To think there is a slightly homophobic reaction going on to the rainbow profile pics?

[hudyerwheesht]

I’m seeing an increasing amount of sarky MEME’s on FB basically bitching about the rainbow profile pictures and it’s rubbing me up the wrong way. Yes, I know people get annoyed at fads on FB and I get that but what exactly is wrong about wanting to celebrate the change in law in the States and show support?

And even if people are bandwagon-jumping – who fucking cares if it raises awareness/increases support?

There was an exceptional amount of bandwagon-jumping during the no make-up selfies and ice bucket challenges with the majority of people not even donating but no-one seemed to take issue with that.

Yes, I know, obviously different type of cause entirely but still...

AIBU to think therefore if it's not the joining of a fad that's annoying people but actual support of Pride/same sex marriage rights then that's dangerously close to homophobia? Or am I making a leap that isn’t there?

I’ve even seen one going around “supporting Straight Pride” – how ridiculous. If people can’t understand how much it not the same thing then I despair.

And yes, I’ve seen the other thread about the MEME joking about paedophiles changing their profile pics to rainbows – utterly vile and not the least bit funny imo.

Indeed, Northern Ireland is still to catch up.

As for changing people's minds, I wouldn't begin to try.

I pretty much agree with everything purplepixiedust said and I also don't watch the news around my DC and tend to read it online so it's more likely to come up in exactly the same way but that said I have already explained to both of them that some people love and wish to marry people of their own sex and that there is nothing wrong about that (to counteract my homophobic inlaws).

I may have no personal experience or connection with anyone who is gay but that doesn't mean that I can't show my support and I think I should be able to without people assuming I'm jumping onto the latest fashionable trend. Just as those who don't do not need to be thought of as bigots. I take no issue with those who choose not to show their support as it is totally their right - tbh I never even thought about it until the negativity towards those who had started to show up.

I think some people resent that because it's America we're all supposed to sit up and applaud their awesomeness.

^^This. My reaction was something along the lines of 'yes, I'm happy for you, but can you stop pretending to be OMG THE MOST PROGRESSIVE AND AMAZING COUNTRY OF ALL TIME?

Also everybody on my friend list now looks the same which is confusing.

But the main reason I haven't done it, and this is so damn British I'm slightly ashamed, is when do you then take it off again? Can you take it off without it looking like you've changed your mind? Do you have to look like the victim of a paintball attack for the next six months...?

For all the poster saying the rainbow filter would have helped beforehand a well, yes, but you're missing the point. The filter was to celebrate Pride, NOT the U.S supreme court ruling. It was a lovely coincidence that it happened at the same time, so people obviously chose to use the filter to celebrate the ruling as well.

For me it's definitely about the fad-factor. I was and am equally annoyed by:

• ice-bucket challenge
• "post this as your status for 1 hour if you really care about [insert cause]"
• PM's with a "let's keep the boys guessing and do it for breast cancer"
• the "Facebook is going to start charging"

and it goes on and on and on

It's a form of public shaming in a way. If you DON'T have a rainbow you must be a homophobe.

FUCK off.

And not to mention totally fucking pointless. Yes, here in the UK where we already had gay marriage, many people support this. So what? Where's the support for people who actually need it?

I'm so sorry.

I have dyslexia and some visual difficulties, and I commented that I wasn't changing my picture because the image gives me a headache.

Someone else I saw today commented that she wasn't personally keen on supporting marriage full stop, because in her view it's heteronormative.

Our homophobia must be ever so thoroughly internalised, since we were on a date at the time.

I didnt do the ice bucket challange no make up selfie (tbf i dont wear make up often) and I didnt change my profile pic doesnt make me uncaring or unaware. I had a rainbow chanter put a status up soo why are we all rainbows I had to explain that all the states of the us now had equal marraige band wagoning is silly and it doesnt prove or support much imo

Rainbow changer*

It wasnt to celebrate pride at all facebook set it up to celebrate the ruling in the US which is fair enough it was a great thing but just because somebody doesnt follow suit doesnt make them a homophobe or whatever.

I don't need to change my profile picture on Facebook to show I support equality or am not a homophobe...

Doughdoe, that is not the case at all - at least in my case, I can't speak for everyone. Once again : I do NOT have any problem with anyone who does not have a rainbow profile pic and frankly it's ludicrous to make the assumption that I or anyone would.

It's the ones taking the piss out of I was originally questioning, NOT those who hadn't done it - not the same thing at all.

I don't know where all the fixation about "so if I don't have it I'm this, that and the next thing" - I never even criticised people who didn't and as far as I know, neither did anyone else.

And I don't believe showing support for a cause is ever pointless, FB may be the root of all evil sometimes but it can also be a tool for social change, as others have said.

Then again, if you don't that's absolutely fine.

'yes, I'm happy for you, but can you stop pretending to be OMG THE MOST PROGRESSIVE AND AMAZING COUNTRY OF ALL TIME?

Sorry but this is just a little bit nasty. Many many people have worked for a very long time, as many did in the US Civil Rights Movement, for equal marriage and full civil rights for LGBTQ people in the US. Obergefell v. Hodges is on a par with Brown v. Board of Education that outlawed segregation in the schools. There is still a long way to go in both movements, but please indulge us if we do a bit of celebrating. It is a monumentally big deal.

Well said, seneca.

There is a beautiful rainbow house near me, I don't know if the occupants are gay or not but its great

And now there's this:

www.cbsnews.com/news/episcopalian-church-votes-to-approve-same-sex-marriage/

Also some of us are face blind. Making all profile pics essentially the same at a glance makes them useless.

I have to admit that I didn't even know what the rainbow photos were about until reading about it on here. I just thought it was the latest Facebook "thing".

It is just boring now. Move on.

There probably is some homophobia but I'm sure lots of people are just pissed off at the bandwagon jumping.

I remember once lots of people I knew changed their profile pictures to a cartoon for 'children in need'. I posted a status saying 'how is changing your pic to a cartoon actually helping children?' (which shows how many years ago this was as I never post anything on fb now!) I got told it was to raise awareness and to help the nspc .

It really annoyed me so much and that isnt because I dislike children - in fact I'm a regular donator to two children's charities. That is provably

Me and my dp spoke a lot about how the ice bucket challenge seemed to be more of a popularity contest/another bandwagon to jump on. I'd love to know how many of the people who did it actually donated any money or time to help the cause.

Sorry I have no idea what the random 'that is provably' at the end of the second paragraph is supposed to mean!

Seneca, a better analogue for Obergefell v. Hodges is Loving v Virginia (obviously).

Brown had extremely far-reaching consequences - it went far beyond desegregation in schools, and laid the groundwork for many subsequent decisions in relation to all aspects of civil rights for minorities (establishing the principle that separate provision in inherently unequal, and expanding the principle of equal protection). Obergefell , like Loving , was essentially a single-issue decision, in a situation where most legal rights were already equal (although in practice, there was and is still great inequality). The practical significance to individuals is obviously very great, and the symbolic significance to society, but I think it comes too late in the day to have the sort of practical significance to society that Brown did.

(I am a big fan of the Warren Court)

I agree to a certain extent with you badtime, but I do think that Obergefell will lay ground work for other decisions. There are many areas in which LGBTQ people don't have full rights in the US. The status is not a protected characteristic in many areas of the law. To the extent that the decision was based on the equal protection clause, it will have far-reaching effect (assuming that a Republican does not get in the White House and appoint more right wing justices).

One major difference between Obergefell and Brown is public acceptance. There was massive resistance to the Brown decision, and it took years f(and federal troops) for it to become effective in the South, and aspects of it are still being litigated. Loving (the best name ever for a plaintiff considering the issue) was also accepted relatively easily.