Rainbow? - Empty Closets - A safe online community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered people coming out

Alex768 · 30th Oct 2008, 03:12 PM

Enlighten me if you will; why is the national symbol for homosexuality a rainbow? Just curious.

30th Oct 2008, 03:13 PM

That's a really good question......

enlightenment anybody?

MonsieurGodiva · 30th Oct 2008, 03:42 PM

As with most of life's great questions, Wikpedia solves it pretty well.

It says in the article that the person who made the first rainbow flag assigned each color a particular quality that they most likely wanted to be associated with the gay community, all of which are listed there.

Does that answer your question?

Bookmarked · 30th Oct 2008, 04:02 PM

Personally, the rainbow annoys me. Not because it's colourful. Not because it's splayed everywhere. But because they got the sequence of colours wrong! Completely! The physicist in me rankles! RANKLES!

However, the artist in me things it looks sort of pretty...

Janvier · 30th Oct 2008, 04:02 PM

From the link

The colors reflect the diversity of the LGBT community
Original eight-stripe version designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978
hot pink: sexuality
red: life
orange: healing
yellow: sunlight
green: nature
turquoise: magic/art
indigo: serenity/harmony
violet: spirit

Version with hot pink removed due to fabric unavailability. (1978–1979)

Six-color version popular since 1979. Number of stripes reduced to an even number to prevent middle color from being hidden when hung vertically on lampposts, indigo changed to royal blue

mattypants · 30th Oct 2008, 05:10 PM

so its not a technical rainbow? yay! xD i share bookmarks physisist wrankles lol

kh23172 · 30th Oct 2008, 06:39 PM

Haha, interesting O.o

30th Oct 2008, 06:59 PM

What's wrong in the sequence of colors?

Alex768 · 30th Oct 2008, 08:08 PM

Thanks for the replies! That's... weird haha. Don't a lot more people embody those traits than just homosexuals?

Micah · 30th Oct 2008, 09:49 PM

BECAUSE RAINBOWS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND SO ARE WE ^_^

I like this reason better

30th Oct 2008, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micah

BECAUSE RAINBOWS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND SO ARE WE ^_^

I like this reason better

Good thinking Micah.

xequar · 31st Oct 2008, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drizzt DoUrden

What's wrong in the sequence of colors?

As far as I'm concerned, nothing. Personally, I like that our rainbow is different, and it's easily discernable for those who know the differences. Many things use rainbows, but our rainbow is recognizable and can be a sort of beacon.

Markio · 31st Oct 2008, 11:42 AM

I have a Safe Space pin I found on my college campus, and it resembles a "breast cancer" ribbon, except it has the rainbow on it. I keep it hidden in my backpack kind of like a metaphor for my closeted homosexuality. I agree that the specificity of our rainbow helps set it apart from other rainbow uses, like Lucky Charms.

Which reminds me. Remember that commercial where they name all the lucky charms? "Hearts, stars, horseshoes. Clovers and blue moons! Pots of gold and rainbows. And the red balloons!" For a while I thought they were saying "Pots of golden rainbows", which makes little sense. Fun fact about me! Tangent...

mikeh · 31st Oct 2008, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drizzt DoUrden

What's wrong in the sequence of colors?

"Physical" rainbows have colors in order of their wavelength. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow

31st Oct 2008, 08:32 PM

O.o Does somebody see something I don't? Because the LGBT rainbow is: RedOrangeYellowGreenBlueViolet or ROYGBV and a rainbow is: RedOrangeYellowGreenBlueIngidoViolet or ROYGBIV.

Is it just that the LGBT rainbow is missing colors?

shakerdancee · 1st Nov 2008, 12:05 AM

wikipedia

30th Oct 2008, 03:12 PM	#1
Alex768 Ho Bag Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Out to everyone Location: Boise Age: 21 Posts: 61 Join Date: Aug 2008	Rainbow? Enlighten me if you will; why is the national symbol for homosexuality a rainbow? Just curious.

30th Oct 2008, 03:13 PM	#2
nodoubtjunkie Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Rainbow? That's a really good question...... enlightenment anybody?

30th Oct 2008, 03:42 PM	#3
MonsieurGodiva Charles Full Member Gender: Queer Orientation: Queer Out Status: All but family Location: Paris Age: 21 Posts: 428 Join Date: Aug 2007	Re: Rainbow? As with most of life's great questions, Wikpedia solves it pretty well. It says in the article that the person who made the first rainbow flag assigned each color a particular quality that they most likely wanted to be associated with the gay community, all of which are listed there. Does that answer your question? __________________ She linger'd, looking like a summer moon / Half-dipt in cloud: anon she shook her head, / And shower'd the rippled ringlets to her knee. --“Godiva” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

30th Oct 2008, 04:02 PM	#4
Bookmarked Well Known Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: A gentleman's gentleman. Out Status: O-U-T out. Uh-huh Location: Derby, UK. Age: 21 Posts: 168 Join Date: Jul 2008	Re: Rainbow? Personally, the rainbow annoys me. Not because it's colourful. Not because it's splayed everywhere. But because they got the sequence of colours wrong! Completely! The physicist in me rankles! RANKLES! However, the artist in me things it looks sort of pretty... __________________ People on the internet are silly. Why? Click here

30th Oct 2008, 04:02 PM	#5
Janvier يَناير Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Out to everyone Location: France Age: 22 Posts: 849 Join Date: Aug 2008	Re: Rainbow? From the link The colors reflect the diversity of the LGBT community Original eight-stripe version designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978 hot pink: sexuality red: life orange: healing yellow: sunlight green: nature turquoise: magic/art indigo: serenity/harmony violet: spirit Version with hot pink removed due to fabric unavailability. (1978–1979) Six-color version popular since 1979. Number of stripes reduced to an even number to prevent middle color from being hidden when hung vertically on lampposts, indigo changed to royal blue __________________ Uncertainty excites me.

30th Oct 2008, 05:10 PM	#6
mattypants Chacun à son goût Full Member Gender: male/garçon/hombre Orientation: Gay Out Status: Some friends Some family and the lesbians Location: Los angeles, Ca Posts: 2,733 Join Date: Oct 2008	Re: Rainbow? so its not a technical rainbow? yay! xD i share bookmarks physisist wrankles lol

30th Oct 2008, 06:39 PM	#7
kh23172 Everything happens for a reason. Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Out to everyone Location: Orlando, Florida Age: 21 Posts: 210 Join Date: Oct 2008	Re: Rainbow? Haha, interesting O.o __________________ If gay is also defined as happy, then I'm gay I'm gay. For all those non-gays out there, your life must suck. Me Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain. Me

30th Oct 2008, 06:59 PM	#8
Drizzt DoUrden Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Rainbow? What's wrong in the sequence of colors?

30th Oct 2008, 08:08 PM	#9
Alex768 Ho Bag Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Out to everyone Location: Boise Age: 21 Posts: 61 Join Date: Aug 2008	Re: Rainbow? Thanks for the replies! That's... weird haha. Don't a lot more people embody those traits than just homosexuals?

30th Oct 2008, 09:49 PM	#10
Micah ^_^ Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Out to All Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 23 Posts: 2,532 Join Date: Feb 2005	Re: Rainbow? BECAUSE RAINBOWS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND SO ARE WE ^_^ I like this reason better __________________ 　／l、（ﾟ､｡７　l、 ~ヽ　じしf_, )ノ

31st Oct 2008, 11:42 AM	#13
Markio EC Addict Full Member Gender: Male Orientation: Gay Out Status: Family, friends, and staff! Location: California Age: 21 Posts: 1,139 Join Date: Oct 2008	Re: Rainbow? I have a Safe Space pin I found on my college campus, and it resembles a "breast cancer" ribbon, except it has the rainbow on it. I keep it hidden in my backpack kind of like a metaphor for my closeted homosexuality. I agree that the specificity of our rainbow helps set it apart from other rainbow uses, like Lucky Charms. Which reminds me. Remember that commercial where they name all the lucky charms? "Hearts, stars, horseshoes. Clovers and blue moons! Pots of gold and rainbows. And the red balloons!" For a while I thought they were saying "Pots of golden rainbows", which makes little sense. Fun fact about me! Tangent... __________________ Celebrate diversity!

31st Oct 2008, 08:32 PM	#15
Drizzt DoUrden Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Rainbow? O.o Does somebody see something I don't? Because the LGBT rainbow is: RedOrangeYellowGreenBlueViolet or ROYGBV and a rainbow is: RedOrangeYellowGreenBlueIngidoViolet or ROYGBIV. Is it just that the LGBT rainbow is missing colors?

1st Nov 2008, 12:05 AM	#16
shakerdancee Oom-pah! Regular Member Gender: Male Orientation: Not sure Out Status: Anyone who asks Location: California Age: 19 Posts: 304 Join Date: Mar 2008	Re: Rainbow? wikipedia

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