CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT
The Palaeoiris Story
Our mission and what we stand for.
Palaeoiris Resources
Learn about the pride flags we feature and the identities behind them.
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Palaeoiris is a collaboration of four queer scientists who want to make other queer scientists feel seen, heard, and celebrated. We hope that the things we create here help LGBTQ+ people in STEM express their pride in their careers, their scientific passions, and their queer identities. We want Palaeoiris to serve as a resource for queer scientists to connect with a global community of diverse, amazing individuals.
Just as importantly, Palaeoiris is about art! We combine the beauty of the natural world with the beauty of the unique, manifold “queer experience.” All with a heavy dose of colour! There are few things that can make us as happy as seeing our favourite things combined. We want to share that happiness with you!
Palaeoiris is a brand dedicated to celebrating the Queer community and queer scientists. From our humble beginnings distributing trilobite badges at conferences, to the creation of our online store that keeps expanding on designs and scientific disciplines, to writing educational materials – we want to raise knowledge about the countless ways scientists experience queerness.
Palaeoiris has always been and will always be a completely inclusive brand that supports macro and micro queer identities. We hold intersectionality as a central tenet.
MEET THE TEAM
Behind Palaeoiris is a team of queer early-career STEM researchers who are passionate about our queer community and queer outreach. Representing many letters in LGBTQ+, our stories are different but united by a passion for science and for the wonderful people of the Rainbow.
Palaeoiris is our passion project. We work on it alongside our everyday science jobs. By buying our merchandise, you allow us to continue creating. Thank you!
T
MARTA
ZAHER
They/Them | She/Her
Founder, Art Director, Product Designer, Social Media Manager, doing everything else eCommerce related.
Part-time PhD
Palaeobiology student. Perpetually hindered by the lack of time, energy, and dependable biorhythm. Loves to illustrate, create small merch, and run creative projects.
User of many labels: Polyromantic, Ace-spec, Non-Binary, Lesbian, Genderqueer, Queer, Disabled, White, Immigrant.
T
DR CATHERINE STRICKSON
She/Her
Social Media Executive. Copyrighter.
Palaeontologist (hire me as your postdoc). Freelance science/LGBT+ writer and editor. Email for commissions. 30 under 30 Nottingham MVP. Occasional podcaster. SFF Author.
Trans woman. Lesbian.
T
YASMEEN ERRITOUNI
They/Them
Writer and Editor. In charge of our zine project.
PhD Student. Molecular Geneticist. Bird Iridescence. Decolonizing the Science Curriculum. Perpetually looking for other Moroccan-Brazilians. Occasionally singing. Often cooking.
Genderqueer and Pansexual.
Text
FRANE
BABAROVIC
He/Him
Palaeoiris assistant.
PhD student. Somewhere between evolutionary biology, ecology, and feminism. Exploring the colour blue in bird plumage. Climber. Marta's number one stan, here to help!
Queer
On this page, you will find download links for short bite-sized cards with information on sexual, romantic, and gender minorities featured on our badges. The same info is provided below in text format for accessible purposes. As our assortment of pride flags grows so will the number of identities and orientations featured here.
You are welcome to save and distribute these cards and info on them. Likewise, if you have some feedback and ideas for improvement, please get in touch.
Last updated: November 2020
QUEER SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS
MONOSEXUALITIES
Lesbian Community Flag
An all-inclusive Lesbian Pride Flag
The Community Lesbian Flag was created in a collaborative attempt over a year in the making within the lesbian community. The goal was to create a flag that could represent all lesbians, not just a subset like the previous lesbian flags. The dark orange stripe represents gender non-conformity. The orange stripe represents independence. The light orange stripe represents the community. The white stripe represents unique relationships to womanhood. The pink stripe represents serenity and peace. The dusty pink stripe represents love and sex. The dark rose stripe represents femininity. This flag is meant to be a symbol for all lesbians, a symbol for the diversity of lesbians and the lesbian experiences, and a symbol of unity within the community, no matter our differences. This flag is trans-inclusive.
And where is a pride flag for Gay Men?
While there is a masculine version of the Community flag for homosexual men this flag is not as widely used. Homosexual men widely just use the Pride flag.
MULTISEXUALITIES
Bisexual Pride Flag
Represents bisexuality/biromanticism
A bisexual person experiences sexual attraction to persons of the same and different genders. A biromantic person experiences romantic attraction to persons of the same and different genders.
As the oldest and most recognizable multi-sexual/ romantic orientation, it has undergone some changes in definition (see note). Controversy arose over the “bi” prefix which was believed to limit gender to the binary "woman" and "man". However, as the language around gender evolved, the bisexual community has come to include non-binary persons in their definition.
Although bisexuality broadly overlaps with pansexuality and omnisexuality, there are subtle differences and a person may find one label more fitting for themselves.
More info on bi.org.
Pansexual Pride Flag
Represents pansexuality/panromanticism
A pansexual person experiences sexual attraction to persons regardless of their gender. A panromantic person experiences romantic attraction to persons regardless of their gender.
Often called the “gender-blind” sexual/romantic orientation as many pans say they are attracted to people, and that gender is not a factor in their attraction.
Rapidly rising in popularity as the second most common multi-sexual/ romantic orientation, pans are sometimes non-binary people wishing to distance themselves from the “bi” prefix of bisexuality that previously had binary gender connotations.
Although pansexuality broadly overlaps with bisexuality and omnisexuality, there are subtle differences and a person may find one label more fitting for themselves.
Polysexual Pride Flag
Represents polysexuality/polyromanticism
A polysexual person experiences sexual attraction towards more than one, but not all genders. A polyromantic person experiences romantic attraction or desires towards more than one, but not all genders.
Not to be confused with polyamory - intimate involvement with multiple persons at once, or pansexuality - attraction to ALL genders.
One of the newer orientations grown out of moving away from the binary gender concept. The polysexual flag's pink stripe represents attraction to women, its green stripe represents attraction to people who identify outside the traditional woman-man binary, and its blue stripe represents attraction to men.
ASEXUALITY
Asexual Pride Flag
Represents asexuality
An asexual person does not experience sexual attraction – they are not drawn to people sexually and do not desire to act upon attraction to others in a sexual way.
Not to be confused with celibacy, which is a chosen abstinence from sexual activity.
Asexual people might experience other types of attraction (romantic, aesthetic, sensual – to name a few) and strive to develop emotional connections with people.
Asexual people can be sex-repulsed, averse, indifferent, or favourable. Arousal capabilities, libido, and participation in sexual activities vary among asexual people but do not play a part in sexual identification.
ASEXUAL UMBRELLA
Some more common sexualities under the asexual umbrella:
•DEMISEXUALITY – a person experiences sexual attraction only after a strong emotional bond is formed
•GREY(A)SEXUALITY – sexual attraction is extremely rare or otherwise in the grey area.
More info on www.asexuality.org and wiki.asexuality.org
QUEER ROMANTIC ATTRACTIONS
Aromantic Pride Flag
Represents aromantic people
An aromantic person neither experiences romantic attraction nor desires a romantic relationship.
Aromantic people might experience other types of love and attraction (platonic, aesthetic, sensual – to name a few) and strive to develop emotional connections with people.
Aromantic people can still experience sexual attraction and be of any sexuality.
Aromantic people can still desire life-long platonic partnerships.
ARO SPECTRUM
Some more common romantic orientations under the aromantic umbrella:
•DEMIROMANTICISM – a person experiences romantic attraction and/or desire only after a strong emotional bond is formed.
•GREY(A)ROMANTICISM – romantic attraction extremely rare, infrequent, or otherwise in the grey area.
More info on aromantic.wikia.org
PolyamoryPride Flag
Represents Polyamory
Polyamory is the practice of, or desire for, intimate relationships with more than one partner at the same time, with the full knowledge and consent of all parties involved.
Often described as “consensual, ethical, and responsible non-monogamy”.
The polyamorous community rejects the view that sexual and romantic exclusivity is necessary for deep, committed, long-term relationships.
Polyamory is more about romantic than sexual relationships, as it involves a commitment to building lasting relationships that meet the needs of the people involved. But of course, it can be built around sexual relationships as well.
Polyamorous relationships come in many forms, but they all need to be built on honesty, openness, and communication.
More info on www.morethantwo.com
QUEER GENDER IDENTITIES
Transgender Pride Flag
Represents Transgender People
A transgender (trans for short) person is a person who identifies differently than a gender assigned to their sex at birth.
The transgender label encompasses both people of the more-traditionally binary gender identity and people of non-binary identity.
The still mainstream explanation of an X brain in the Y body is now outdated both due to science progress and language change but is still sometimes used when a situation needs a simplified explanation.
The transgender umbrella is about queer gender identities, not sexuality. Transgender people can be of any sexual and romantic identity.
Many transgender people experience gender dysphoria but intensity and type vary among individuals. Body dysphoria and medical transitioning are NOT required for a person to be transgender.
Persons who are not transgender are called cisgender (cis for short).
For help with many terms of transgender, umbrella check out www.translanguageprimer.org
Genderqueer Pride Flag
Represents Genderqueerness
Genderqueer(ness) can be used as an adjective, a noun, or as a personal identity denoting or relating to a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions and rules.
Genderqueerness is not a new concept, and queer people have always been showing defiance to gender norms and redefining their personal relationships with them.
The genderqueer term emerged in the 1980s and 1990s out of a need for an all-inclusive term for individuals pushing gender rules hand in hand with sexual rules, and questioning norms around class and race.
As queer activism and political organizing grew in the early ‘90s, genderqueer became a way for transgender people to be part of the broader movement.
More on the contemporary approach to binary gender defiance will be presented in the Nonbinary Pride Flag section.
More on the history of gq on inqueery by them (You Tube).
Non-Binary Pride Flag
Represents Non-Binary Gender Umbrella
Non-binary (NB) is a younger twin of genderqueer representing a wide spectrum of gender identities, varying in intensity and conformity to one of the binary gender concepts.
NB represents identities outside of strict and static gender binary. The only rule is that there are no rules.
Non-binary identities can express a combination of femininity and masculinity, or neither, in their gender expression.
Gender non-conformity, gender queerness, and non-binary are different words used to describe basically the same concept.
Non-binary umbrella has many gender identities, some of most common ones being bigender, genderfluid, agender/genderless, pangender, trigender, neutrois, demigender, etc.
Even though non-binary identity is technically part of the trans umbrella, not all non-binary people identify as trans.
For help with many terms of transgender, umbrella check out www.translanguageprimer.org.
FAQ
Gender, gender identity, gender roles so many different uses of the word gender. What does all that actually mean? What if I want to learn more?
They all refer to different concepts.
Gender = social category
Gender Identity = personal relationship with gender; gender internalized on a personal, individual level
Gender roles, gender expression, etc = different manifestations/ aspects of gender
Please consult the worldwide web to better understand all different aspects and uses of gender. This is not an easy thing to learn, whole fields in sociology are devoted to studying gender. An easy place to start would be the Gender Wikipedia page, and Social Construct of Gender Wikipedia page as well as references used in those articles. We also recommend Gender: a graphic guide and Queer: a graphic history by Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele, brilliant introductory reads that will make you rethink and see many things in a new light. If you are a Questioning individual these books will definitely clear your head. This is our personal recommendation and we are not affiliated with iconbooks publisher in any way.
So...how many genders are there?
Depends on which concepts you use to navigate this gendered world. Various sources will tell you different things but it's easy to understand that in a binary gendered world we currently live in there are two binary genders and many ways to break away and destroy the gender binary. As for gender identities, one could argue that there are as many gender identities as there are people, or at least non-binary/genderqueer people.
Answers to this question will depend on the background knowledge of the person you ask. This is our personal answer.
My pride flag is not included in your store :(
When can I expect its inclusion?
Please get in touch! Especially if you are studying/working in Biological/Earth Sciences! We will try to sneak in an extra item in your pride flag even if we don't include in our standard lineup. We wish to bring happiness and catered merch to every queer person but as we are a small business it is not feasible to offer every item in every pride flag (there are so so many). That's why we cannot stock your pride flag unless you let us know about you :D
Feel free to use our contact form, email, or DM us on Instagram/Twitter and Marta will see what's the fastest way to get you that merch item(s) you want.
I want to collect gender data for diversity monitoring purposes or my study, which gender options should I include in my questionnaire?
Woman/Female
Man/Male
Other: ____
If you need a strictly limited number of groups then: 'Woman'/'Female', 'Man'/'Male', 'Non-Binary' (You may choose to name the third category other). It is always nice to include the 'Questioning' category.
If you are interested in collecting data on transgender people include that as a separate question (e.g. 'Do you identify as transgender?' with Y/N/Questioning answers).
DO NOT INCLUDE TRANSGENDER AS SEPARATE OPTIONS WHILE ASKING FOR GENDER! It is inaccurate, incredibly othering, rude, and transphobic!
Example of what NOT to do:
Woman
Man
Transgender Woman
Transgender Man
At least one other than woman/man category is always necessary not just for inclusion purposes but because otherwise, your w/m samples are going to contain people with genderqueer socialization/expression/opinions/etc.
To summarize here's the most simple way to collect diversity data on gender that is inclusive and accurate:
Which gender do you identify with?
Woman/Female
Man/Male
Other: ____
Do you identify as transgender?
Yes
No
Questioning
*Remember the golden rule when attempting to collect this data: What am I trying to study? What information do I really need? Is this data even necessary for this? We also recommend including a queer-identifying author in your study to make sure you are using appropriate terminology.
CONTACT US
Send us your feedback, suggestions, collaboration idea, or anything else.
Was your order not what you were hoping for?
Give us a chance to fix it.
Are you interested in becoming our trade partner?
We would love to see our merchandise be available in physical shops, museums, gift shops, you name it!
Enquire now and we will send you our wholesale offer with no commitment attached.
Would you like a personalized design for your organization, team, research group, or event?
You can now show your support and create a welcoming atmosphere by commissioning badges or pins featuring a design of your choice! Let us know about your event and what you need, and our artist will be in touch with you ASAP.
Or just send us a warm and encouraging mail. We love hearing about the warm, memorable, and/or impactful moments we created.
PARTNERS
Where else to find our creations
Interested in becoming our trade partner?
We would love to see our merchandise be available in physical shops, museums, gift shops, you name it!
Our trade partners get to be listed on our website - that way people can see and get our creations in person!
Enquire now and we will send you our wholesale offer with no commitment attached.
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WHAT WILL YOU SUBSCRIBE TO
This is not a regularly sent newsletter.
We will only be sending informative emails when we launch new projects. New projects mean more different designs, pride flags, and goodies for you and your friends. Stay in the loop and don't miss a thing!
We will also send you alerts about incoming site-wide sales, so you can plan ahead, and give you access to site-wide sales ahead of everyone else. This way you will have first dibs on limited stock, which means you won't miss snagging that one item you want for only a fraction of its price.
We promise not to spam your inbox with marketing emails. They waste your and ours time, flood inboxes, and are just annoying, aren't they?
You will be able to unsubscribe at any time directly from the emails we send you, so if they don't turn out to be your cup of tea you can easily opt-out.
NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION
It all started with a Queerlobite and since then we couldn't be stopped.
An ever-growing assortment of simple but effective designs combining
favourite Natural History motifs with pride flags.
QUEERLOBITE
A rainbow trilobite was created for purposes of LGBT+ meetup for one Palaeontological conference from where it was turned into a complimentary registration badge. They became such a hit that we continued creating!
Currently available as enamel pins, button badges, and stickers.
QUEERUTILUS
We chose Nautilus pompilius to bridge the gap between the sciences of the extinct and extant, Palaeontology and Biology. Who better than a Living Fossil itself! But if you prefer to imagine it's an Ammonite we wouldn't hold it against you. :3c
Currently available as enamel pins, button badges, and stickers.
QUEERAMINIFERA
Planulina wuellerstarfi, the winner of the 2019 Foram Cup, is our Pride Foram representing Team Micropalaeontology. Many chambers gave us an opportunity to include even more stripes and introduce Progress Pride Flag to our lineup.
Currently available as enamel pins, button badges, and stickers.
QUEERNITES
We were so mesmerized by this well-known crystal cluster known as Desert Rose that we added it to our Natural History lineup to represent mineralogy/petrology.
Currently available as stickers.
QUEERSMUTH
Is there a gayer mineral than Bismuth? The beautiful play of colours caused by oxidation puts butterflies into our stomachs and inspired us to create another mineral design. We're currently researching iridescent and holographic materials to give this design a re-do worthy of the extravagance of Bismuth.
Currently available as stickers.
PALAEONTOLOGY HALL OF FAME
COLLECTION
Brand new upcoming collection featuring landmark Natural History
fossil specimens. These pins are larger, shinier, and beautifully presented.
For the first time ever we will release pins without pride flags,
for occasions and those of us that require pure class
This collection is coming to Kickstarter in October 2021
Click on the image below to go to this project's landing page.
You will find more info and a subscription link there too.
RETURN & CANCELLATION POLICY
Changed your mind? Not satisfied with the goods you received? We got you.
CANCELLATIONS
We accept cancellations for a full refund on all items available in our Etsy store.
We must receive a cancellation request before the order has been dispatched. Once the order was dispatched the Return Policy applies instead.
During preorder campaigns, you may cancel your order at any point for the duration of the campaign for a full refund. After preorders close, a cancellation fee of 20% of your order total applies. Kickstarter-run preorder campaigns cannot be canceled.
RETURNS & EXCHANGES
We accept returns. We accept exchanges for different items of the same value (e.g. you can exchange your Pridelobite enamel pin for a Translobite enamel pin, but not for a Pridelobite button badge).
Buyers are responsible for return postage costs. The items needn't be in their original packaging but it has to be its original condition. If the items are not in their original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
Contact us within 14 days of delivery to arrange a return or exchange.
Dispatch items back within 30 days of delivery.
