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These Symbols Have Meaning

Last week’s move by the BBC North East to use the a red ribbon to commemorate victims of COVID19, along with the way the Pride Flag was used this summer, inspired me to do a little research and put into an image the history that exists behind these symbols, their meaning, their weight. Like many in the LGBT community I am tired of our symbols being misappropriated. 

The Red Ribbon

IN 1991, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE AIDS CRISIS, A GROUP OF ARTISTS CAME TOGETHER AS VISUAL AIDS ARTIST’ CAUCUS TO CREATE MEANINGFUL SYMBOLS OF COMPASSION FOR THOSE WITH HIV/AIDS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. THIS BECAME “THE RIBBON PROJECT”, KNOWN TODAY SIMPLY AS THE RED RIBBON. IT IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY THE YELLOW RIBBONS WHICH WERE USED TO HONOUR SOLDIERS SERVING IN THE GULF WAR AT THE TIME. THE COLOUR WAS CHOSEN FOR ITS “CONNECTION TO BLOOD AND THE IDEA OF PASSION — NOT ONLY ANGER, BUT LOVE…”. THE RIBBON FORMAT WAS CHOSEN AS THEY WANTED SOMETHING EASY TO RECREATE AND WEAR. THE ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS WERE “CUT THE RED RIBBON IN 6 INCH LENGTH, THEN FOLD AT THE TOP INTO AN INVERTED ‘V’ SHAPE. USE A SAFETY PIN TO ATTACH TO CLOTHING”. IT WAS FIRST WORN AT THE 1991 TONY AWARDS BY JEREMY IRONS AND OTHER GUESTS AND PRESENTERS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BROADWAY CARES AND EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS. IT WAS INITIALLY MADE BY VOLUNTEERS AT “RIBBON BEES” UNTIL DEMAND BECAME TOO GREAT. IT CAN NOT BE COPYRIGHTED, PROFITED FROM OR TRADEMARKED. THE RED RIBBON HAS BECOME A UNIVERSAL SYMBOL OF SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS AND CONTINUES TO BE A POWERFUL FORCE IN THE FIGHT TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS, FIGHT STIGMA AND LOBBY FOR FUNDING FOR SERVICES AND RESEARCH.

The Pride Flag

WANTING TO REPLACE THE PINK TRIANGLE WHICH WAS USED AS A SYMBOL OF THE LGBT MOVEMENT AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS WITH THE DARKNESS OF WWII AND ITS FUNCTION AS A NAZI TOOL OF OPPRESSION TO IDENTIFY AND STIGMATISE HOMOSEXUALS AS SUB HUMAN, HARVEY MILK CHALLENGED ARTIST GILBERT BAKER TO CREATE NEW SYMBOLS OF PRIDE FOR THE GAY COMMUNITY. BAKER WHO WAS A GAY, MILITARY VETERAN WHO HAD TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO SEW, DEVISED THE ORIGINAL PRIDE FLAG WHICH WAS FLOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE SAN FRANCISCO GAY FREEDOM DAY PARADE ON THE 25TH OF JUNE 1978. IT’S THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY JUDY GARLAND’S “OVER THE RAINBOW” AND THE STONEWALL RIOTS. ARTIST LYNN SEGERBLOM CREATED THE ORIGINAL DYEING PROCESS, INSPIRED BY THE FLAG OF ALL RACES AND GAY ACTIVIST ALLEN GINSBERG. THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS MADE UP OF 8 BANDS OF DIFFERENT COLOURS EACH WITH AN ASSIGNED MEANING: HOT PINK (SEX), RED (LIFE), ORANGE (HEALING), GREEN (NATURE), TURQUOISE (MAGIC/ART), INDIGO (SERENITY) AND VIOLET (SPIRIT). THE HOT PINK WAS FIRST DROPPED DUE TO A DIFFICULTY IN FINDING FABRIC THE RIGHT COLOUR, AND THEN THE TURQUOISE TO CREATE A SYMMETRICAL OPTION THAT COULD BE SPLIT IN TWO TO DECORATE BOTH SIDES OF THE 1979 PARADE. IT HAS SERVED AS THE INSPIRATION FOR MANY OTHER PRIDE FLAGS IN THE LGBTQI+ COMMUNITY.

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we need to change the part of the history where yt ppl are given credit for “discovering” things that were never lost and were known by the indigenous ppl in the first place 

also they need to change the name officially 👌🏾

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Pugtastic. My website – My Instagram – See me on WEBTOON!

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a relatable claire saffitz mood board

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Report: 95% Of Grandfathers Got Job By Walking Right Up And Just Asking

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The fact that you can’t raise taxes on billionaires even slightly without them pouring money into fascist political movements is, of itself, evidence that billionaires as a class shouldn’t be allowed to exist in the first place.

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Please I’m begging you, please watch Klaus on Netflix, just for the sole animation and the tens of facial expressions per second that are all hand drawn

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