I am old enough to remember the rainbow colors being a secret way for the community to find each other. We'd put a small rainbow on our cars, or other places and people of our community knew what that meant.
Now that we are more out of the closet, hateful bigots know what the rainbow flag means too. This is an expected downside to our communities progress. But we will never go back in the closet.
I'm a straight biological male and love rainbows. Colours are pretty! Not sure why anyone would get upset about rainbows. You know, the NATURALLY occurring thing?
Bingo. As a Pink Floyd fan I remember seeing bigots complain about the gay "rainbow" with the anniversary of Dark Side of the Moon.
I use to have a tee shirt that said "Which one's Pink?" And non Pink Floyd fans thinking it was a gay reference instead of a song lyric asking who is Pink Floyd".
You know they get upset at all kinds of Science shit that’s for liberals and nerds. Rainbows are no different.
Another cis straight male here btw. Rainbows are awesome in more ways than one. And how could you be a sensible person and not be an ally to those who would prefer not to be oppressed for stupid reasons?
Not the only reason by any stretch, but Christians love to claim that no one else can use rainbows because of that myth where their god used one to apologize for one of his many mass genocides.
I want a way to signal to people, sorry I'm freaking weird and apologies in advance for my awkwardness.
I've always loved the infinity symbol, got it engraved on a ring for my partner over a decade ago.
I also love badges.
Considering finding an enamel rainbow infinity badge online - and if someone mistakes me as queer, I don't mind, I'm an ally and a bit bi anyway.
Bigots get way too hung up on symbols.
I like to think of symbols as positive things - either covert ways to communicate with like minded people in an unfortunately negative environment, or ways to show pride in something if the symbol is widely recognised.
When that pride is something includes infringement on the rights of others, then we have a problem.
Otherwise, yay, go wild.
Yes, officer, I've had a few drinks - why do you ask?
Different challenges these days for sure. As glad as I am in a place when I do not have to resort to spy codes just to feel like myself I still find the modern ones to be kind of great. Like every stripe of the LGBTQIA has their own hidden messages. Like if I saw a Blahaj Ikea shark wearing a bandana around it's "waist" chomping on a piece of garlic bread surrounded by toadstools I would be like... Well that's basically a pride flag.