A carabiner clipped to a belt loop. A nautical star wrist tattoo. A “lavender menace” shirt. These are just some of many sapphic symbols I’ve slowly been discovering that signal lesbian identity, pride, and history. Beyond the rainbow flag and woven into objects, colors, and even emojis, each carrying its own unique story. Let’s decode them.
Some of these lesbian signs and symbols trace their roots back centuries as the violets immortalized in Sappho’s poetry. Others are freshly minted, born from today’s sapphic renaissance, where young queer women are reclaiming and redefining their identity through modern icons.
Why do these symbols matter? Because they’re more than markers of identity—they’re a way to connect. Sometimes, it’s the subtle glint of sapphic jewelry that sparks recognition in the wild, especially for those of us still finding our queer community. Other times, it’s a loud choice to wear your pride on your sleeve—through a lesbian tattoo.
1. Violet Flowers
Sapphic violet begins with Sappho, the ancient Greek poet who lived on the island of Lesbos around 600 BCE. Often referred to as the OG of sapphic love poems, she used violets in her poetry as symbols of love and desire between women. Over time, the delicate violet became forever tied to her legacy, solidifying its role as a symbol of sapphic love. It’s no coincidence that the very words “lesbian” and “sapphic” come from her name and home, making her a cultural cornerstone of queer identity.
Fast forward to the modern times, violets reemerged. In 1926, Edouard Bourdet’s play The Captive debuted in Paris, tells the story of a same-sex love affair between two women—a plotline that was both groundbreaking and scandalous. In one key scene, one of the women receives a bouquet of violets from her lover. This simple act struck a chord with queer people in the audience, who began wearing violets as a subtle signal of support for the play. A violet pinned to a lapel or tucked into a hat became a lesbian flower symbolism.
2. Scissors
Yes, those scissors. A cheeky, irreverent symbol of lesbian intimacy and connection. Playful and unapologetic, scissors have taken on a life of their own, winking at one of the most debated—and perhaps misunderstood—positions in queer circles. Is scissoring real? Maybe, maybe not. But That’s hardly the point.
Scissoring AKA “tribadism,” has been documented in the 1800s to describe various forms of genital contact between women. But the history of tribadism goes much further than modern-day memes or bedroom jokes. The term originates from the ancient Greek word tribas, derived from tribein, meaning “to rub.”
This symbol has become a story of reclamation, taking what was once a fetishized stereotype and flipping it into an empowering symbol, an inside joke, and a lighthearted celebration of connection. Symbolizing the ways queer culture defiantly creates its own language.
3. Snake
In the 2020s, snakes have slithered into the spotlight as one of the most iconic symbols of the lesbian renaissance, embraced particularly by Gen Z sapphics. Spot a girl with a snake tattoo? Chances are, she’s queer. From lesbian rings and tattoos to countless other forms of personal expression.
Why snakes? Part of their appeal lies in their rebellious energy—what some might call “dark femininity.” Snakes have long been associated with defiance, often demonized in religious and cultural narratives. In Christianity, for example, the serpent in the Garden of Eden is portrayed as a figure of temptation and sin, reinforcing their image as forbidden and subversive.
Snakes are also deeply tied to themes of transformation, making them an especially resonant symbol for the queer experience. As creatures that shed their skin, snakes represent renewal, growth, and the ability to leave behind what no longer serves them. For many queer individuals, this process mirrors the journey of coming out, breaking free from societal expectations, or embracing fluid identities.
In ancient mythology, snakes have often represented healing and rebirth. For instance, in Greek culture, the ouroboros—a snake eating its own tail—symbolizes infinity and the cycle of renewal, ideas that align perfectly with the self-discovery and reinvention that define so many queer lives.
In Indian art, the serpent goddess Nagini symbolizes growth while in African traditions, snakes are revered as bringers of wisdom. In Mayan and Aztec spirituality, they also represent rebirth and renewal.
4. Interlocking Double Venus
Two interlocked female symbols become the universal shorthand for love between women.
The story of the Venus symbol itself goes back to ancient times. Named for Venus, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, her symbol represents femininity and attraction. The idea of pairing two Venus symbols—interlocked—came later as a visual metaphor for unity and love between women.
By the 1900s, the double Venus had solidified its place in feminism and lesbian culture, appearing on stickers, jewelry, flags, and tattoos.
5. Black Triangle
The black triangle’s dark history begins during World War II, when Nazi Germany used geometric shapes to classify prisoners in concentration camps. Similar to how Jewish people were forced to wear yellow stars, gay men were marked with downward-pointing pink triangles. And lesbians (and others deemed “asocial”) were labeled with black triangles. This category, intentionally broad and dehumanizing, included sex workers, people with disabilities, and suspected lesbians.
So the black triangle was double-edged for lesbians because by labeling them as “asocial,” the Nazis denied their existence as queer women, erasing their identities while simultaneously marking them for exclusion and punishment.
But as history has shown, queer communities have a unique ability to reclaim and redefine. During the feminist and LGBTQ+ rights movements of the 1970s, activists began transforming the black triangle into a marker of defiance. Like the pink triangle for gay men, the black triangle became a reclaimed badge of honor, representing the resilience and strength of those who had been targeted and silenced.
6. Lavender Color & Word
During the Lavender Scare of the 1950s, the U.S. government labeled thousands of gay men and women as “security risks” and purged them from federal jobs because they were deemed easier for extortion by communists. There’s a great TV show about this called Fellow Travelers.
In 1969, Betty Friedan, the famed feminist and author of The Feminine Mystique, labeled lesbians in the feminist movement a “lavender menace,” fearing their presence would derail the cause of women’s equality. So a year later, a group of unapologetic lesbian feminists proudly adopted the name “Lavender Menace,” storming the stage at the Second Congress to Unite Women in hand-dyed lavender t-shirts bearing the phrase. Their protest didn’t just reclaim Friedan’s insult—it demanded a seat at the feminist table and kickstarted a vital conversation about inclusivity and intersectionality.
7. Labrys (Double-Headed Axe)
A labrys is a double-headed axe. According to Pitt Rivers Museum, in ancient Minoan Crete, the labrys was sacred, closely tied to goddess worship. Some myths link it to the Amazons, the fierce warrior women of Greek lore. Throughout time, the labrys has become associated with strength, autonomy, and matriarchal societies.
Fast forward to the 1970s, when lesbian feminists reclaimed the labrys as a symbol of resistance and resilience. For women fighting for equality and visibility, the labrys was a perfect fit: powerful, unapologetic, and rooted in a history that predated patriarchal systems.
Then, in 1999, the labrys took center stage on the labrys lesbian flag, designed by Sean Campbell. Featuring a white labrys over an inverted black triangle on a violet background, the flag carries layers of meaning (see black triangle and violet listed above). This flag is considered by some to be the oldest explicitly lesbian flag, although it never gained widespread popularity due to its stark design and probably the use of the black triangle, which some find too tied to trauma.
8. Nautical Star
The nautical star as a lesbian symbol originated in Buffalo, New York, in the 1950s, where lesbians often wore it as a tattoo on their wrists. Its placement wasn’t just aesthetic; it was practical. A star tattoo on the wrist could easily be hidden beneath a watch, offering a crucial layer of discretion at a time when being openly queer could lead to harassment, job loss, or worse.
It signaled belonging to an underground sapphic community, a way to find others like themselves without risking exposure.
Today, the nautical star continues to hold its place in sapphic symbolism, appearing not just as tattoos but also on rings, necklaces, and other accessories.
9. Lesbian Sunset Flag Colors
The lesbian flag, affectionately known as the “sunset flag” for its striking resemblance to the fiery tones of twilight, has a beautiful combination of pinks, purples, oranges, and white striped colors.
Outright International explains that each stripe of the sunset lesbian flag holds its own meaning: dark orange = gender non-conformity, orange = independence, and light orange = community. The white stripe = diverse connections to womanhood, pink = serenity and peace, dusty pink = love and sex, and purple rose = femininity.
Earlier versions of lesbian flags, like the “lipstick Lesbian” flag created in 2010, featured shades of pink with a kiss mark in the corner. While it resonated with some, many felt it was too narrowly focused on feminine lesbians, leaving others in the community feeling excluded. By 2018, the updated sunset gradient was adopted by many as a more inclusive representation of lesbian identity.
While not everyone feels comfortable flying a full-sized flag, the sunset colors can be incorporated into subtle pride signals. Think shoelaces, rings, bracelets, nail art, or even a carefully curated outfit featuring those unmistakable tones
10. The U-Haul
The U-Haul stereotype gained traction after lesbian comedian Lea DeLaria made a joke about how lesbians form connections quickly—deep and often unencumbered by the slow pace of traditional dating.
Now, the U-Haul lesbian slang is immortalized in memes, referenced in stand-up comedy, and proudly displayed on stickers and Pride merchandise. But before you slap that U-Haul logo on your Pride flag, it’s worth noting that U-Haul has donated to his presidential campaign.
11. Carabiner Keychains
The carabiner’s roots stretch back to World War II, when women entered the industrial and blue-collar workforce in unprecedented numbers. Carabiners became a tool for these trailblazing women and symbolized their entry into traditionally male-dominated spaces. But it wasn’t just about utility; it marked a shift in gender roles and societal expectations, with women proving their strength, adaptability, and grit.
After the war, the carabiner quietly transitioned from factory floors to everyday life. By the 1970s, during the height of the feminist movement, it was embraced by women rejecting traditional notions of femininity. Feminists—and especially lesbians—opted for practical, functional accessories over delicate, decorative ones.
And in 2024—a year I’m officially calling “the year of the lesbian”—the carabiner had a sapphic renaissance. It’s particularly beloved by mascs and chapstick lesbian types.
It’s also a jab at women’s fashion which often gives us tiny, useless or just no pockets. But the carabiner can hold your keys, chapstick, or even a reusable water bottle.
12. Symbols of Feminism
Take peaches, oysters, flowers, and other symbols of our vulva that we’ve been trained to be ashamed of. Georgia O’Keeffe’s now-iconic flower paintings are one of the most famous connections between nature and the female form.
For too long, women’s bodies have been objectified, shamed, and hidden. Embracing vulva-inspired imagery is a way of taking that narrative back. It echoes the feminist movements of the ’60s and ’70s, when women reclaimed their bodies, sexuality, and power. It’s a rejection of societal shame and an embrace of self-love, strength, and pleasure.
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