While a fake version of the LGBTQ pride flag featuring Ukraine colorization was recently pushed around by trolls online, a very real update to the pride flag was applauded by prominent LGBTQ+ organizations online for featuring two distinct changes made. Pushed more towards the center are the triangles, with a new layer added that involves pure yellow with a purple circle, to stand for intersex, and most of a red umbrella taking up the middle of the flag, representing sex workers. Versions of the flag with just the intersex addition were starting to be seen in more places, only under the new name of 'progress flag' instead of pride flag.

From a prior branch,
as THIS is where it got to now.
To counter marginalisation within the “we are equal within the rainbow” idea when put in practice.

Those still marginalised in queer communities had to be more visible. Change stops when we arrive at treating each other right. pic.twitter.com/PQMYWa6nrk

— Jason Domino [SFW account] (@TheJasonDomino) December 19, 2022

They updated their flag again pic.twitter.com/dLOU7l2qAN

— ELIJAH (@ElijahSchaffer) December 20, 2022

A red umbrella was added to the gay alphabet flag to include sex workers. pic.twitter.com/h1qfYXOe0q

— Allison (@TheOGAllison) December 20, 2022

I’m in love with the new Progress Pride Flag in the SSA! You belong here, Comets! ☄️ pic.twitter.com/ROGnif8p29

— Temoc (@Official_Temoc) December 12, 2022

As expected, a large number of people were not happy with the new flag changes. Though the dissent comes from people in two distinctly different camps — those who feel that the design keeps getting garish and more out of touch with each iteration, and those that don't like adding sex workers to a flag that's supposed to be about sexual identity and is routinely flown in public all around America. Though their reasons are different, the mutual dislike for the flag sets up an interesting saga on where pride and the flag goes from here, with either pushing forward or moving backwards being seen as betrayal of some communities.

I was fine with the first couple iterations of the progress flag but now I see the criticisms & relate to what they’re saying.

We are all under the rainbow flag. We don’t need all these extra add-ins, at a certain point it will become unrecognizable & useless. https://t.co/fjtqGUEjv5

— rose loves flowers 🌹 (@hibiscusrosetea) December 20, 2022

I'm sorry, but i'm sticking to original flag. This is just so out of touch and so ugly, that as a #Queer i don't want to have anything to do with it!

Rainbow flag is for EVERYONE! stop this nonsense! #ProgressFlag pic.twitter.com/bRLfE9giwG

— Giorgi Tabagari (@Tabagari) December 20, 2022

You think you’ve seen it all and then they add the ‘sex worker red umbrella’ to the pride flag, as if prostitution is just a kind of sexual orientation.

— Venice Allan (@roseveniceallan) December 20, 2022

The LGBTQ+ movement just added sexual exploitation of women to their flag.
They explain that the red umbrella symbolizes the euphemism expression "sex work"
Let's expose the realities that are being obscured: pic.twitter.com/AXPq5WoVjS

— WDI Québec (@WDI_Quebec) December 20, 2022