gearrán flag, designed by me!
created for day 3 of @pawfuu's 100+ event!
gearrán: a word in the gaelige language that literally translates to a gelding, or a pack-horse, but can refer to a "strong-boned woman; a drudge; a jade" as per Ó Dónaill (1977). a strong euphemism for a butch lesbian, this term is sometimes also translated as "dyke" or "masculine lesbian".
deep purple: purple has been long associated with lesbians and sapphics, especially in the shades of lavender and violet. purple may also reference sappho's musings about beautiful women wearing crowns woven of violets. this color represents lesbianism, now and historically.
pink mauve: mauve is a color that evokes feelings of romance, love, and passion. this color represents lesbian love and passion, however that looks and/or is expressed.
light orange: orange is a color associated with pleasure, enjoyment, optimism, warmth, and pride. it is also a core color in the irish flag. this color represents pride in being a lesbian, specifically an irish lesbian.
creme white: white often symbolizes purity and peace. this color represents unity amongst lesbians of all kinds, and nonconformity to gender and sexual expectations.
green citron: citron and the color green are associated with vitality, prosperity, and good fortune. this color represents not only the vitality of the irish spirit, but the prosperity and rich history of lesbians.
light shamrock green: shamrock green is associated with playfulness, nature, and life. it is a symbol of ireland, and frequently used in relation to celtic heritage. this color represents pride in being irish, love for the land, and the connection between heritage and spirituality.
dark spring green: dark spring green is also associated, as other shades of green are, with nature, vitality, and prosperity. this shade in particular symbolizes harmony, growth, and vibrancy. this color represents the strength and resilience of irish peoples, particularly in relation to liberatory struggles and queer identity.
celtic horse symbol: this symbol shows a horse whose body becomes wrapped upon itself, creating celtic knots and beautiful curls, ending in a fish-like tail. the horse is represented with the intention to emphasize the connection between the literal translation of the word gearrán as gelding or pack-horse and the associated meaning of a jade (a broken-down, "worthless" horse and/or a disreptuable woman) and of butch lesbians. the celtic imagery ties into the relationship of celtic heritage to irish history and identity, especially prior to colonization.
author's note: i put a lot of care and thought into this flag and i am particularly proud of it. thank you to the irish-language blogger kevin-ar-tuathal and their post on LGBTQ+ terminology in Gaeilge for introducing me to this term! i hope my flag honors your understanding of the term. additionally, i want to make clear that while i am irish-american, i identify very closely with my irish roots and i practice a form of celtic paganism which i value deeply. these things inform how i came to make this flag.
[image id: a rectangular pride flag designed by user lemonkinds representing the gearrán lesbian identity. the flag has seven horizontal stripes. each stripe except for the middle most stripe, which is thickest, is of equal width. the colors are, in order: deep purple, pink mauve, light orange, creme white, green citron, light shamrock, and dark spring green. in the middle, there is a celtic horse symbol in the shape of a circle. the second image displays the same flag, but without the symbol in the middle. end id.]