Friday 5 June 2020

Who Owns the Rainbow?

Here's a photo of the VERY FIRST 
Rainbow Pride Flag ever made!

It was created by Gilbert Baker in 1978 
for an American Pride Parade.

The archive includes the sewing machine 
he made it on, too.

(The flag originally had a couple of extra stripes
compared to today's version).


And almost right away, the BITCHING started.



But excuuuuuuuse us
we checked and it seems God 
NEVER COPYRIGHTED
the rainbow. 

Or anything else, for that matter.


And besides, 
we DID ask Jesus first 
and HE said to go ahead!


These days, the rainbow is associated with
the United Kingdom's National Health Service 
and its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.




But do you hear the LGBTQ+ community
bitching about that?

Of course not!

We're not assholes!

We know the rainbow belongs to EVERYBODY!


58 comments:

Anonymous said...

Some people need something to complain about. Or in this case, try to squash the voice of people who need and deserve to be heard.

Go Gilbert Baker!!

Elsie

Moving with Mitchell said...

Yay for us and our lives of crime!

anne marie in philly said...

where is the first flag located? and glitter jesus - yeah!

Rosemary said...

Let's share the rainbow - there is treasure to be found, but only if you can find the end of the rainbow.

Infidel753 said...

Back before the gays swiped the rainbow, it was mostly being used to rat out where leprechauns were keeping their pots of gold. I'd say God didn't deserve to keep it if he couldn't put it to better use.

Sixpence Notthewiser said...

LMAOOO
Oh, I'm stealing: The Rain itself is next. Soon to be followed by the sun. The moon is already a lesbian.
Priceless!
And Van Ness as gay Jesus? Yes!
Stupid fundies. Always complaining about what their sky daddy gave them. Or not.

XOXO

Bob said...

I don't see anybody going after that damned Skittles rainbow!

Leanna said...

I happen to think the rainbow flag is the perfect representation of the LGBTQ community. Screw the religious idiots.

Parnassus said...

Hello Debra, I hope that the pot of gold came along with it! --Jim

Tundra Bunny said...

Funny, I always thought rainbows belonged to ROY G. BIV!

Frank said...

Great post. The Rainbow was so under-utilized up until the LGBTQ community stole it from God. I mean She only used it once after a big flood and since then after an occasional rainstorm.

Now it has taken it's place in celebrations worldwide and we even have a rainbow flag hanging outside our front door, just for fun. And it's cool that it irritates the hypocrites.

brewella deville said...

That Bryan Fischer is still around, peddling his hateful b.s. He's on the Southern Poverty Law Center's list of hateful dicks (my term), which should tell you everything you need to know about this tiny, tiny man.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ anne marie in philly -- I assume it's in some kind of national LGBTQ+ Archive in the US somewhere -- unfortunately, I didn't make note of exactly where, when I got that photo off the internet. Maybe New York or San Francisco? Does anyone out there know?

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Bob -- Good point! I forgot about the Skittles rainbow!

@ Tundra Bunny -- Hahahahahahaha!

DEZMOND said...

Jesus was also gay.

Fundy Blue said...

Wow. Call me uninformed, but I didn't know that the LGBTQ+ community had been accused of sealing God's rainbow. The septs to which certain "Christians" sink are abysmal. btw ~ I thought it was appropriated by third grade girls, along with unicorns ~ LOL. You and your Rare One have a great weekend, Debra! Wishing you a rainbow if it rains.

Mistress Maddie said...

I actually like the original flag better for some reason. I wonder why it lost two stripes? Do you know why Debs? Can't say I ever heard.

The Queer Eye guy is funny as Jesus. They just filmed their new season entirely in Philadelphia.

Mildred Ratched said...

OMG! My head is going to explode! Will someone please collect the pieces and bring them back to me along with some superglue? Damn it! People will bitch about anything, won't they? The sky was blue, but it wasn't the shade of blue that's on the gay pride flag! Yes, it is! No, it isn't! BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!

Mistress Maddie said...

@ Debs. I thought I heard it was in a museum called The Newseum which is located in DC. But because of funding, the museum was to close at the end of 2019. I have heard no discussion where the exhibit may go. I think it stayed open till January of this year.

e said...

The Moon is a lesbian - this is known!

Skittles was, for a while, a code word among some of us. I mean, come on: Taste the Rainbow!?! Hell yes!

I like the new rainbow flag with the brown and black stripes added. More inclusive. I need to purchase one of those.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Mistress Maddie -- Thanks for the info about the exhibit having been in DC. I don't know why the original Pride flag lost a couple of stripes, but I assume it was simply for aesthetic reasons -- it looks like the 2 blues were amalgamated into one, as well as the 2 red/pink stripes.

yellowdoggranny said...

some people are dicks..

I love the gay jesus..ahahahahah

Marie Smith said...

How could anyone appropriate God’s rainbow? Good grief. Can you believe some people?

DVArtist said...

I love the photo of the first flag. uuhhhmmm you do not want to know my opinion of most so called chritstians. I have gay family members, gay friends, and then there is the christians in my family with their heads up their arses. Bring on the rainbows.

J C said...

OMGosh you opened Pandora's box and a bunch of rainbows flew out. Loved this! I needed a rainbow to brighten my day.

Old Lurker said...

Uncle Wikipedia has a good explanation of the extra two stripes. Hot pink used to stand for "sex". (Surprise surprise that this one got removed.) Turquoise used to stand for "magic".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Baker_(artist)#Flag

Apparently an original Pride flag has been acquired by a design museum in London: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/jul/04/rainbow-flag-space-coffee-cup-design-museum-london

Old Lurker said...

Or maybe the flag is in Oakland? https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/04/23/queer-california-lgbtq-exhibit-in-oakland-is-not-what-youll-expect/

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Old Lurker -- Thank you, my friend, for all the research to enhance this post!

jono said...

Excuse me, but what kind of twisted fuck would think the image of a rainbow was stolen from some god?? What color is the sky on their planet?

Forsythia said...

I thought the man was kidding when he accused the LBGQT+ of stealing the rainbow.

bobbie said...

Rainbows belong to EVERYONE!!!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Cynthia -- Unfortunately, it's not just that one guy. Evangelical Christians, in particular, have their collective noses out of joint about this issue.

Kadie said...

OMG I loved this post! That first flag is beautiful! There is a lot of info here I didn't know but I loved reading it. Van Ness is funny as hell and so sweet. Thanks for the great post!

Kadie ♥ The Great Canadian Housewife | A Story About A Girl

Mike said...

I had to give up. I've got an old picture of a girl in a rainbow outfit, wearing rainbow socks, laying on the floor facing away from the camera, as she looks back over her shoulder. But I can't find it! I'll keep an eye out for it.

Janie Junebug said...

Jesus looks so happy. I seldom think of him as smiling and laughing, but why not?

Love,
Janie

Adam said...

Christians think a rainbow is a sticky note that reminds God not to commit genocide.

The Captain said...

The rainbow in the UK at the moment is also a symbol of hope during the Coronavirus, "after the storm comes a rainbow"

Lady M said...

Great post - the rainbow does belong to everyone. We should all enjoy one from time to time.

Miss Val's Creations said...

The rainbow is such a beautiful symbol. The hatred from some people is so sad.

This N That said...

Yup...Everybody should have a rainbow!!!

Kirk said...

By the same token, "pride" was stolen from the lions, "beard" from Santa Claus, "drag" from tobacco inhalation, "bear" from Smokey, "Butch" from Cassady, "femme" from fatale, "leather" from the Hell's Angels, "flamer" from a pyromaniac, and "pink triangle" from a Henry Mancini-themed cartoon character's nose.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

@ Kirk -- Hahahahahaha, oh we're in big trouble now!

Ol'Buzzard said...

When we realize that rainbows are light frequencies reflected in water particles it is no longer a miracle; but no less wonderful.

Anyway, it is a good bet the Jesus was gay. He preferred intimacy with men over women, he like preparing food and throwing dinner parties. An beside that, he seems to have been a very thoughtful and caring person - not a trait of Christians or most straight men.

I always picture Jesus as a full blown queen.
the Ol'Buzzard



Bea said...

I really dig Gilbert's original rainbow flag with the extra two bars. I think I read that he and his cohorts also sewed (and hand dyed?) at least one US-rainbow motif flag as well. We've a 30' by God knows how big Pride flag that flies over an old bank building at Castro and Market all year 'round.

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Jeez, what’s next? I love that everyone gets a rainbow. LOL

Rain said...

Debra that is the silliest thing I've read today. My gosh...people will bitch about anything. I love the Jesus funny! And it's really neat that the sewing machine is also a part of history too! Great post!

Magaly Guerrero said...

Wow! I almost want to believe that the idiot who said that someone stole the rainbow was joking. But... that level of stupid is never funny.

And, I always thought the moon gave me wanton looks--then again, it might've been projection.

Bill Lisleman said...

"the moon is already a lesbian" - wow I know my cultural knowledge is far from being complete but I feel I'm missing something important here.

Martha said...

I don't think a day goes by that I don't run across something 'ridiculous' that someone says...this rainbow stuff, one of them. At least there's some entertainment value in it. Like all the fun posts you share!

Guillaume said...

For me, a rainbow will always mean Bifrost from Norse mythology. Which kind of makes sense, as before they started looting and invading their nearby countries, Norses were derided as effeminate (because they took care of their beards and hair).

Susan Kane said...

Some good sewing there!

Ur-spo said...

I confess I don't have much sympathy for folks howling about 'stolen rainbows' particularly when the have done similar for some time.

Bruce.desertrat said...

"it was mostly being used to rat out where leprechauns were keeping their pots of gold. I'd say God didn't deserve to keep it if he couldn't put it to better use."

Shhhh, don't let the "Yew stole the rainbow!!" fundies know God is a socialist...redistributing the wealth from those who hoard it...it'll make their teensy tiny minted heads explode...

Richard said...

Thank you for showing a story about that flag . It means something to me. I never asked for a flag, but now that it is here i think it is a good thing.

Busy Bee Suz said...

It's funny that a few months ago I started seeing more rainbow flags in front of people's houses....they said it was for the covid/staying home thing. Me? I thought the rainbow was for gay pride? Apparently, the rainbow IS for everyone and I love that too.

Magic Love Crow said...

That is so cool, seeing the flag and sewing machine! I agree, rainbows for everyone!!!!

Richard said...

Thanks i could use a rainbow right now. Arco de Iris is what my friends from Jalisco call that beautiful sign. It is awesome. It is superstitious. It is beautiful and reminds me how small i am.

Rommy said...

Where there is love, there's a rainbow. So homophobes can never, ever have it back. So there.