The intersex-inclusive progress pride flag being raised on the Joondalup campus
To mark Wear It Purple Day 2025, Edith Cowan University has proudly raised the intersex-inclusive progress pride flag, officially launching its permanent display across all three WA campuses.
The display is a clear and enduring statement of ECU's commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for the LGBTIQA+ community all year round.
To mark the significance of Wear It Purple Day, staff from each campus gave speeches to commemorate the flag raisings. Executive Dean, School of Arts and Humanities, and ECU's LGBTIQA+ Executive Ally Matthew Allen and DVC (Students, Equity and Indigenous) Professor Braden Hill spoke at Joondalup Campus. At the Mount Lawley campus ceremony, PVC (Sport) and Pride at ECU Chair Professor Sophia Nimphius and Equity Projects Coordinator Stevie Lane spoke. At our South West campus, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Regional Futures) and Vice-President Professor Cobie Rudd and Dr David Rhodes gave keynote addresses.
Building on more than 20 years of visibility
For more than 20 years, ECU has marked key LGBTIQA+ dates such as Wear It Purple Day, IDAHOBIT, and Pride Month with flag-raising ceremonies.
In recent years, the University recognised it was time to make that commitment visible every day, and installed an additional flag post on each campus to allow for this.
"Raising the flag has always been meaningful, but making it permanent takes our message further," said Professor Matthew Allen, LGBTIQA+ Executive Ally at ECU.
"It tells our students, staff, alumni, and visitors that ECU is a place where you can belong, be safe, and be seen – not just on certain dates, but always."
Some of the those who gathered to raise the pride flag on ECU Mount Lawley campus in October 2004 for Pride Week. In 2025, 'Pride' as a celebration is now more commonly observed through the month of November.
Why visibility and embedding LGBTIQA+ inclusion matters
The decision to fly the flag permanently is part of ECU’s ongoing work to foster belonging for all members of the LGBTIQA+ community.
Pride at ECU Chair, Professor Sophia Nimphius, emphasised the importance of visible and tangible symbols.
"Symbols matter. For someone stepping onto campus for the first time, whether they are a student, staff member, or visitor, seeing this flag tells them they are welcome here,” she said.
Professor Nimphius, who completed her PhD in Sports Science at ECU in 2009 and has worked at ECU for over 15 years, says the progress she has witnessed in that time has been both significant and inspiring.
"When I first joined ECU, visible signs of LGBTIQA+ inclusion were less common, and many conversations around diversity were only just beginning," Professor Nimphius said.
"Over the years, I’ve seen a shift towards deeper understanding and genuine engagement with our LGBTIQA+ community, not just through celebration, but embedding inclusion into how we work, teach, and learn together."
ECU Staff celebrating the Joondalup intersex-inclusive progress pride flag raising
The meaning and evolution of the pride flag
The intersex-inclusive progress pride flag builds on decades of visual symbols representing and celebrating LGBTIQA+ communities.
The original rainbow flag, created by Gilbert Baker in 1978, was designed to celebrate diversity and unity within gay, lesbian and bisexual communities, with each colour representing different aspects of life, from healing to nature and spirit.
In 2018, American designer Daniel Quasar created the progress pride flag by adding chevrons of black and brown stripes to represent people of colour, and light blue, pink, and white to represent the trans community.
The arrow shape signalled forward movement while acknowledging that there is still progress to be made.
In 2021, intersex advocate Valentino Vecchietti updated the design to include a yellow triangle with a purple circle, symbolising wholeness and the right for intersex people to live free from unnecessary medical interventions.
This addition was an important step towards recognising intersex people as an integral part of the LGBTIQA+ community, highlighting the need for visibility, understanding, and human rights protections.
About Wear It Purple Day
Wear It Purple Day is held annually on the last Friday of August to celebrate and support LGBTIQA+ young people, promoting safe, inclusive, and empowering environments where they can thrive.
Established in 2010 in response to stories of discrimination and exclusion, it has grown into a nationwide movement for visibility, pride, and equality.
For more information about Wear It Purple Day and how you can get involved, visit wearitpurple.org.
