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Feminism

Flags in Politics

Last modified: 2023-11-04 by randy young
Keywords: feminism | purple | suffrage | female symbol |
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Purple flags

[Purple feminist flag]
image by Tomislav Todorović, 8 August 2021

Feminist flags typically have purple field. The color was introduced as a symbol of feminism in the 1970s as a tribute to the suffragette movement from the beginning of 20th Century,[1] for it was used on their flags in the United Kingdom and in the USA.

Basic feminist symbol is plain purple flag. It is used worldwide; the following examples are only those which can currently be found online. In Spain, the flag was used in Valencia in April 2009,[2] in Manresa in March 2013,[3] in Lleida in July 2015,[4] and in Valencia again in May 2018.[5] In Mexico, it was used in Mexico City in March 2013.[6] At an unspecified location in North Cyprus, presumably North Nicosia (Lefkosa), the flag was seen in March 2013.[7] The flag use in North Cyprus is certainly under the influence from Turkey, where purple feminist flags are widely used, usually bearing various charges, although plain flags are also in use, as a photo from late 2014 can confirm;[8] although taken at an unspecified location, it displays some political flags from Turkey—namely, those of the Freedom and Solidarity Party, thus verifying the country. Examples from Germany include Leipzig, where the flag was used in March 2015,[9] and Hamburg, where it appeared in July 2017.[10] The purple color was also reintroduced in the United Kingdom, a well documented example of plain flags' use being the one from London in July 2016.[11,12,13,14] The flag was seen again in São Paulo, Brazil, in September 2018.[15] One of the most recent examples of its use was in Vienna, Austria, in July 2020.[16]
Tomislav Todorović, 8 August 2021
Sources:
[1] Purple color at Wikipedia - History of use in 20th and 21st centuries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple#20th_and_21st_centuries
[2] Flickr - Photos from Valencia, on 25 April 2009: https://www.flickr.com/photos/danimorell/sets/72157617352509318
[3] Arran Manresa blog - Post on 10 March 2013: http://arranmanresa.blogspot.com/2013/03/la-bandera-feminista-oneja-la-torre.html
[4] 7 Accents website - News report from Lleida, on 14 July 2015: http://www.7accents.cat/noticia/3109/la-crida-per-lleida-fa-bandera-de-la-llibertat
[5] Engenderings blog - post on 16 May 2018: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/gender/2018/06/13/bodily-echoes-a-performative-reading-of-the-feminist-strike-in-spain-and-beyond/
[6] Flickr - Photos from Mexico City, on 16 March 2013 (WARNING: some photos display partial nudity): https://www.flickr.com/photos/36816536@N03/albums/72157633010661203
[7] Kıbrıs Postası newspaper website - News report on 24 July 2013: https://www.kibrispostasi.com/c85-toplum/n110872-FEMAdan-ozgurluk-ve-esitlik-icin-feministler-Meclise-eylemi
[8] Revolutionary Anarchist Federation of Turkey at Facebook - photo uploaded on 1 November 2014: https://www.facebook.com/anarsistfaaliyetorg/photos/a.1489777307904821/1551490868400131/?type=3
[9] Flickr - Photos from Leipzig, on 8 March 2015: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lukasbeyer/albums/72157650855430968
[10] Flickr - Photo from Hamburg, on 5 July 2017: https://www.flickr.com/photos/libertinus/35581150090/
[11] Alamy photo archive - Photo from London, on 9 July 2016: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-london-uk-9th-july-2016-feminist-direct-action-group-sisters-uncut-110915839.html
[12] Alamy photo archive - Photo from London, on 9 July 2016: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-london-uk-9th-july-2016-in-their-first-action-since-sisters-uncut-111268070.html
[13] Alamy photo archive - Photo from London, on 9 July 2016: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-london-uk-9th-july-2016-members-of-feminist-direct-action-group-sisters-111266077.html
[14] Alamy photo archive - Photo from London, on 9 July 2016: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-london-uk-9th-july-2016-feminist-direct-action-group-sisters-uncut-111266195.html
[15] Dreamstime photo archive - Photo from São Paulo, on 29 September 2018: https://www.dreamstime.com/thousands-people-took-to-streets-marched-saying-not-him-against-leading-brazil-candidate-jair-bolsonaro-sao-paulo-image146682580
[16] Presse Service Wien at Twitter - Post on 30 July 2020: https://twitter.com/PresseWien/status/1288787873320271872

Variant with female symbol

White symbol

[Purple feminist flag variant]
image by Tomislav Todorović, 10 August 2021

I saw this flag used in a pro-feminist demonstration in Istanbul, Turkey, c. July 2021, but I do not know whether or not its use is limited just to Turkey. Maybe its use is widespread; I just have not seen it before.
William Garrison, 3 August 2021
Source:
Multi-colored pro-feminist flag used during demonstration in Istanbul, Turkey; c. July 2021: https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/asien/istanbul-konvention-107.html

Purple flags with multiple female symbols in various colors might be used in Turkey only, but purple flags with a single white female symbol are not limited to Turkey - they are also used in Spain, and probably in other countries as well. Examples from Spain include:
Shape and size of the symbol may vary somewhat, as well as the shade of purple, but the basic design is the same, so it can be considered the same flag.
Tomislav Todorović, 6 August 2021

Black symbol

[Purple feminist flag variant]
image by Tomislav Todorović, 7 October 2023

The female symbol may appear in black as well. In those cases, the purple field is made lighter, so the color might better be called violet then. Examples of the flag use, all dating from 2010s and 2020s, are from Argentina, [1] Puerto Rico, [2,3,4,5] and Chile. [6] Shape and size of the symbol may vary somewhat, as well as the shade of purple/violet, but the basic design is the same, so it can be considered the same flag.
Tomislav Todorović, 7 October 2023
Sources:
[1] Fourth Grade and the Flag blog - post on 2 June 2013 (in Spanish): http://cuartoescuela18.blogspot.com/2013/06/algunas-banderas.html
[2] University of Puerto Rico - Dialog website - Post on 10 June 2017 (in Spanish): https://dialogo.upr.edu/las-mujeres-en-los-movimientos-sociales-una-lucha-por-la-visibilizacion/
[3] Todas website - Post on 18 November 2018 (in Spanish): https://www.todaspr.com/y-donde-estan-las-feministas-construyendo-un-mejor-pais/
[4] Todas website - Post on 7 March 2019 (in Spanish): https://www.todaspr.com/el-violeta-es-el-color-de-lucha-de-las-mujeres/
[5] Todas website - Post on 5 June 2023 (in Spanish): https://www.todaspr.com/querida-feminista-blanca/
[6] GenderIT.org website - Post on 28 June 2019 (in Spanish): https://genderit.org/es/feminist-talk/la-tecnologia-como-politica-por-acciones-transformadoras