The hashtag #ProudBoys (proud boys) has been filled on Twitter with messages from gay men and couples celebrating their relationship and sharing messages of LGTBI + pride.
The initiative has added more than 400,000 tweets since Sunday and had emerged late last week in response to the Proud Boys, a supremacist group to whom Donald Trump expressly addressed during the presidential debate last Tuesday.
Tweeters have thus taken advantage of the fact that the term
pride
is closely associated with movements that defend the rights of LGBTI + people, and have appropriated the term and the conversation on Twitter.
🇨🇦🏳️🌈 #ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/rEFL7xIqXu
- Canadian Forces in 🇺🇸 (@CAFinUS) October 4, 2020
Proud Boys is a group founded in 2016 that only accepts men and that spreads a nationalistic, anti-Muslim and misogynistic message.
The FBI classifies them as an "extremist group with ties to white nationalism."
Although not all of its members are white, many of them have expressed racist and anti-Semitic ideas.
Its presence in networks had been limited since Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube banned the official accounts of the association in the last two years, forcing the group to move through networks and platforms such as Parler or Telegram.
The Proud Boys again received media attention last week, after the debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, candidates for the US presidency.
The moderator, Chris Wallace, asked Donald Trump if he condemned white supremacist groups.
The president of the United States sidestepped the question and sent a direct message to this far-right group: "Stand back and wait."
The moment was commented on with outrage on Twitter, where many users spoke of how much the association was celebrating Trump's message.
Since then and until the last days, the hashtag #ProudBoys collected many messages not only of criticism, but also of support for their ideas.
The recent action aimed to bury these tweets with positive messages, reappropriating a term that is already associated with the first demonstrations for LGTB + rights, in 1970. According to Forbes, the initiative has not liked the members of the Proud Boys. , who have complained to Parler about these posts.
Gay twitter has claimed the #ProudBoys hashtag from alt-right white supremacists and filled it with images of love, positivity, and true PRIDE!
Go and take a look, it'll make your day 🌈 ♥ ️ pic.twitter.com/gVnvYuDU7P
- Jordan Daly (@jcrdandaly) October 4, 2020
Gay Twitter has brought back the hashtag #ProudBoys from alt-right white supremacists and filled it with images of love, positivity, and real PRIDE.
Take a look, it will make your day.
Brad and I are #ProudBoys, legally married for 12 years now.
And we're proud of all of the gay folks who have stepped up to reclaim our pride in this campaign.
Our community and allies answered hate with love, and what could be better than that.
pic.twitter.com/GRtSH1ijQ8
- George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 4, 2020
(George Takei is one of the leading actors from the original Star Trek.)
Brad and I are #ProudBoys, legally married for 12 years.
And we are proud of all the gay people who have stood up to claim our pride in this campaign.
Our community and our allies have responded with love, and what could be better than that.
Taking over #ProudBoys https://t.co/d2bHLmCEtc pic.twitter.com/sTWXDRcY7F
- Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) October 4, 2020
Look at these cute lil #ProudBoys (#retweet and make this hashtag about love, not hate) pic.twitter.com/AddflCUMpi
- Bobby Berk (@bobbyberk) October 4, 2020
Reclaiming #ProudBoys is a great idea.
Here's us after voting 'Yes' for marriage equality back in 2015. pic.twitter.com/1isCY0EJCc
- Keith (@ShrillockHolmes) October 4, 2020
Getting #ProudBoys back is a great idea.
This is us after voting “yes” for equal marriage in 2015 [in the Irish referendum].
Loving life with my partner of 27 years.
We are #ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/YL3ZOhTLfX
- John Arbuckle (@ arb573164773686) October 5, 2020
Loving life with my partner for 27 years.
We are #ProudBoys.
My high school sweetheart, with 4 years of long distance in college behind us, I can't wait for the rest of our lives together #proudboys pic.twitter.com/CY55MVG2I7
- Brad & Eric |
Gay Couple (@bradanderic) October 4, 2020
My high school boyfriend, after leaving four years of college and long-distance relationship behind.
I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together.
The #ProudBoys hashtag has been taken over by the best people.
pic.twitter.com/arUXIYwE05
- Tabetha Wallace (@TabethaWatching) October 4, 2020
Reclaiming the hashtag #ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/OyeTIvftiy
- TURN TEXAS BLUE (@ Blue_Texas2020) October 3, 2020
#ProudBoys on route 😂🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/RABayty2i6
- Being LGBTQ Podcast🏳️🌈 (@BeingLGBTQPod) October 4, 2020
* You can also follow us on Instagram and Flipboard. Don't miss out on the best of Verne!