After the recent passage of anti-gay propositions in California, Florida, and Arizona, a number of rainbow icons appeared on Gather in support of LGBT rights. I'm not sure how many were in response to my article declaring my own rainbow icon and asking others to follow suit, how many were inspired by seeing my friends wearing rainbow icons, and how many were people simply getting the same idea in response to the same situation. My own icon was, in fact, inspired by Don S.'s, who, as far as I know, was the first to sport one:
However it happened, I was quite impressed by the number of people who "put on" rainbow colors, so I decided to collect them here before they change into new clothes. (Some already have since I "collected" them.) So, here are the rainbow icons so far that I know about. This article may be updated with more as I learn about them. (Some people have more than one.)
Note: There are supposed to be 60+ icons displayed in this article, but apparently not everyone can see them, and there are reports of icons cut in half as well. You can always view the "photos" below the article if you any of that mess is happening.
I was going to include links to the Gather homepages of the icon owners, but what exactly happens to pictures after I drag them into the article editor is more up to the elusive Gather Gremlins than any intentions on my part, so the names would be pushed all out of place. You'll have to view the images at the bottom to see who is who. (In progress.)
Signed (I almost forgot):
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Comments: 76
You've got a movement going on here Aniko.
I'm still working on this one...
Currently I think I need to take a break... (Adding the links to the photos took a long time...)
I missed the fun originally, but when I asked Lainie what all the rainbowiness was about, she offered to make me colorful. I gladly and willingly wanted to participate. (not to mention my greatest desire is to be just like Unkie D.)
As penance, I'll revive my "Rainbow" self..
I don't want to alter my icon, so as penance I've commented on some Prop 8 articles, invoking recent research (biology and/or psychology) wherever possible to demonstrate just how far sexual orientation is from being a "lifestyle choice."
But we're all about equal rights for the citizens of the globe. Thanks for the caring community here.
Ann, no need to do "penance", but your contributions to debates are always valuable (for those who are willing to listen).
My friend ended up in SF and lived there for about 10 years. He moved back to Wichita last year.
Nippy, was Phelps as idiotic back then as he is now, or is it a sign of progress that these days most Americans would think of him as being controversial?
Yes, you are so right about choosing where to plant science.
My Gather friend David Sidwell, a Mormon, is smart, introspective, and open-minded. I'm pretty sure my comments on his article weren't wasted.
Stupid Gather!
That's why I mentioned not to forget me....it doesn't show me but 13 images total....only by clicking the view photos did I see how many there were. I STILL don't see most!
Which Andrea icon? The toiletkid or the White Knot one?
A. is on the desktop, and since that took about two hours of "negotiating" between him and his brother, I won't interfere with the blessed silence at this point...
Regards,
Doyle I <~~~~~
We can be proud.
I am saddend that such a demonstration is required.
One might hope that fundamental concepts of individual equality and civil rghts would be universal in this nation.
I also supported the passage of Prop. 8 - marriage between a man and a woman. Just sorry it had to be voted on either way. Govt. should stay out of people's lives.
Why aren't the gay's more concerned with all the other freedom's we've lost? Why didn't they support and march when they passed the Patriot Act - FISA - and too many others to list? When the old media lies to us and fails to report the real news?
The reason old media reported this is because they used it as a distraction for other evils going on at the time. Many marches and protests go unreported. SCOUS is looking at Obama's eligibility to be president and many lawsuits in many other states, including CA.
BTW, I believe being gay is a choice.
It angers me to no end when people flippantly toss off statements like that. Unless a person has gone through the excruciating process of coming to terms with being "different", and has lived with being shunned by segments of society for something over which they have no control, they have NO RIGHT to casually decide that "Oh, it's a choice". Is being straight a choice? Something you can wake up one morning and change like your underwear?
And yes, I do GET it.
The other possibility, of course, is an inability to understand that other people have an inner world similar to one's own, while their thoughts, desires, objections, and the things they perceive might be different from one's own.
But I think the most important point is that even if being gay was a choice, it wouldn't matter. Walking around with a purple mohawk, swimming in icy water, or writing crappy poetry are choices, and people have a right make them. They'd have a right to be gay and to get married even if it was a choice, because their doing so does not affect anyone else negatively.
Almost every gay person I know has been married - to someone of the opposite sex. They tried, for reasons we can all understand, I'm sure, to not be gay and to live as everyone else expected them to live. Because of these ridiculous expectations society put on them, more people were hurt (their spouses and children).
Its all about the love. If you find someone to spend the rest of your life with...someone that inspires you to be your best and do your best it is no ones and most especially the governments and the churches business to say that is wrong.
I will wear my rainbow proudly until Iowa and the rest of the country allow gays to marry or gather goes away...which ever is first.
Blessings and best wishes - S.
(Later on today.)