The asexual flag has four equal horizontal stripes. Black represents asexuality, gray represents gray-asexuality and demisexuality, white represents non-asexual partners and allies, and purple represents the ace community. Members of the Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) chose the design through a series of online polls in 2010.
Asexual Flag Colors and the Meaning of Each Stripe
Quick definition first. As an orientation, asexuality “signifies those who experience little or no sexual attraction,” AVEN’s Michael Doré wrote for Stonewall, and unlike celibacy, it isn’t a choice.
| Stripe | Color | Meaning | Common hex code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (top) | Black | Asexuality | #000000 |
| 2 | Gray | Gray-asexuality and demisexuality | #A3A3A3 |
| 3 | White | Non-asexual partners and allies | #FFFFFF |
| 4 (bottom) | Purple | Community | #800080 |
Meanings from Flags of the World, hex codes from Flag Color Codes. Some guides read white as sexuality in general, and the gray and purple shades vary.
Ace Week’s history of the flag traces black, gray and white to the AVEN triangle, the network’s earlier logo, and purple to the AVEN website’s accent color. Community member Sennkestra recalled that AVEN’s creator chose purple after an obscure legend that an amethyst in wine prevents drunkenness; “perhaps this was a loose metaphor for a lack of interest in sex,” the history adds.
How AVEN Members Voted on the Ace Flag in 2010
David Jay of San Francisco founded AVEN in 2001, Doré writes, and its forums are where the flag was born. The idea of a flag likely surfaced on an AVEN message board in May 2009, Ace Week says.
The winning design, four plain stripes, was first posted by standup at 4:36 p.m. on June 30, 2010, according to the Asexuality Archive. Rejected proposals included hearts, spades, triangles and designs that looked like national flags. The AVEN triangle was one website’s logo, and “the half-filled heart implies romance, which meant that many aromantics were uncomfortable using it,” the archive explains.
The Black Ace Ring, Ace Cards and Why Cake Counts
| Symbol | What it signals | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Black ring on the right middle finger | Being ace; started in an AVEN thread in June 2005, worn on the right hand so it won’t clash with wedding rings | Asexuality Archive |
| White ring, commonly worn on the left middle finger | Being on the aromantic spectrum | Asexuals.net |
| Ace of hearts | Alloromantic aces, who experience romantic attraction | Asexuals.net |
| Ace of spades | Aces on the aromantic spectrum | Asexuals.net |
| Cake | A welcome treat for AVEN newcomers; a 2012 zine jokes it might beat sex | “Taking the Cake,” hosted by UW-Madison |
These are community customs, not rules. A ring or playing-card symbol alone does not establish someone’s orientation.
Gray-Asexual, Demisexual and Aroace Flags Share the Palette
| Flag | Colors | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Asexual | Black, gray, white and purple stripes | AVEN polls led by standup and Bristrek; announced August 2010, per Ace Week |
| Gray-asexual | Purple, gray, white, gray and purple stripes | Proposed in 2013 by Milith Rusignuolo |
| Demisexual | Black, gray, white and purple, with a black triangle pointing in from the left | Unknown, per Ace Week |
Gray-asexual and demisexual details come from Flags of the World and Ace Week; Gayety’s guide to demisexual meaning explains that label. Gayety also covers the aroace flag, every Pride flag and what LGBTQIA+ stands for.
Asexual Pride Flag Dates: Ace Week and April 6
Ace Week, formerly Asexual Awareness Week, ran October 25 to 31 in 2026, per the Ace Week site. International Asexuality Day falls every April 6. Its organizers’ FAQ calls it “a collaboration between different international ace groups” and says the date was picked to avoid clashing with other major observances.
There’s no asexual flag emoji. In March 2022, emoji subcommittee chair Jennifer Daniel wrote that the Unicode Consortium would no longer accept proposals for “flag emoji of any category,” and she answered requests for asexual and other pride flags directly. Her workaround was colored hearts side by side. For more flags and symbols, see Gayety’s gay culture explainers.
Ace Flag and Ace Symbols FAQ
What do the colors of the asexual flag mean?
The asexual flag has four horizontal stripes. Black represents asexuality, gray represents gray-asexuality and demisexuality, white represents non-asexual partners and allies, and purple represents the ace community.
Who created the asexual flag?
An AVEN forum user known as “standup” designed the asexual flag and first posted it on June 30, 2010, according to the Asexuality Archive.
What does a black ring on the right middle finger mean?
An AVEN forum thread in June 2005 started the custom of wearing a black ring on the right middle finger to signal being ace, according to the Asexuality Archive.
Why is cake an asexual symbol?
The 2012 zine “Taking the Cake,” hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says AVEN welcomed newcomers with cake and jokes that cake might actually beat sex.
What is the difference between the asexual flag and the demisexual flag?
The asexual flag has four horizontal stripes: black, gray, white and purple. The demisexual flag uses the same colors with a black triangle pointing in from the left.
