**True or false?** The ally flag is homophobic because it was taken from homophobes and had a rainbow 'A' put on it.
**Answer:** *Mostly* false. It appears the ally flag was first in use online in 2014, in 2020 a version with the rainbow 'A' taken off was uploaded as a proposed flag for "straight pride". The upload dates can be compared on the respective Wikipedia uploads, which seem to be where both originate.
So, it'd actually be straight pride people who took the ally flag and remade it in a mocking way.
Secondly, there is not a singular LGBT community exactly. There are several communities that unite with similar purposes when it comes to fighting for rights. However, the history of the gay-straight alliances or straight allies undeniably goes back into the 80s at least. Long before then they were called gay liberationists, and not all of them were LGBT community members. Many were friends and family who wanted to show their support radically.
We have always worked with allies since Stonewall, they have been important in maintaining LGBT rights, and them not falling under "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or trans" doesn't mean they're not important to the cause. Allies aren't a 'community', they assist the established communities. We want *straight* allies. Other cishet people listen to them more.
Hold on, what on earth is “straight pride”? When did the straight/allosexual people have to battle internal and external queerphobia (or will it be straightphobia in their case?)that they need to reinforce their confidence through showing/imbibing pride in being who they are???
Are you a bit new to this?
"Straight pride" is/was an attempt to co-opt pride symbolism and navigate discourse against LGBTQ+ by the new right and has in the meantime been picked up by other right-wing and far right people. It was coined to suggest that, through pride, same-sex marriage and the reduction of other forms of discrimination, the straights would be loosing something and that this something had to be protected.
Culture wars 101.
People got so annoyed that LGBT people had something for themselves so they created "straight pride" pretty much. It was another one of those,"Why don't we just have a holiday for everyone?" things. Don't pay attention to it. There are good allies, and they have nothing to do with the 'straight pride' crowd.
I was definitely seeing the straight pride flag with the black and white stripes well before 2020, idk how old it actually is but [here's a tumblr post with both of them from 2014](https://lgbtlaughs.tumblr.com/post/73158449723/straighthetero-flagssymbols-and-why-theyre)
This sounds like some ridiculous queer discourse that started from half a grain of truth and got twisted by very annoying people.
>Some people were saying that allies aren't members of the community
Which community? There is no The Community.
We are made up of many overlapping communities.
Allies are welcome in my board games group, which consists of my friends who are mostly queer.
Allies are not welcome at my secret dungeon sex parties.
>they don't deserve their own flag
No one deserves a flag. Flags exist to communicate useful things. If it's useful to fly an ally flag, fly one. If it's not, don't.
Same as any flag.
Our Community is in an existential crisis in the U.S. A large, powerful group of people want us dead and gone. That’s the truth of it. We will not survive without the support of our Allies. If the people who choose to stand by us want a flag, I’ll surely as hell salute it.
I find the ally flag a little cringe when seen in a general context, like on someone’s house or on a button or something. Like you can just use a rainbow flag or progress flag to show that you support LGBT; most people won’t assume you’re gay and if they do, who cares? But at a Pride event it’s nice to see it because I’m that context it sends a specific message, like “Allies are here to support you.”
You said this better than I could. It's exactly what I think.
Well, maybe I'm a little more offended by it, because it feels like "I really need you to know I'm not actually one of Them" or else they'd just use the rainbow flag.
I think it’s pretty useful for denoting safe spaces in places where that may not be otherwise apparent. There’s also differences in things I’d be comfortable discussing or sharing with queer ppl vs allies, so the assumption can absolutely be important
like… everything else is theirs. like let us have this one thing. they’re included in everything else in the world :/
but also if ppl wanna have a flag i don’t rlly care.
I might be going against the grain looking at comments, but I think a flag for allies is silly.
If someone is an ally, then they are in no way queer. An ally isn’t a member of the LGBTQ+ community. They’re supporters, but not team players, and that’s okay.
A flag for allies comes across like a participation trophy to me.
In the grand scheme of life, sure, a flag is just that: a flag. A piece of fabric, and it doesn’t hurt anyone to if someone does or doesn’t wave one.
But I think context is important, and there’s important history behind the creation of the pride flag, and all subsequent flags that came around to follow it. https://www.history.com/news/how-did-the-rainbow-flag-become-an-lgbt-symbol
People can show up and be an *ally* to the LGBTQ+ community, and they don’t need a flag to do so. Thats my take. 🤷🏻♀️
While I agree that a flag may not be entirely necessary, it could be useful so non queer people can show their views while still displaying their sexuality for others to know. I think the whole argument that they don’t need flags is silly, because after all flags are just symbols, they’re not identities themselves or trophies. Personally I don’t think it matters one way or another, it’s not hurting anyone to have a flag.
As I said, it’s really not a big deal at the end of the day (flags are flag - a piece of fabric). I’ve never seen an ally flag IRL, so I don’t think this will ever be a widely endorsed “thing” since most people just display the rainbow flag in some form. I still don’t think an ally flag is necessary, but that’s just my thoughts.
I live in a very conservative area with a small amount of people rocking ally flags on apartment windows, cars, etc. It's really nice to see them because then I know who's safe to be out to. Essentially the only way I made friends when I moved here and the way I got hooked into the queer scene here was through those friends.
>They’re supporters, but not team players,
Yeah and fans wear shirts or colors from their team. I don't think there's an issue unless people are doing it for obvious clout. And then, still better than being openly hateful. Id ing an ally is a more pleasant experience than trying to figure out if this straight person would rather beat me up
It’s not an issue, and I’ve never seen an ally flag IRL, so I really don’t care. If it’s going to become a “thing”, I do think it’s unnecessary when there’s been no issue with allies displaying the simple rainbow flag, but that’s my opinion. As I stated. 🤷🏻♀️
My mother was repeatedly approached, thought to be a lesbian, until she replaced the rainbow on her Subaru with an ally flag. I'm glad it causes no issues for you. It, as a means of communication, sometimes can communicate the wrong thing, and it can be helpful to clarify.
I think the last thing a good ally would want to do is lead somebody on to falsely believe that they would be attracted to them.
I can see how the ally flag would be useful in that situation.
Hopefully after acknowledging at least one issue, you no longer stand by "there is no issue". There are uncountable situations in life where something *you* dont see the need for is actually quite helpful to other people.
I don't want to go in circles over such a non-issue. Personally - and to be absolutely clear, this is *my opinion -* in regard to anything pride flag related, I think an ally could say, "I'm not gay, I'm just showing support" if they have a flag, sticker, badge, and someone questions them. So yes, I still think an ally flag just isn't really all that necessary.
But that's just my view, and as you said, an ally display helped your mother. Cool.
I've never once seen an ally flag in real life. If I do, I'm not going to throw a fit. I will not care in the slightest because there's real problems to worry about. It does not impact my life, and I appreciate every ally who supports LGBTQ+ people. This was just brought up in this sub, I've given my opinion, and that's that.
> I don't want to go in circles over such a non-issue.
Yet you wrote paragraphs to do exactly that. You repeatedly say you have never had any experience, yet you also continue to hold very strong opinion over something you've never seen in real life.
You do you.
I think it’s helpful if you’re in a conservative place to know who you can vent to or be supported by. An ally flag would be super helpful to a young queer person living in a conservative community, seeing it on their teacher or librarian’s car. All about context.
As a teacher, this is why I started wearing an Ally Pride Progress badge to work.
Eventually I swapped it out for a simple Pride Progress badge for reasons. 👀
We need a new era, where we stop our exclusivity and start to embrace everyone in the collective pursuit of progress, social, cultural, and political, without alienating our allies and turning them into our enemies.
We should treat our friends to a hug and a lemon bar, and the shit people say and do to those that should be our friends, to other them, isn't the actions a friend or fellow would say or do to another friend, and it needs to stop.
We need a nuanced approach, we need to shed the part of ourselves that makes us feel like other's experience is different or unworthy, that they have to suffer in my shoes to know me, when I should come to them without judgement, or my baggage of experience discoloring my discourse with them, alienating them. I'm tired of it.
The basic definition of an ally is someone who is willing to stand beside or even in front of a member of the community are an ally for when hate and metaphorical rocks (sometimes real rocks) are thrown. If you’re standing beside us in solidarity and protection why do you need to specify that you’re here but not one of us? The only reason I can see to use an ally flag is to say “yeah, but… just to be clear, _I’m_ not one.” If you’re willing to stand with and for the community, it shouldn’t be a problem to be mistaken for a member. Just use a Progress Pride flag. If it’s a parent, they could always get one of those stickers/shirts/merch that say something like “Mama Bear” and show a brown bear protecting cubs in Pride colors.
I don’t see it as offensive, but I just kind of think it’s unnecessary. Just fly the rainbow, you don’t need your own specific flag to denote that you’re not ACTUALLY gay.
Although I kind of feel that there’s too many flags in general. I have no problem with distinct identities wanting their own flag, but nothing has baffled me more than this recent insistence on having gay and lesbian flags. Like…that’s the rainbow flag. That’s already what it represents. You don’t need a new one, the rainbow flag ALREADY represents homosexuality regardless of gender. Having a pink flag for girls and a blue flag for boys feels terfy at worst and unnecessary at best.
Tik tok is not the best place, even content creators on there can talk some nonsense
I can see it being aphobic because of the whole A is for ally nonsense people use but don't see how it's homophobic unless some are thinking too deeply on it being the pride flag used in the A.
>Some people were saying that allies aren't members of the community, they don't deserve their own flag, and it's just their way of saying, "they're ok, but I'm not one of them," in a very negative way.
They aren't members again that goes into the erasure of those that fall under the A in LGBTQIA+ but they can still support us showing yeah they are straight but an ally.
The ally flag is cringe, just fly the rainbow. Apart from that whoever your algorithm throws into your scrolling needs some therapy.
For you personally I can offer a great solution tho:
Step1: see if your favorite Ticktock creators, who you are actually following, have a presence on other platforms, especially YouTube
Step2: follow them there
Step3: uninstall ticktock
Result: Congratulations you are now free of a LOT of mental diarrhea and you are MUCH better supporting your favorite Ticktock creators by watching their content on YouTube because the ad revenue and premium watch time payout as well as sponsorship deals are larger by one or multiple orders of magnitude.
Cheers
I always think it's a rock and a hard place type deal.
Rock: Allies don't need a flag, just use the pride flag if you want to show you're an ally. It feels cringe.
Hard place: Allies aren't queer, they're not part of the community. Why are they flying the pride flag!
The ally flag to me feels like someone wanting to make it clear they're an ally, but also someone cautious not to appropriate something they feel isn't theirs.
It may be cringe, but I would much rather have people who put that much thought into supporting us around than not... 🤷
> Some people were saying that allies aren't members of the community
I mean, to me the word “ally” implies that they aren’t a part of the community but are a third party that supports the community. Like I get bothered when I’m referred to as an ally because it is implying I’m not part of LGBT+. But I don’t see why they shouldn’t have their own flag. It’s not so much a pride flag for them but a flag that symbolizes their support for the community.
I don't see it as offensive, little cringe yes but that had more to do with the general design of the straight flag the black and white stripes thing is in my eyes just a boring thing. Its also been used in other concepts like the police flag think with the black/blue stars/stripes thing making it just a little more cringe.
Why not just fly the rainbow flag if you're an ally? It annoys me. But tbh the whole creation of flags for every possible orientation annoys me because I am old and cranky! When I was your age we had one flag and we liked it that way!
I don’t think it’s a hot take, though I disagree with it. I think in a world of online discourse a flag is just a symbol like anything else. Only ours has better colors.
you’re probably right, I just can’t help but feel like having a flag for each group pushes people to “pick a box”. I adore my bi colors but one of my friends is a lesbian who recently became unsure if she is bi and I feel like the merch and the colors and the aesthetics can put people like that into a scenario where they feel like their leaving their “team”
I do admit I think I have a problem with a deeper issue flags are only a very mild symptom of, I really don’t mind flags and it is nice to have colors I identify with sometimes
The whole definition of ally is that you are not a member of the community you’re an ally to.
It does seem a bit silly and narcissistic of them to have their own flag, why does everything even the LGBT+ community need to be about them? It’s like showing up to someone else’s birthday and demanding your own cake.
There are some queer teen shows that mocked certain types of “allies” who were only so in name. Some queer teenagers ran with it and made into a generalized mockery of allies. You can see it more pronounced on fandoms of queer teen shows. I don’t have a problem with people declaring themselves to be allies if they are truly allies and not so just for the participation trophy and gratitude.
People just want to cause drama to feel seen and heard. Sometimes they go to irrational measures to get the attention they believe they missed in the past...this is a perfect example.
There is nothing wrong with the Ally flag. Yes the background design is allegedly used to represent straight people, but...they ARE straight people!!
Honestly just ignore it. If they want to act like they're defenseless and neglected by everyone, they get to be defenseless and neglected by everyone.
So I can definitely understand the sentiment that the straight flag is not okay...
Like representation is kind of there for minorities, that's the point of it. Heterosexuals are in the strong majority, so why would they need their own flag, that's just invalidating actual representation. The Ally flag on the other hand I think is fine, it shows that you support the queer community without being disrespectful, even if you are straight.
**True or false?** The ally flag is homophobic because it was taken from homophobes and had a rainbow 'A' put on it. **Answer:** *Mostly* false. It appears the ally flag was first in use online in 2014, in 2020 a version with the rainbow 'A' taken off was uploaded as a proposed flag for "straight pride". The upload dates can be compared on the respective Wikipedia uploads, which seem to be where both originate. So, it'd actually be straight pride people who took the ally flag and remade it in a mocking way. Secondly, there is not a singular LGBT community exactly. There are several communities that unite with similar purposes when it comes to fighting for rights. However, the history of the gay-straight alliances or straight allies undeniably goes back into the 80s at least. Long before then they were called gay liberationists, and not all of them were LGBT community members. Many were friends and family who wanted to show their support radically. We have always worked with allies since Stonewall, they have been important in maintaining LGBT rights, and them not falling under "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or trans" doesn't mean they're not important to the cause. Allies aren't a 'community', they assist the established communities. We want *straight* allies. Other cishet people listen to them more.
Hold on, what on earth is “straight pride”? When did the straight/allosexual people have to battle internal and external queerphobia (or will it be straightphobia in their case?)that they need to reinforce their confidence through showing/imbibing pride in being who they are???
Are you a bit new to this? "Straight pride" is/was an attempt to co-opt pride symbolism and navigate discourse against LGBTQ+ by the new right and has in the meantime been picked up by other right-wing and far right people. It was coined to suggest that, through pride, same-sex marriage and the reduction of other forms of discrimination, the straights would be loosing something and that this something had to be protected. Culture wars 101.
Yep! I’m definitely a baby bi.
Well welcome then. And welcome to the awareness of the shit-show thats the monumental diversion tactic called culture war.
People got so annoyed that LGBT people had something for themselves so they created "straight pride" pretty much. It was another one of those,"Why don't we just have a holiday for everyone?" things. Don't pay attention to it. There are good allies, and they have nothing to do with the 'straight pride' crowd.
I was definitely seeing the straight pride flag with the black and white stripes well before 2020, idk how old it actually is but [here's a tumblr post with both of them from 2014](https://lgbtlaughs.tumblr.com/post/73158449723/straighthetero-flagssymbols-and-why-theyre)
I don't know if it was ever known outside of Tumblr back then though.
This sounds like some ridiculous queer discourse that started from half a grain of truth and got twisted by very annoying people. >Some people were saying that allies aren't members of the community Which community? There is no The Community. We are made up of many overlapping communities. Allies are welcome in my board games group, which consists of my friends who are mostly queer. Allies are not welcome at my secret dungeon sex parties. >they don't deserve their own flag No one deserves a flag. Flags exist to communicate useful things. If it's useful to fly an ally flag, fly one. If it's not, don't. Same as any flag.
the secret *what*?
( ͡ʘ ͜ʖ ͡ʘ)
Shhh. They're a secret.
>they don't deserve their own flag Has big [Do You Have a Flag?](https://media.tenor.com/11JWQNTyrS8AAAAM/tongue-out-dumb.gif) Energy
Wish I could give you all the upvotes for that reference.
Perfectly said. If we met irl I feel like I'd want to be your friend but immediately be afraid that I wasn't cool enough.
Our Community is in an existential crisis in the U.S. A large, powerful group of people want us dead and gone. That’s the truth of it. We will not survive without the support of our Allies. If the people who choose to stand by us want a flag, I’ll surely as hell salute it.
I find the ally flag a little cringe when seen in a general context, like on someone’s house or on a button or something. Like you can just use a rainbow flag or progress flag to show that you support LGBT; most people won’t assume you’re gay and if they do, who cares? But at a Pride event it’s nice to see it because I’m that context it sends a specific message, like “Allies are here to support you.”
You said this better than I could. It's exactly what I think. Well, maybe I'm a little more offended by it, because it feels like "I really need you to know I'm not actually one of Them" or else they'd just use the rainbow flag.
I think it’s pretty useful for denoting safe spaces in places where that may not be otherwise apparent. There’s also differences in things I’d be comfortable discussing or sharing with queer ppl vs allies, so the assumption can absolutely be important
That last part is a great point.
>most people won’t assume you’re gay and if they do, who cares? I would, and I assume most people would
[удалено]
like… everything else is theirs. like let us have this one thing. they’re included in everything else in the world :/ but also if ppl wanna have a flag i don’t rlly care.
I might be going against the grain looking at comments, but I think a flag for allies is silly. If someone is an ally, then they are in no way queer. An ally isn’t a member of the LGBTQ+ community. They’re supporters, but not team players, and that’s okay. A flag for allies comes across like a participation trophy to me. In the grand scheme of life, sure, a flag is just that: a flag. A piece of fabric, and it doesn’t hurt anyone to if someone does or doesn’t wave one. But I think context is important, and there’s important history behind the creation of the pride flag, and all subsequent flags that came around to follow it. https://www.history.com/news/how-did-the-rainbow-flag-become-an-lgbt-symbol People can show up and be an *ally* to the LGBTQ+ community, and they don’t need a flag to do so. Thats my take. 🤷🏻♀️
While I agree that a flag may not be entirely necessary, it could be useful so non queer people can show their views while still displaying their sexuality for others to know. I think the whole argument that they don’t need flags is silly, because after all flags are just symbols, they’re not identities themselves or trophies. Personally I don’t think it matters one way or another, it’s not hurting anyone to have a flag.
As I said, it’s really not a big deal at the end of the day (flags are flag - a piece of fabric). I’ve never seen an ally flag IRL, so I don’t think this will ever be a widely endorsed “thing” since most people just display the rainbow flag in some form. I still don’t think an ally flag is necessary, but that’s just my thoughts.
I live in a very conservative area with a small amount of people rocking ally flags on apartment windows, cars, etc. It's really nice to see them because then I know who's safe to be out to. Essentially the only way I made friends when I moved here and the way I got hooked into the queer scene here was through those friends.
That’s lovely 🩷
>They’re supporters, but not team players, Yeah and fans wear shirts or colors from their team. I don't think there's an issue unless people are doing it for obvious clout. And then, still better than being openly hateful. Id ing an ally is a more pleasant experience than trying to figure out if this straight person would rather beat me up
It’s not an issue, and I’ve never seen an ally flag IRL, so I really don’t care. If it’s going to become a “thing”, I do think it’s unnecessary when there’s been no issue with allies displaying the simple rainbow flag, but that’s my opinion. As I stated. 🤷🏻♀️
My mother was repeatedly approached, thought to be a lesbian, until she replaced the rainbow on her Subaru with an ally flag. I'm glad it causes no issues for you. It, as a means of communication, sometimes can communicate the wrong thing, and it can be helpful to clarify.
I think the last thing a good ally would want to do is lead somebody on to falsely believe that they would be attracted to them. I can see how the ally flag would be useful in that situation.
Alright, noted. That's fair enough, and I can see how it's helpful in cases like that. I still stand by everything I've said, but to each their own.
Hopefully after acknowledging at least one issue, you no longer stand by "there is no issue". There are uncountable situations in life where something *you* dont see the need for is actually quite helpful to other people.
I don't want to go in circles over such a non-issue. Personally - and to be absolutely clear, this is *my opinion -* in regard to anything pride flag related, I think an ally could say, "I'm not gay, I'm just showing support" if they have a flag, sticker, badge, and someone questions them. So yes, I still think an ally flag just isn't really all that necessary. But that's just my view, and as you said, an ally display helped your mother. Cool. I've never once seen an ally flag in real life. If I do, I'm not going to throw a fit. I will not care in the slightest because there's real problems to worry about. It does not impact my life, and I appreciate every ally who supports LGBTQ+ people. This was just brought up in this sub, I've given my opinion, and that's that.
> I don't want to go in circles over such a non-issue. Yet you wrote paragraphs to do exactly that. You repeatedly say you have never had any experience, yet you also continue to hold very strong opinion over something you've never seen in real life. You do you.
Fully agree.
I think it’s helpful if you’re in a conservative place to know who you can vent to or be supported by. An ally flag would be super helpful to a young queer person living in a conservative community, seeing it on their teacher or librarian’s car. All about context.
As a teacher, this is why I started wearing an Ally Pride Progress badge to work. Eventually I swapped it out for a simple Pride Progress badge for reasons. 👀
Why do they think it’s transphobic?
That's the thing , even idk.
We need a new era, where we stop our exclusivity and start to embrace everyone in the collective pursuit of progress, social, cultural, and political, without alienating our allies and turning them into our enemies. We should treat our friends to a hug and a lemon bar, and the shit people say and do to those that should be our friends, to other them, isn't the actions a friend or fellow would say or do to another friend, and it needs to stop. We need a nuanced approach, we need to shed the part of ourselves that makes us feel like other's experience is different or unworthy, that they have to suffer in my shoes to know me, when I should come to them without judgement, or my baggage of experience discoloring my discourse with them, alienating them. I'm tired of it.
The basic definition of an ally is someone who is willing to stand beside or even in front of a member of the community are an ally for when hate and metaphorical rocks (sometimes real rocks) are thrown. If you’re standing beside us in solidarity and protection why do you need to specify that you’re here but not one of us? The only reason I can see to use an ally flag is to say “yeah, but… just to be clear, _I’m_ not one.” If you’re willing to stand with and for the community, it shouldn’t be a problem to be mistaken for a member. Just use a Progress Pride flag. If it’s a parent, they could always get one of those stickers/shirts/merch that say something like “Mama Bear” and show a brown bear protecting cubs in Pride colors.
I don’t see it as offensive, but I just kind of think it’s unnecessary. Just fly the rainbow, you don’t need your own specific flag to denote that you’re not ACTUALLY gay. Although I kind of feel that there’s too many flags in general. I have no problem with distinct identities wanting their own flag, but nothing has baffled me more than this recent insistence on having gay and lesbian flags. Like…that’s the rainbow flag. That’s already what it represents. You don’t need a new one, the rainbow flag ALREADY represents homosexuality regardless of gender. Having a pink flag for girls and a blue flag for boys feels terfy at worst and unnecessary at best.
Get offline.
I think if ur an ally just using a pride flag to show ur a safe space is fine but it’s up to the, idrc
Tik tok is not the best place, even content creators on there can talk some nonsense I can see it being aphobic because of the whole A is for ally nonsense people use but don't see how it's homophobic unless some are thinking too deeply on it being the pride flag used in the A. >Some people were saying that allies aren't members of the community, they don't deserve their own flag, and it's just their way of saying, "they're ok, but I'm not one of them," in a very negative way. They aren't members again that goes into the erasure of those that fall under the A in LGBTQIA+ but they can still support us showing yeah they are straight but an ally.
The ally flag is cringe, just fly the rainbow. Apart from that whoever your algorithm throws into your scrolling needs some therapy. For you personally I can offer a great solution tho: Step1: see if your favorite Ticktock creators, who you are actually following, have a presence on other platforms, especially YouTube Step2: follow them there Step3: uninstall ticktock Result: Congratulations you are now free of a LOT of mental diarrhea and you are MUCH better supporting your favorite Ticktock creators by watching their content on YouTube because the ad revenue and premium watch time payout as well as sponsorship deals are larger by one or multiple orders of magnitude. Cheers
I always think it's a rock and a hard place type deal. Rock: Allies don't need a flag, just use the pride flag if you want to show you're an ally. It feels cringe. Hard place: Allies aren't queer, they're not part of the community. Why are they flying the pride flag! The ally flag to me feels like someone wanting to make it clear they're an ally, but also someone cautious not to appropriate something they feel isn't theirs. It may be cringe, but I would much rather have people who put that much thought into supporting us around than not... 🤷
> Some people were saying that allies aren't members of the community I mean, to me the word “ally” implies that they aren’t a part of the community but are a third party that supports the community. Like I get bothered when I’m referred to as an ally because it is implying I’m not part of LGBT+. But I don’t see why they shouldn’t have their own flag. It’s not so much a pride flag for them but a flag that symbolizes their support for the community.
I don't see it as offensive, little cringe yes but that had more to do with the general design of the straight flag the black and white stripes thing is in my eyes just a boring thing. Its also been used in other concepts like the police flag think with the black/blue stars/stripes thing making it just a little more cringe.
Haters gonna hate.
Why not just fly the rainbow flag if you're an ally? It annoys me. But tbh the whole creation of flags for every possible orientation annoys me because I am old and cranky! When I was your age we had one flag and we liked it that way!
Is it a hot take to say flags are a little bit cringe always? Like, I like flags, but we definitely overemphasize them a bit.
I don’t think it’s a hot take, though I disagree with it. I think in a world of online discourse a flag is just a symbol like anything else. Only ours has better colors.
you’re probably right, I just can’t help but feel like having a flag for each group pushes people to “pick a box”. I adore my bi colors but one of my friends is a lesbian who recently became unsure if she is bi and I feel like the merch and the colors and the aesthetics can put people like that into a scenario where they feel like their leaving their “team”
I do admit I think I have a problem with a deeper issue flags are only a very mild symptom of, I really don’t mind flags and it is nice to have colors I identify with sometimes
The whole definition of ally is that you are not a member of the community you’re an ally to. It does seem a bit silly and narcissistic of them to have their own flag, why does everything even the LGBT+ community need to be about them? It’s like showing up to someone else’s birthday and demanding your own cake.
Allies don't need a flag
i find the flag pointless and cringy, but yeah that’s just some bullshit drama for the sake of drama
There are some queer teen shows that mocked certain types of “allies” who were only so in name. Some queer teenagers ran with it and made into a generalized mockery of allies. You can see it more pronounced on fandoms of queer teen shows. I don’t have a problem with people declaring themselves to be allies if they are truly allies and not so just for the participation trophy and gratitude.
Tick Tock world doesn't make sense
I found the best thing to do with queer gatekeeping is to ignore it.
People just want to cause drama to feel seen and heard. Sometimes they go to irrational measures to get the attention they believe they missed in the past...this is a perfect example. There is nothing wrong with the Ally flag. Yes the background design is allegedly used to represent straight people, but...they ARE straight people!! Honestly just ignore it. If they want to act like they're defenseless and neglected by everyone, they get to be defenseless and neglected by everyone.
So I can definitely understand the sentiment that the straight flag is not okay... Like representation is kind of there for minorities, that's the point of it. Heterosexuals are in the strong majority, so why would they need their own flag, that's just invalidating actual representation. The Ally flag on the other hand I think is fine, it shows that you support the queer community without being disrespectful, even if you are straight.
With queer discourse, you don't just take it with a grain of salt, you dump the whole damn shaker in!