Gay men reclaim #ProudBoys hash tag from far-right group on Twitter
Gay men all over America are leading an online campaign against the far-right Proud Boys by posting blissful photographs of themselves under the group’s hashtag.
Gay men all over America are leading an online campaign against the far-right Proud Boys by posting blissful photographs of themselves under the group’s hashtag.
The Proud Boys, whose members have appeared at neo-Nazi gatherings and in clashes with left-wing groups, gained prominence after US President Donald Trump addressed them at last week’s debate. Asked to disavow the group, he told them to “stand back and stand by”.
The Proud Boys were euphoric, incorporating “stand back and stand by” on to their logo and printing it on T-shirts.
In response, George Takei, best known for his role as Sulu in Star Trek, asked his three million Twitter followers: “What if gay guys took pictures of themselves making out with each other or doing very gay things, then tagged themselves with #ProudBoys?”
Soon the call was answered. “My husband and I were married on July 8, 2019, in San Francisco,” wrote Larry Crist, beneath an image of his wedding day. “We are #ProudBoys.”
Carlos Smith, state representative in Florida, posted a photo of himself with his husband, saying they were “joining thousands of gay men to reclaim #ProudBoys from white supremacists”.
A branch of the Canadian military showed one of their servicemen kissing his partner. Takei, 83, posted a photo of him and his husband, Brad Altman, adding: “We’re proud of all the gay folks who have stepped up.”
Some members of the Proud Boys responded with abuse, but Enrique Tarrio, their leader, insisted that the group’s members were not homophobic. “This isn’t something that’s offensive to us,” he told CNN.
The Times
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