamory flag?
Jim Evans designed the original pi flag in 1995. Red Howell designed the 2022 tricolor, which was chosen in a public vote run by PolyamProud.
What does the pi on the polyamory flag mean?
Pi is the first letter of polyamory in the Greek alphabet. Its gold color stands for the value placed on emotional attachment to others.
Why was a new polyamory flag created?
Many people found the pi flag hard to read and visually unappealing. PolyamProud ran a design call and public vote in 2022 to create a clearer flag that keeps the original's color symbolism.
Which polyamory flag is correct?
Both are in use. The tricolor is now widely shown, but the pi flag remains recognised, and neither has formal legal status.
What is the infinity heart?
A heart combined with an infinity symbol, widely used to represent polyamory and love without a fixed limit.