When you think of Pride [1], it's easy to think solely of its rainbow-coloured flag (it is a universal symbol!), but did you know that each letter in the LGBTQ+ and 2SLGBTQ+ communities has its own flag to represent them? In honour of Pride, Ikea Canada has recognised 10 flags in the 2SLGBTQ+ community (which additionally represents two-spirited people) with the one thing Ikea does best . . . furniture! Particularly couches (or "love seats," as Ikea is calling them). From vibrant pink, yellow, and blue sofas that represent the pansexual flag to pink, blue, and white sofas that represent the colours of the transgender flag, there are so many thoughtful and intentional couches to be mesmerised by — and it doesn't stop there! Each of Ikea's 10 Pride couches features a person from its said community who shares their story and talks about what their sexuality means to them. If you're interested in seeing these one-of-a-kind couches [2] (that are truly more like artwork), have a look ahead.
Inspired by the Bisexual Pride Flag
Brian Lanigan shared his coming-out story to Ikea, saying he came out as bisexual in high school and "as a queer, chubby, blue-haired 9th grader — it didn't go so well." Today, Lanigan performs spoken-word poetry and says poetry has helped him "calmly examine what he was feeling, and ground himself in finding how he identifies."
This love seat was designed by queer fashion designer, illustrator, and researcher Charlotte Carbone.
Inspired by the Asexual Pride Flag
"Sexuality is a spectrum, and that includes asexuality as well," Brianna Roye told Ikea. Roye experiences sexuality in a different way. "On one side you have being asexual and on the other side you have alosexual — which is primarily what most people are — and I fall somewhere in the middle where I feel sexual attraction sometimes, not often, and with particular people."
This love seat was designed by Canadian designer Ali Haider.
Inspired by the Lesbian Pride Flag
Jena Nesser discussed the relationship she's currently in with girlfriend Veronica, saying they met in November 2015 and didn't wind up dating until a few months later. To Jena, the lesbian Pride flag is "a source of inspiration, belonging, progress, and acceptance."
This love seat was designed by queer illustrator and journalist Madison van Rijn.
Inspired by the Genderfluid Pride Flag
"I had people and forces around me telling me that my thoughts and feelings about myself were something to be corrected. I knew deep down that they were wrong," John Walsh told Ikea. Walsh uses fashion to express themself and knew ever since they grew out their hair in high school that they were on a different journey.
This love seat was designed by queer fashion designer, illustrator, and researcher Charlotte Carbone.
Inspired by the Transgender Pride Flag
If Jules Reeves could give advice to their younger self, it'd be "take the leap and let the chips fall as they may because you will end up in a place where you finally feel comfortable, and you'll finally feel confident, and you'll finally feel loved in all of its complexity and beauty." Reeves then added, "oh and also don't pluck your eyebrows too thin."
This love seat was designed by queer illustrator and muralist Madison van Rijn.
Inspired by the Nonbinary Pride Flag
"I had a very hard time coming into myself and learning about how I identify because I was in a lot of spaces where I didn't see people that looked like me," Marisa Rose Grant told Ikea. "In a lot of this queer community, it's very white and very not inclusive. So having spaces where I see Black folks highlighted and uplifted is very empowering and it definitely helped me through my journey of discovering myself and not feeling like a weirdo."
This love seat was designed by queer fashion designer, illustrator, and researcher Charlotte Carbone.
Inspired by the Transgender Pride Flag
"It took me years to realise I was Trans," Nathaniel Le May told Ikea. "It took me some time because I was really worried about what other people thought, but at a certain point I just said to myself, 'It doesn't bother me anymore I'll do what I want.'" Le May told his partner that he wanted to transition into a man, and she was totally on board. The pair share two kids together.
This love seat was designed by queer fashion designer Bianca Daniela Nachtman.
Inspired by the Pansexual Pride Flag
"I'm absolutely pansexual, I don't know who I'm going to end up with, I don't know their gender, but I do feel like there are no limits to who I will love in the future and I feel secure in that now," Sarah Bellstedt told Ikea.
This love seat was designed by queer fashion designer Bianca Daniela Nachtman.
Inspired by the Two-Spirit Pride Flag
"I don't think of myself as a human being — I think of myself as a sacred spiritual blessing," Scott Wabano told Ikea. "After all of the years of continuously trying to wipe us out, I'm still here to say that I'm a proud two-spirited person and I am free and I am a youth. My existence is the resistance, and that's powerful."
This love seat was designed by queer fashion designer Bianca Daniela Nachtman.
Inspired by the Progress Pride Flag
Waseem Shayk is the cofounder of Rangeela, Canada's largest event for the South Asian Queer community. He wanted to create a space where South Asian queer people were recognised and could show up and be their authentic selves. He credits the event's success to following his and his cofounder's gut feelings — to create a space where people can show up and be true to who they are.
This love seat was designed by Canadian designer Ali Haider.