The term "Labrys Lesbian" refers to a specific symbol and a lesbian pride flag associated with it. Here's a breakdown:

The Labrys Symbol:

• The labrys is a double-headed axe that has historical and cultural significance.
• It was an important religious symbol in Minoan civilisation on Crete, associated with female goddesses.
• It was also linked to the Amazons, a mythical tribe of warrior women in Greek mythology.
• In the 1970s, the labrys was adopted by the lesbian feminist community as a symbol of female strength, empowerment, and solidarity.

The Labrys Lesbian Flag:

• This flag was created in 1999 by graphic designer Sean Campbell.
• It was first published in the June 2000 Pride issue of the Gay and Lesbian Times (Palm Springs edition).
• The flag's design features:
  • A labrys (usually white)
  • Superimposed on an inverted black triangle
  • Set against a violet or purple background.
• Symbolism of the elements:
  • Labrys: Represents strength, self-sufficiency, and female power, drawing from its historical associations with goddesses and the Amazons.
  • Inverted Black Triangle: This symbol was used by the Nazis in concentration camps to identify women deemed "asocial", which included lesbians. Like the pink triangle reclaimed by gay men, some lesbians reclaimed the black triangle as a symbol of resistance and solidarity against oppression.
  • Violet/Purple: This colour has been historically associated with lesbians through the poetry of Sappho, an ancient Greek poet from the island of Lesbos, whose writings often focused on love and relationships between women.

Significance and Current Usage:

• The Labrys Lesbian flag was one of the earliest specifically lesbian pride flags.
• While historically significant, its usage within the broader lesbian community has waned in recent years.
• One reason for this is the flag's association with second-wave lesbian feminism, which some perceive as exclusionary.
• More recently, the labrys symbol and flag have been adopted by some Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists (TERFs), leading many in the lesbian and broader LGBTQ+ community to distance themselves from it to avoid association with transphobia.
• Despite this, the labrys remains a symbol with historical roots in lesbian culture and continues to be used by some individuals as a personal symbol of lesbian identity and female strength.

It's important to note that the "Sunset" lesbian flag (featuring shades of orange, white, and pink) is currently a more widely recognised and used symbol for the lesbian community.