Over the weekend, the #ProudBoys hashtag has been inundated with photos of gay men.
Many people tweeted their support the hijacked hashtag. Jane Lytvynenko tweeted,
“Good morning to nobody except the gays who highjacked the #ProudBoys hashtag,”
The Proud Boys hashtag, which members of the far-right group have been using, was trending Sunday after gay men on Twitter hijacked it and flooded the feed with photos of their loved ones and families and with memes.
Trump’s reply at last week’s debate has given the real Proud Boys some competition. The Anti-Defamation League calls them,
“misogynistic, Islamophobic, transphobic, and anti-immigration.”
Trump was asked to condemn White supremacists but instead toldl the Proud Boys to
Gay men of Twitter are ow making the group’s hashtag known for entirely different reasons.
Matt Dechaine, one of the men who pitched in with photos of himself and his husband in efforts to overtake the hashtag. Dechaine, who is from England, told CNN,
“Seeing the hashtag was so uplifting.
It feels like the movement for positive change for all is gathering momentum all the time and I’m glad to be a small part of it. By coming together rooted in respect and love for each other, the world can be so much better!“
The reclaiming of #ProudBoys is wonderful. Hereβs me and my husband. Together for 20 years and married for 3. Both very proud boys. pic.twitter.com/U2Dj95wpxy
β Matt Dechaine π (@mattdechaine) October 4, 2020
But Enrique Tarrio, the leader of the Proud Boys, said he doesn’t see the point,
“I think it’s hysterical. This isn’t something that’s offensive to us.
It’s not an insult. We aren’t homophobic. We don’t care who people sleep with. People think it’s going to bother us. It doesn’t. One of the messages they want to send with this is that they’re trying to drown out our supporters, they’re trying to silence us….”
Twitter used the opportunity to share their stories of love. Bryce Tache tweeted,
“Next year my husband I will celebrate 25 years together.
We had to move to Canada to legally marry and adopt 2 of our sons. We’re back in the US. Our family has grown. And we’re fighting to save this country. Here’s us voting for Biden, Harris and a Blue ticket. #ProudBoys.”
Dechaine also shared a picture of him and his husband,
“The reclaiming of #ProudBoys is wonderful. Here’s me and my husband. Together for 20 years and married for 3. Both very proud boys.”
Many Twitter users posted photos with their partners. Patrick Strudwick tweeted,
“We grew up in a time when gay men had no rights, when newspapers called us poofs, when police didn’t investigate when we were murdered.
“We’re the real #ProudBoys.”
good morning to nobody except the gays who highjacked the #ProudBoys hashtag
β Jane Lytvynenko (@JaneLytv) October 4, 2020
Good job, Twitter! ππ½
β πΏ πππππππ πΏ (@vegix) October 5, 2020
Twitter users flooded the #ProudBoys hashtag with gay pride images.
On Sunday the #ProudBoys hashtag began trending as LGBTQI+ users included it on photos of their significant others or wedding days and other pride imagery.
Source: https://t.co/9GM3O8QuxA pic.twitter.com/7iwDZ9SsV9
Gay Men Take Over #ProudBoys Hashtag With Photos Of Queer Love https://t.co/rggxCFnQlD
β Jon Cooper πΊπΈ (@joncoopertweets) October 5, 2020
Next year my husband I will celebrate 25 years together. We had to move to Canada to legally marry and adopt 2 of our sons. Weβre back in the US. Our family has grown. And weβre fighting to save this country. Hereβs us voting for Biden, Harris and a Blue ticket. #ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/wpStqC5Bm1
β Bryce Tache (@brycetache) October 4, 2020
Me and my husband on our wedding day being #ProudBoys. pic.twitter.com/NOEbyDZdd5
β Nick Malkin (@NickTMAZ) October 5, 2020
Excited for our wedding! 6 years of growth and love. Wouldnβt have it any other way. #ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/O4SOPXPSoD
β Christopher Ubiadas (@TheRealUbiadas) October 5, 2020
Iβm proud of the #ProudBoys in my extended family. Ray and Joe were together 55 years. They were married August 1st 2013, the day same sex marriages became legal in Minnesota. They met in 1960. They were together 53 years before they were allowed legally to marry. pic.twitter.com/cqQykDjdED
β Andrea πΎπΆππ± (@ILiveOnAvenue5) October 5, 2020
Gay men hijack #ProudBoys Twitter hashtag with messages of love, pride @LGBTPinkieB – Star Trek star George Takei appears to have started the online campaign to reclaim the label Proud Boys from the far-right group.https://t.co/f2vMPCGa2P pic.twitter.com/IEGzrPKWv5
β ILoveGay LGBT π³οΈβπ (@ILoveGayLGBT) October 5, 2020
My husband Rob and I are two #ProudBoys. Here we are with our five wonderful children. π³οΈβπ pic.twitter.com/fti6gj4Roo
β Jon Cooper πΊπΈ (@joncoopertweets) October 5, 2020
π Here’s a bunch of #ProudBoys and #ProudGirls
β S&D Group (@TheProgressives) October 5, 2020
πͺπΊβ₯οΈπ³οΈβπ pic.twitter.com/QehUC17N8p
#proudboys on their way to vote pic.twitter.com/m1d7gcJwBY
β Alexandra (@michiganington) October 5, 2020
(via CNN)
