Every Pride Month, we witness brands incorporating rainbow themes into their visuals, but true inclusivity in design extends beyond surface-level aesthetics. LGBTQIA+ designers and creatives have profoundly influenced various industries—from fashion to graphic design, UX, and visual storytelling—bringing unique perspectives that challenge norms and drive innovation.
In this post, we highlight influential LGBTQIA+ creatives who have made a lasting impact on design and explore ways to foster inclusivity beyond Pride Month.
LGBTQIA+ Creatives Who Shaped the Design World
Gilbert Baker – The Designer of Pride
When considering LGBTQIA+ design, the Rainbow Flag stands as one of the most iconic symbols. In 1978, artist and activist Gilbert Baker designed this flag at the request of Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S. Baker, a self-taught designer, envisioned the flag as a unifying symbol for the LGBTQIA+ community. Each color was imbued with specific meaning: hot pink for sex, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, turquoise for magic/art, indigo for serenity, and violet for spirit. GLBT Historical Society
Baker’s design approach was deeply rooted in activism, illustrating how visual symbols can drive social change.
"We needed something to express our joy, our beauty, our power. And the rainbow did that." – Gilbert Baker
Takeaway for designers: Reflect on how color, symbolism, and messaging can shape cultural movements.
Sara Wachter-Boettcher – Championing Inclusive UX
A compelling digital experience ensures that everyone feels acknowledged. Sara Wachter-Boettcher, a UX strategist and author, has been at the forefront of designing ethical, inclusive products. She is recognized for addressing biases in AI, form design, and content strategy that may exclude marginalized groups.
Her book, Technically Wrong, delves into how seemingly minor design choices—such as restrictive gender options in forms—can alienate users. She advocates for creating digital experiences that mirror real-world diversity.
Takeaway for designers: Evaluate your work for biases—consider who might be excluded from the experience.
Explore more of Sara Wachter-Boettcher’s insights
Timothy Goodman – Queer Storytelling Through Typography
Timothy Goodman utilizes bold, hand-drawn lettering to transform typography into a medium for storytelling. His work often intertwines personal experiences, political messages, and social commentary, whether through murals, branding projects, or his book I Always Think It’s Forever, which explores themes of queer love and identity.
Goodman’s art demonstrates that typography transcends being merely a design tool; it serves as a means of self-expression and activism.
Takeaway for designers: Consider how you can infuse authenticity and personal narrative into your work.
Discover Timothy Goodman’s projects
Ethel Frances Pearson – A Forgotten Queer Art Deco Pioneer
Although not widely known, Ethel Frances Pearson was a British designer in the 1920s celebrated for her Art Deco posters and typography. Historians believe she was part of early LGBTQ+ creative circles in London, yet much of her work has been overshadowed by her male contemporaries.
Pearson’s story serves as a reminder of how queer contributions to design history are often overlooked. As designers, we have a responsibility to highlight these untold narratives.
Takeaway for designers: Research and honor the underrepresented voices in design history.
How Can Designers Make an Impact Beyond Pride Month?
While celebrating LGBTQIA+ creativity is vital, embedding inclusivity into our daily design practices leads to meaningful change. Here’s how:
1. Prioritize Inclusive Design in Your Work
- Avoid binary-only gender selections in forms.
- Incorporate accessible, diverse imagery in branding and marketing.
- Design for all users, including those with disabilities and intersectional identities.
2. Collaborate with LGBTQIA+ Creatives
Feature LGBTQIA+ voices not just during Pride Month but throughout the year. If you're in a position to commission work, seek out LGBTQIA+ illustrators, UX designers, and brand strategists.
Here are some platforms to find talent:
3. Challenge Design Norms and Industry Biases
- Advocate for more diverse hiring practices within design teams.
- Promote representation in branding and campaigns.
- In UX design, critically assess how data collection methods may affect marginalized users.
Design as a Reflection of Society—Let’s Make It Inclusive
LGBTQIA+ creatives have consistently been at the forefront of design innovation. However, true inclusivity extends beyond visibility—it requires action. Whether you're designing digital experiences, branding, or visual storytelling, you possess the power to shape a more inclusive future.
How will you integrate inclusivity into your design practice beyond Pride Month?
What’s a Rich Text element?
The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.
Static and dynamic content editing
A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!
How to customize formatting for each rich text
Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.
