I was raised by their order and I feel like they had an intellectual flare to them, I mean, they weren't as dogmatic as, say, the Opus or other orders that raised friends of mine. So I'd like to know y'all's opinion on them.
I've been thinking for a while about what a specifically gay male flag could look like if it were designed as an actual vexillological symbol rather than simply another colour scheme.
This is my proposal: the **Xiphos Flag**.
The design is deliberately simple:
• 3:5 proportions
• slate-blue field
• inverted pink triangle
• a white/silver **xiphos**, the short double-edged sword of ancient Greece, placed vertically through the centre
The pink triangle is a deliberate historical reference to gay men and its later reclamation as a symbol of gay pride and remembrance.
The xiphos is the part that makes this specifically male. I'm interested in the historical associations between male homosexuality, masculine camaraderie, eroticism and warrior culture in ancient Greece, particularly the cultural world surrounding Thebes and the Sacred Band. I'm **not** claiming that the xiphos itself was an ancient “gay symbol” in the modern sense; rather, I'm using it as a modern emblem inspired by that historical tradition.
The idea is somewhat analogous to the **labrys** as a specifically lesbian symbol: instead of another rainbow variant, I wanted a simple object/emblem that could function as a recognisable symbol for gay men on its own.
I also deliberately kept the design minimalist. No extra stripes, arrows, chevrons or additional identity categories. Just the field, the historical pink triangle and the xiphos.
I'm curious about the actual reaction from gay men:
**Would you personally use or display something like this?**
And more importantly: does the symbolism work for you, or does the design feel too historical / militaristic / masculine?
I'm interested in honest criticism, not just compliments.