The rainbow symbol

[ToTheLetter01]

I've noticed two instances recently where the rainbow symbol have been referred to as a symbol of the first lockdown.
The first was my DS son in the newsletter about pride week and it referred to it as a symbol of the lockdown and a symbol of hope in lockdown.
The second was on the programme This Morning. They had done a segment on rainbow decor being in now and how it's a symbol for the first lockdown.

Now I know the rainbow symbol has been around a long time and has been used for the LGBTQ community for many years. I find it infuriating that society are trying to take this away and remake it into a different thing because of this pandemic.

I know its not trademarked but why couldn't another symbol be used inside of a marginalised communities symbol. There are so many out there to choose from.

How do other people feel about it?

Although isn't it 8-10 different colours now depending on if you are including brown and black.*

In this country at least it tends to be the flag Sappho posted, from last year onwards, to differentiate it from the NHS.

As a very old person, I can assure the OP the Pride symbol is the rainbow flag, not a rainbow. The NHS used a rainbow. Different things.

And what everyone else said too.

@SapphosRock

This is the new Pride symbol. Very different from NHS rainbows.

Please be aware that that is NOT "the new Pride symbol" in any general or international sense.

It may be "a" new, proposed and sometimes used symbol. But it is racist, because people of all races and skin tones (do I really have to say that?) are and always have been gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (and any other category included; they vary by polity and by organization).

There is no need to add black and brown to the flag; those of us who are are not white and who are also LGBT+ were always LGBT+, and those who are black, brown, etc. and NOT LGBT+ don't need (or generally want) to be added to the LGBT+ flag when their white counterparts are not.

Rainbows (word and image) are used by a few groups. Off the top of my head -

• Rainbow section of Girl Guiding and is part of their logo
• a term for babies born after a previous loss
• Christians as a sign of God's common grace.
• The Rainbow flag was used as a symbol at peace and anti - nuclear marches in the 60's.
• as a symbol of support to the NHS during this pandemic

And of course, as a meteorological phenomenon.

I don’t know why this is in FWR, but as a child I always associated the rainbow as a symbol representing the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior ship.

If you think losing the rainbow is bad what do you think about losing the word woman?

I remember when the symbol was the pink triangle for gay men and the labrys for lesbian women.

Not a rainbow in sight.

Ah. The good old days.

The first thing my DD said when she saw the NHS rainbow was why is the gay pride flag everywhere, which did make me think as I doubt she’s the only one.

If I see a flag I assume it’s for gay pride if I see a rainbow I assume NHS but I don’t give it much thought which one the family who has it in their window is supporting.

I was delighted to see rainbows repurposed, so to speak, last year, even though ofc the pride flag isn't a rainbow.

I hadn't considered that adding black and brown to the pride flag is racist. Thank you 2Olives1Onion.

So children shouldn’t have been able to use the rainbow as a symbol of hope and better times after the shitstorm of covid, because LGBTQIA? Utter bollocks.

It’s a naturally occurring phenomenon OP, there for all of us to be embrace and enjoy, like trees, or shall we trademark those too because the Tories already use them as a logo.

Give your head a serious wobble OP.

I remember when the symbol was the pink triangle for gay men and the labrys for lesbian women.

Yes! I remember not liking the rainbow flag when it came in in the UK (the 90s sometime?) but I can't remember why! Maybe it was linked with the commercialisation of Pride?

I always thought the horizontal striped flag was pride, any other type of rainbow (as drawn by kids since forever and more recently for the NHS) is up for grabs as a beautiful phenomenon of nature and/or symbol of hope and forgiveness from God.

Do I think Pride should “claim it back” as try to stop anyone else being able to use it?! Erm. No

A political or societal movement can’t claim all 7 colours of the spectrum to themselves. Give your head a wobble.

There is a growing movement in LGB circles to ditch the rainbow.

You're annoyed about it? I'm a leprechaun and I'm fecking fuming!

It’s a naturally occurring phenomenon OP, there for all of us to be embrace and enjoy, like trees, or shall we trademark those too because the Tories already use them as a logo.. Oh gosh yes, I have a tree in my front garden - will be sure to chop it down before the next election

TBH when I think of rainbows my first association is neither NHS nor pride. It’s these guys.

@ToTheLetter01 - would you tell parents who have lost babies to miscarriage or stillbirth that they can’t call a subsequent, much loved and wanted baby, a ‘rainbow baby’?

@MarkRuffaloCrumble ah, I forgot that on my list! You've put the theme tune in my head now.

Just thought of another- Skittles 'Taste the Rainbow'.

The 🌈 belongs to everyone. So no, you can't claim it back or try and stop others using it for whatever they want.

There are plenty of rainbows to go around. You're making an issue out of hot air.

It's a symbol of hope. "After the rain comes the rainbow" or "You can't have a rainbow without the rain." Yes the rainbow flag is a symbol of the LGBT community but the rainbow symbolism is very general and used by many groups of people.

@2Olives1Onion well said, it is totally racist.

@TabbyStar

I remember when the symbol was the pink triangle for gay men and the labrys for lesbian women.

Yes! I remember not liking the rainbow flag when it came in in the UK (the 90s sometime?) but I can't remember why! Maybe it was linked with the commercialisation of Pride?

It was the pink triangle when I was at university too. It was 'reclaimed' from Nazi usage - it's how gay people were labelled in concentration camps, and I do think the current trend for badging people according to sexuality or identity still has that sinister resonance for someone of my generation.

The rainbow always seems a bit childish and happy clappy though. Day nurseries always had rainbows on the windows, and as someone else has mentioned, in the UK it makes you think of Bungle, George and Zippy, though given the scene's current addiction to fluffy unicorns and glitter, maybe that's appropriate.

I don't know but I recently took our rainbow decoration out the front garden because I'm not sure what it symbolises anymore and didnt want to offend

@corlan

You're annoyed about it? I'm a leprechaun and I'm fecking fuming!