'You’re not alone in this world' | Meet the Georgia Navy veteran behind transgender pride flag's design
Monica Helms, a Marietta resident, created the transgender pride flag 25 years ago.
Pride flags are a powerful symbol for people to share their identity flying who they are out front.
That's exactly what the creator of the transgender flag intended when she designed it 25 years ago. Learn more about the flag's history and the creator, Monica Helms.
Meet Monica Helms
Building model submarines is profound for Monica Helms. As a Navy veteran, she finds solace and creativity in crafting intricate models, each piece a testament to her freedom to express herself and on full display in her Marietta home.
“It means that there is freedom. Freedom for us to be who we are,” she said.
When Helms designed the transgender flag, she sought to honor herself and her experience.
Before becoming a LGBTQ+ icon, Helms served in the U.S. Navy. She enlisted in 1970 to help continue her family's legacy of military service, according to VA News. She was a nuclear-trained machinist mate, specializing in submarines.
She began her transition in 1997.
Helms, a member of the Phoenix chapter of the United States Submarines Veterans, Inc. since 1996, struggled to renew her membership after changing her name. Once again, she prepared for battle, and became one of the first women to join the organization.
Experiences like this led her to advocate for more visibility, she said.
Helms designed the first transgender pride flag in 1999, according to the Smithsonian Institute. Growing up in Arizona and now a Georgia resident, Helms debuted the flag at a Pride parade in Phoenix in 2000.
“It was my version, my feeling of how I felt as a trans person. It was only mine because I didn’t expect anybody else to like it,” she said about the flag's design.
Her journey inspired her to create and lead the Transgender American Veterans Association in 2003. A year later, she was elected as a delegate in the Democratic National Convention, becoming the first transgender delegate from Georgia.
She says her work is to help a community, but the flag can be in places she can't be.
Colors & their meaning
The transgender flag, with its design of light blue, light pink, and white, carries deep significance. The blue represents those who identify as male, while the pink signifies those who identify as female. The white stripe in the center symbolizes those who are nonbinary, gender nonconforming, or transitioning— a reminder that gender exists on a spectrum.
Each color threads together the stories of individuals, celebrating the diversity of gender identities and a shared journey toward authenticity.
Helms says no matter which way you fly the flag, it's always correct, which signifies finding correctness in our own lives.
Global symbol of pride
To Helms' surprise, the flag resonated with many, and its impact quickly spread across the globe. The trans pride flag has now flown on every continent in the world, symbolizing hope and pride for countless individuals, according to the veteran.
“I started seeing pictures of prides across the world," she said. "I started seeing the flag and the colors, and I’m going OMG, it’s catching on."
In effort to increase its visibility, Helms called the Smithsonian to donate the first trans flag ever created to help honor the stories of millions of Americans. It also flew at the White House in 2016.
Helms wants to see if go even higher.
“Oh yes, I have a bucket list item for the flag," she explained. "I want to see it in the International Space Station.”
Helms has served as the Grand Marshall of the Global Pride Parade and earned dozens of awards for her advocacy and leadership. She plans on continuing her work in helping other people feel seen. The flag is one small way to accomplish this goal.
“You see those colors, you see the flag, and instantly you know," she said. "You find out that you’re not alone in this world," she said.