No. 027 · Community
Bear Brotherhood flag
Seven stripes in the fur colors of bears worldwide, with a black paw print, for the bear community.
Also known as Bear Brotherhood flag, Gay bear flag
- Creator
- Craig Byrnes, with Paul Witzkoske
- Introduced
- 1995
- Design
- 7 stripes and a paw print
- License
- Trademarked
- Used by
- The bear community, a gay men's subculture
What the colors mean
Dark brown #613704
The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity.
Orange #D46300
The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity.
Golden yellow #FDDC62
The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity.
Tan #FDE5B7
The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity.
White #FFFFFF
The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity.
Gray #545454
The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity.
Black #000000
The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity.
History
Craig Byrnes created the International Bear Brotherhood flag in Washington, D.C., in 1995, and Paul Witzkoske helped turn it into the winning graphic. Prototypes were shown at the Chesapeake Bay Bears' Bears of Summer events that July.
The stripes follow the fur colors of bears around the world, chosen as a sign of inclusivity rather than a reference to human skin or hair. The layout, with a symbol in the top left, echoes the Leather pride flag. The flag is trademarked.
Questions and answers
What do the colors of the Bear flag mean?
Dark brown: The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity. Orange: The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity. Golden yellow: The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity. Tan: The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity. White: The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity. Gray: The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity. Black: The fur colors of bear species around the world, a sign of inclusivity.
Who created the Bear flag?
Credited to Craig Byrnes, with Paul Witzkoske, 1995.
What are the Bear flag hex codes?
#613704 (dark brown), #D46300 (orange), #FDDC62 (golden yellow), #FDE5B7 (tan), #FFFFFF (white), #545454 (gray), #000000 (black).
Can I download the Bear flag?
Not from this site. Trademarked. The Bear Brotherhood flag is trademarked. Shown here for reference only.
Download
Trademarked. The Bear Brotherhood flag is trademarked. Shown here for reference only.
We only offer downloads for flags that are public domain or openly licensed. How we handle licensing.
Where to buy
Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate, My Pride Flag earns from qualifying purchases.
Related flags
Sources
- Bear flag (gay culture), Wikipedia
- History of the Bear Flag, Bears LA
- Bear Brotherhood flag colors, Sexual Diversity
Last reviewed 2026-10-31 by Erika Castillo, editor. Spot an error? Suggest a correction.