[New] ASK MICHELLE

BY MICHELLE CAVALERI, LCSW-R “Your Family Therapist” Wedding Officiant & NYS Divorce Mediator

As we become more knowledgeable in the LGBTQIA+ community, it is essential that we become more inclusive. Representation of all people in the community is crucial and the symbol being used to represent the community is evolving. It’s like getting a newer version of a car that you love and have had for a long time, it’s still the same car, just updated.

Since 1977, the traditional pride flag created by Gilbert Baker with its six well known colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet) has been an emblem of the LGBT community. In 2018, Daniel Quasar created the Pride Progress Flag which features brown and black stripes to portray marginalized LGBTQIA+ communities of color, community members lost to HIV/AIDS, and those currently living with AIDS. It also includes baby blue, baby pink, and white to incorporate the transgender flag.

Although there are multiple flags for different identities and sexual orientations, the progress flag is meant to be a representation of everyone as a whole in the community.