I fully fucking agree with frogs as a lesbian thing now, Alex Jones did not throw a hilarious tantrum over gay frogs for us to not co-opt frogs as a symbol of change into LGBT+ identity.
Brazilian fun fact: frogs are kinda associeted with lesbians here in Brazil Sometimes lesbians are referred as "sapas" witch translates to female frogs haha It actually comes from the short version of the word "sapatão" rouffly translated as big shoes, that references the habit of using "masculine shoes and atire" Also, the gattering of a group of lesbians is often called "brejo" (bog) So yeah, brazilian lesbian frogs 🐸🇧🇷🌈
as a black trans person it's really nice to see a cis and white queer person not argue about the progress flag ive seen a lot of cis white queer people complain about it being "exclusive" or saying its disrespectful to the original which frankly no one is going to shame you for using the original flag the progress flag is simply meant to be a reminder of the struggle trans and black and brown queer people went through and a sign of support it doesn't mean the original flag is exclusive nor is anyone calling for people to stop using it
As a white trans person who thought it was a good idea, most of the people who I’ve seen openly dislike it and speak badly about it have been queer poc, which I was really surprised by
@@scarletempress2652 the flag does include black brown and trans people but many in the community didn't many people were against trans people being associated with gay people because they believed they wouldn't be taken seriously if they fought alongside trans people and many people would just simply exclude black and brown people from queer spaces forcing us to create our own (literally look how terms like stud were created) a flag meant to remind us of the struggles black brown and trans people have faced because of their race transness and queerness is a good thing anyone who implies the original flag doesn't includes is also simply wrong but that isnt on the progress flag its on those people
On the concept of swords being a queer symbol: in Japan, there is a term for somebody who dual-wields swords (“ryoutoutsukai”, “two-sword user”), which also happens to be slang for bisexuality.
You mentioned the Violet, I wanted to point out another flower symbol. More common in Japan than in the west, is the white lily. The symbol originated from a queer magazine in the 80s called Allan's, that was a magazine contained manga and articles about gay man lifestyle, there was a particular advertisement section called Lily Messages( Yuri Tsusshin), that was for women to seek other other women intimately, advertised as "for lesbians only". That is also the origin of the term Yuri, mostly associated with manga, literature and art depicting lesbian romance and/or intimate relationships between women. The use of the flower grew a lot because of its use in manga as a sort of symbolism. (Think like how a princely character is framed with a lot of roses in manga, if it is white lilies, then she is a lesbian.)
@Mauw you realize that when I say queer women, I'm not using it as a synonym for lesbian, right? Straight and bi trans women also count as queer women.
This made me google how nazis treated intersex people and I haven't found much information on the subject but it doesn't look good either. Who's surprised thought.
In the 1800s Marie Antoinette was a sort of lesbian symbol. During the fall of the French Monarchy rumors were spread that she was a lesbian (also she may have actually had a romantic relationship with one of her ladies in waiting). So the phrase “have you heard the rumors about Marie Antoinette” and imagery related to her became a lesbian code in parts of Europe.
The reason the color might look pink, but was meant to be lavender is because some images that were created and shared in the early days of the internet may have used web safe colors. So what was lavender may have turned in pink.
Frogs are also incredibly bi, and queer in general amoungst the youths. Idk why. They're cute, I guess? I've seen the most frog love from the bi community, and I'm glad it's spreading. I personally am planning on getting a frog sticker to put on my bi bottle. Finger guns are also bi culture, sitting wrong as well. It seems like queer symbols are just things we all find ourselves doing/enjoying. A load of bi people sit wrong and think frogs are cute? It's bi now. I love it.
Yes, I'm a cis gay dude and I learned a year or two ago that at the time a gay man was any male-at-birth person who disobeyed the binary. This is also similar to the black triangle being used for any female-at-birth person that disobeyed 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 gender roles, which included lesbians but also infertile women and trans guys (edited for typo)
I have a tattoo on my upper back that says lavender menace, and every time I go to the NYC Dyke March or other sapphic spaces, I get a ton of comments on it. It's a beautiful experience every time. There will always be people carrying signs and wearing shirts that take notice
can confirm on the sword lesbian thing, i was out in high school several years ago and i got not one, but two people i didn't know come up to me and ask me where to buy a sword, on the grounds that "you seemed like someone who would know". like hello
I'm bi, not lesbian, but there were rumors about me years before I came out essentially a few months before graduating... and I am insulted no one had the courtesy to ask me :O I fucking love weapons. I'm more one for archery or general marksmanship than swordplay, but still.
i love swords!! i have a rapier of my own. needs to be cleaned, though. i named them after a flood that happened the day i got it (after a few delays)!
A youtuber, who is younger than me, talking about needing articles to know what the youth are up to... I think I've unlocked a new oldness achievement today!
I believe the swords thing came from the 'while you were partying, I was studying the blade' meme, which was originated by a lesbian on Tumblr, and who was very serious about the ownership of the meme. From there it inevitably spun out into 'okay well if lesbians are swords, then bisexuals are ect ect ect'
I remember seeing on tumblr some years ago a drawing that had basically the idea of… L- long sword G- Gauntlet (or something similar) B- Bat T- Taser (or a weapon with T) … and that is for the most formative years of my life thought that Lesbians were associated with swords
@@catboyuwu5361 I'd probably suggest the taser though because they require less training. Of course, with enough training, the trident is indeed a weapon that's faster to reuse.
I feel like a modern one might be like the long dangly/ unusual earrings? like when people put literal household objects on an earring or like a rubber duck or stuff like that- I've seen people refer to those collectively as 'lesbian earrings'
I went and looked, and found out the current gay frog theme is likely pretty new, in relation to Alex Jones and his rant about chemicals turning the frogs gay. Before that, frogs such as pepe were well. For trolls, racists, and incels. Pepe the frog, came from a comic from like 2005, and originally wasn't much of a symbol for hate so much as stoner culture. But, thinking back I think that the OG queer amphibians, were Frog and Toad. The author even stating as much. And also turning out to be gay, himself. They have been around since the 1970's, and as a kid I really enjoyed those books, decades after their release.
About the frog thing, absolutely! I am a younger woman presenting woman-lover and I have a frog backpack that I wear everywhere and almost every time I go out someone with pride pins compliments my backpack.
I'm going to be frank - the lack of discussion of the Roma community and our relationship to the black triangle was an extremely hurtful omission. Especially in a video that does so much to explain the obscure history of other symbols, to simply ignore the glaring point of Romani people.... it's very harmful. Romani were the only other group targeted for final solution (the first being Jews). The black triangle was predominately a symbol pushed on Romani prisoners. Between 50% and 80% of European Roma died under that symbol. It is a symbol that continues to be used by anti-Romani hate groups to target us. When queer women reclaim the symbol, but refuse to acknowledge the painful, continuing impact that it has on Romani, it contributes (however small) to that anti-Romani hate. I am a queer Roma. I understand that many queer people want to reclaim this symbol. But we can not simply reclaim without also addressing the effect that reclamation has on other communities.
@@piss7610 it was phrased respectfully and op is right, it takes a couple minutes of research at most to see what the black triangle actually represents and who it targeted
@@ScorpionClaws789 The thing is - it's mentioned very predominately in the wikipedia article about the Black Triangle. It's a very simple thing to check that it wasn't just lesbians wearing this. When the information is so readily seen (wikipedia isn't exactly an obscure, difficult to find source), leaving it out does start to feel like a purposeful omission
I didn't know anything about any of the triangles aside from the pink one. Now I know I'm gonna need to do a lot more reading on this topic. Thank you for sharing, and I can only imagine how hurtful it must be to see people "reclaiming" a symbol that doesn't belong to them.
Oh, and the double crescent moon symbol for bi folk. I think it was originally designed as an alternative from the triangles, because it has the same blue moon, pink moon, with purple overlap.
i have a lavender menace pin on my backpack to ✨ drop hints ✨ at college. i forgot to take it off one time i went home and my grandmother asked me about it, i just said i randomly saw it and bought it because my favourite colour is purple 💀
I think frogs are definitely a queer symbol, so much of the queer imagery I see online tends to include frogs. I think that bees and snails have to a lesser extent as well but I could be wrong with that, I just know that I've seen them
Thank you for this video. I like to make subtle pride patches and this has definitely given me some ideas and somewhere to jump off of for my own research!
I have a nautical star tattoo on my wrist and it's so funny knowing that's why I have it when I see random dudes (and others) with the stars somewhere on their arms for almost certainly an entirely different reason
I had wrote an essay on Emi Koyama and transfeminism and I'm so glad she got namedropped in this! She is so fascinating and has done a lot for the movement
On me and my gf's first date we went to her apartment to watch a movie and have dinner and she showed me her bedroom. One of the things she made sure to point out was the sword on her wall lol
there is also a new updated progress flag which includes the intersex flag within the triangle, which is really well designed and works as a great community flag
I think the sword lesbian thing probably comes pretty solidly from millenial anime fans who were into Revolutionary Girl Utena (which was inspired by the Rose of Versailles)... and then Utena inspired other stuff... and yeah... just swords swords are powerful hero things. and Utena 6TQFlVcPyUA
You should start using the labrys more IMO!!! It whips ass Also the pink triangle is super important as many people branded with it (likely including trans women as they were also persecuted) were still imprisoned after other victims were liberated, as the reason they were in the camps was still a crime.
I enjoy these educational videos so much! I’m furious about the fact that we’re not taught any of this in school so I’m thrilled anytime I see educational LGBTQ+ content! Thanks so much! 🙏🏻
The anecdote about the trans flag being correct nomatter how you orient it as a metaphor for how there is no one correct way to experience your gender made me tear up! Waaaaaah!
the sword thing! I remember seeing the blog of sword lesbian (p sure it was where the "when you were busy being heterosexual I was practicing the blade" came from! (I'd have to double check)). Not saying sword lesbian's tumblr blog is where the association came from but it feels relevant somehow
For a moment, when i realized the pink triangle was gone, i was bummed. Til i remembered why it was the symbol and that the rainbow flag is perfect for an era of true change! Weve got lots to do still, but we'll never go back.
I actually went to the university that Rita Mae Brown was expelled from for being queer, and I knew a woman who had worked for the director of student services who expelled Rita Mae Brown (he was directly mentioned by his actual name in the novel). Thankfully, by the time I went there, not only did the University have a thriving LGBTQ+ student organization, but the Office for Student Services also had a Committee on Sexism and Homophobia and pioneered a Safe Space program called "Friends of Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals" that was part of a relatively new trend on college campuses at that time. I was the co-chair of the student organization and a very active member of the Committee on Sexism and Homophobia and part of the creation of the Safe Space program. Unfortunately, its name wasn't terribly trans-inclusive, but they've come a long, long way since then. And as you might expect of the place where the novel took place, when I took a gay and lesbian literature class at that university, the novel was required reading, as well.
That thing with frogs at the end, I'm pretty sure frogs are generally for most queer identities as I've commonly seen frogs associated with bisexuality and being trans as well as being lesbian.
I think the thing against the black triangle I've heard is that a lot more Roma and Sinti people were attacked under it than lesbians so it's a bit erasing of them
The other problem with the black triangle is that it was used to persecute more than just lesbians (in fact, I'm pretty sure lesbians were in the minority of those designated by a black triangle), most notably Romani women. I personally find it insensitive to reclaim the black triangle, especially because it can erase the large number of Roma people who were also forced to wear the triangle, if it becomes associated with lesbians. The pink triangle doesn't have that problem.
I absolutely love these history videos! Will you cover sapphics in a later vid since they weren't mentioned here? I'd be thrilled to see an analysis of all the flags, especially the old flower one, and the new inclusive one that's catching on ^^
There's a line in OK Go's Get Over It "got a body like a battle axe" and i'm wondering if that's saying "she looks like a butch" (since people who think poorly of lesbians often think butches are ugly which is of course nonsense, butches are wonderful
I got bamboozled by a queer women symbol once. I was at London pride and on my way there I briefly saw a venus symbol but instead of the circle, it was an S. My friends and I spent ages trying to google and find what sub category or redesign this symbol was from to no avail. Turns out it was the logo for She, the lesbian bar. The S was for their name.
would love to hear more about queer symbolism. Like which ear your piercing is on, or hankchief in your back pocket. Less stereotypes like cuffs jeans and flannel. But genuinely what people did in history to identify and express (besides the symbols talked about in the video)
Teya I have loved your content for years but the whole section about bi symbols is just not entirely correct. The biangles symbol was created in 1987 for the Boston Bi Women's community, and it's pretty well documented so idk where the idea that it just kind of appeared comes from. It is true that the bi flag was designed my Michael Page in 1998 and the general design is based on the biangles symbol. The colors do generally represent attraction to same/opposite/both genders, but the lavender stripe was always meant to represent attraction regardless of gender. It's weird to me how the meaning of the lavender stripe has been ret-conned into meaning 'regardless of gender' when that was the original meaning all along. This is no hate towards you because I genuinely love your content! I'm just very passionate about bi activism and bi history because a lot of it gets over looked. Also after spending 7 years in academia, I've found out the hard way that a lot of foundational queer spaces/rhetorics are bi-exclusionary and it's definitely left me a bit jaded...
I will admit when I clicked on this video I wasn't expecting to feel included as a trans fem person as I normally don't when watching these sorts of things but his real name is strange made me feel all nice and accepted ;-)
Violets and the color lavender are also the symbols for the Takarazuka Revue in Japan! This is the theater troupe that puts on Broadway-level performances where all the roles are played by women, and has served as a big inspiration for media like Revolutionary Girl Utena, Steven Universe, and She-ra. It began in the 1913 and rose to popularity in...you guessed it, the 1920s. It's super dramatic and romantic, and you should definitely check it out!
Great video! Just one little fact check^^ at 14:03, you said Milk was assasinated in 1979, but it was actually 1978! (I'm sure you knew, just typing this for anyone perusing the comments haha!)
(I haven’t finished the video yet so sorry if she mentions this later on) On the black triangles: there was discourse a couple years ago because the demisexual flag contains a sideways black triangle. Critics claimed that it was problematic for the demisexual community to co-opt a symbol that didn’t necessarily apply to them historically. But the demisexual community claimed it was a reference to the Kinsey scale, a model used to describe sexual attraction with an asexual spectrum axis vs just male/female. I thought it was an interesting discussion and my personal opinion remains that they should change it (maybe to a purple triangle? or a gray one?). But I’m not demi and most attempts to redesign the demi flag in recent years have been met with lukewarm reception
I get not reclaiming a symbol that doesnt belong to you being bad, but tbh its not the same type of triangle and its also just a rly common shape and color? Like the labrys i would get if they had that on the demi flag but triangles are just common in graphic design lol
Foxlight studios on tumblr is probably where you're remembering sword lesbian from! There was also battleaxe bi, polearm pan, trident trans and Gladius gay
When my mom was in middle school (1970s in the rural US) she said that she would never wear anything with purple in it at school in fear of being seen as gay. Apparently "purple = gay" was a thing at her school, but now I know why.
Sapphic flag is honestly adorable imo. Also magical girl utena may be the lesbian thing although theres the famous bisexual woman who dueled somone. Also battle axe bisexuals mean the acceptance of other identities.
Hey hi!! I have a relevant story!! I have a lamda tattoo on my wrist and I have a pink triangle tattoo on each ankle! The triangles are upside down with a line through it to symbolize overcoming and the downward pointing triangle with a line is also the earth symbol as a reminded to stay grounded. Hooray!
as a non binary lesbian, while the video says queer women, would I still be able to use these symbols? i assume so, and i do use some of them, but im not sure :)
Hi I'm also a nonbinary lesbian and I'm here to tell you that you can use any symbols you want if you feel they represent you. Labels and symbols exist for communication, not for classification, and you can use whichever ones you want. (Provided they are not culturally or racially exclusive labels/symbols that you do not have claim to.)
I also have Gideon the Ninth brain rot. And Harrow the Ninth brain rot. And in the future I'll probably have Nona the Ninth brain rot. And Alecto the Ninth brain rot...
i have a violet tattoo on my forearm, a sword tattoo on my hand, and i've been planning on getting a lavender tattoo on my other forearm. i didn't even know these were lesbian symbols before this video, but i am a lesbian so i guess getting those tattoos was an instinct or something lol.
I fully fucking agree with frogs as a lesbian thing now, Alex Jones did not throw a hilarious tantrum over gay frogs for us to not co-opt frogs as a symbol of change into LGBT+ identity.
Ok cool so I wasn't the only one thinking of the frogs being turned gay via water the instant "lesbian frogs" was brought up
that was exactly what i was thinking hahaha. maybe not lesbians specifically, but anyone who identifies with the word "gay"
Frogs are also a bi icon 💗💜💙
Exactly
Frogs are a huge aromantic symbol because they're green
Brazilian fun fact: frogs are kinda associeted with lesbians here in Brazil
Sometimes lesbians are referred as "sapas" witch translates to female frogs haha
It actually comes from the short version of the word "sapatão" rouffly translated as big shoes, that references the habit of using "masculine shoes and atire"
Also, the gattering of a group of lesbians is often called "brejo" (bog)
So yeah, brazilian lesbian frogs 🐸🇧🇷🌈
bogs! that is so cute
!!!!!!!
Ladies night in the B O G!
Pensei a mesma coisa na hora!
that's so cute i love this!!
as a black trans person it's really nice to see a cis and white queer person not argue about the progress flag ive seen a lot of cis white queer people complain about it being "exclusive" or saying its disrespectful to the original which frankly no one is going to shame you for using the original flag the progress flag is simply meant to be a reminder of the struggle trans and black and brown queer people went through and a sign of support it doesn't mean the original flag is exclusive nor is anyone calling for people to stop using it
As a white trans person who thought it was a good idea, most of the people who I’ve seen openly dislike it and speak badly about it have been queer poc, which I was really surprised by
I mean, I dislike it because the original rainbow flag already included trans people and queer poc, the progress flag implies that it doesn’t
@@scarletempress2652 the flag does include black brown and trans people but many in the community didn't many people were against trans people being associated with gay people because they believed they wouldn't be taken seriously if they fought alongside trans people and many people would just simply exclude black and brown people from queer spaces forcing us to create our own (literally look how terms like stud were created) a flag meant to remind us of the struggles black brown and trans people have faced because of their race transness and queerness is a good thing anyone who implies the original flag doesn't includes is also simply wrong but that isnt on the progress flag its on those people
@@emmaoof3335 what you said. To this day I still see some lgb trying to throw us under the bus, quite sad
there's the exclusonists, and there's me, a trans person of color disliking the flag just because it looks ugly to me lmao
On the concept of swords being a queer symbol: in Japan, there is a term for somebody who dual-wields swords (“ryoutoutsukai”, “two-sword user”), which also happens to be slang for bisexuality.
Is there an intentional connection to Utena? Because that... thats the queerest God damn anime ever and it's all sword play and the lesbians who do it
@@Xepscern does this make nanami bi?
I know it's entirely unintentional but this makes Vax'ildan so much more hilarious
As a bisexual, I do love handling two swords at once
As well for lesbians being the lily flower! Because lily in Japanese means "yuri" and that so happens to be a genre
You mentioned the Violet, I wanted to point out another flower symbol. More common in Japan than in the west, is the white lily. The symbol originated from a queer magazine in the 80s called Allan's, that was a magazine contained manga and articles about gay man lifestyle, there was a particular advertisement section called Lily Messages( Yuri Tsusshin), that was for women to seek other other women intimately, advertised as "for lesbians only". That is also the origin of the term Yuri, mostly associated with manga, literature and art depicting lesbian romance and/or intimate relationships between women. The use of the flower grew a lot because of its use in manga as a sort of symbolism. (Think like how a princely character is framed with a lot of roses in manga, if it is white lilies, then she is a lesbian.)
ooh that's soo interesting!!
this is super interesting aaaa. i'm now looking back on revolutionary girl utena and understanding the significance of roses in that more haha.
that’s actually so intriguing
Violets and white lilies do look good together. Maybe a whole wreath of them would be excessive but it would be amazing.
12:15 also a lot of trans women were prosecuted as "gay men" by the nazis, so the pink triangle definitely does relate to queer women in some capacity
@Mauw you realize that when I say queer women, I'm not using it as a synonym for lesbian, right? Straight and bi trans women also count as queer women.
@Mauw lol no problem. Thank you for providing additional context anyway, I appreciate being able to learn new things about queer history
@Mauw The transvestite pass was created by Hershel (sp) whose research and staff were all burnt and killed quickly at the start of the nazi regime.
But trans women weren't prosecuted for being trans.
This made me google how nazis treated intersex people and I haven't found much information on the subject but it doesn't look good either. Who's surprised thought.
In the 1800s Marie Antoinette was a sort of lesbian symbol. During the fall of the French Monarchy rumors were spread that she was a lesbian (also she may have actually had a romantic relationship with one of her ladies in waiting). So the phrase “have you heard the rumors about Marie Antoinette” and imagery related to her became a lesbian code in parts of Europe.
I wonder if Sofia Coppola knew this…because that movie is suspiciously gay.
The reason the color might look pink, but was meant to be lavender is because some images that were created and shared in the early days of the internet may have used web safe colors. So what was lavender may have turned in pink.
Guys be quiet, Strange Æons is explaining the lesbian lore
Lesbian lore lesbian lore
Let's go Lore let's go!!
@reverie the best way to describe it
Bingus will not abide by your rules, mortal.
"Gay Media Action"
Frogs are also incredibly bi, and queer in general amoungst the youths. Idk why. They're cute, I guess? I've seen the most frog love from the bi community, and I'm glad it's spreading. I personally am planning on getting a frog sticker to put on my bi bottle. Finger guns are also bi culture, sitting wrong as well. It seems like queer symbols are just things we all find ourselves doing/enjoying. A load of bi people sit wrong and think frogs are cute? It's bi now. I love it.
Sitting wrong isn't just a bisexual thing, a LOT of queer people don't "sit correctly", it's just a part of general queer culture.
I'm bi and I'm getting a tattoo of a frog this upcoming monday : D
frogs are also aro culture (maybe because green?) and nonbinary culture because gender
basically frogs are queer and i love that
I think the rise of the frog comes from the infamous Alex Jones (of InfoWars) rant about turning the frogs gay.
Worth noting that the pink triangle was also used by the Nazis for trans women, since they didn’t really see a difference between us and gay men.
Yes, I'm a cis gay dude and I learned a year or two ago that at the time a gay man was any male-at-birth person who disobeyed the binary. This is also similar to the black triangle being used for any female-at-birth person that disobeyed 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 gender roles, which included lesbians but also infertile women and trans guys
(edited for typo)
True. I have seen (and used) this as a protest symbol on signs protesting for trans rights.
Which makes TERFs using it to claim victimhood even sadder
I have a tattoo on my upper back that says lavender menace, and every time I go to the NYC Dyke March or other sapphic spaces, I get a ton of comments on it. It's a beautiful experience every time. There will always be people carrying signs and wearing shirts that take notice
I really like "lavender menace," personally
also, I really appreciate and love Strange's history videos!
can confirm on the sword lesbian thing, i was out in high school several years ago and i got not one, but two people i didn't know come up to me and ask me where to buy a sword, on the grounds that "you seemed like someone who would know". like hello
I'm bi, not lesbian, but there were rumors about me years before I came out essentially a few months before graduating... and I am insulted no one had the courtesy to ask me :O I fucking love weapons. I'm more one for archery or general marksmanship than swordplay, but still.
"is she.....you know......someone who likes swords?"
@@starryeyedgirls_ Or "Is she a blacksmith by any chance?" lol
i love swords!! i have a rapier of my own. needs to be cleaned, though.
i named them after a flood that happened the day i got it (after a few delays)!
A youtuber, who is younger than me, talking about needing articles to know what the youth are up to... I think I've unlocked a new oldness achievement today!
*nods in old*
I'm 16, I don't know what is going on with us.
I believe the swords thing came from the 'while you were partying, I was studying the blade' meme, which was originated by a lesbian on Tumblr, and who was very serious about the ownership of the meme. From there it inevitably spun out into 'okay well if lesbians are swords, then bisexuals are ect ect ect'
also there is a couple who call themselves “the Bisexuals of the Blade”. They got really famous on Instagram.
I remember seeing on tumblr some years ago a drawing that had basically the idea of…
L- long sword
G- Gauntlet (or something similar)
B- Bat
T- Taser (or a weapon with T)
… and that is for the most formative years of my life thought that Lesbians were associated with swords
G was gun i thought
I think trident works better than taser, it has more elegance to it
@@catboyuwu5361 I'd probably suggest the taser though because they require less training. Of course, with enough training, the trident is indeed a weapon that's faster to reuse.
@@vxicepickxv that isn’t much of a problem, as every single trans person is highly trained in all forms of weaponry
... there's so many coole weapons that start with b and they Landes on bat? 😭
I feel like a modern one might be like the long dangly/ unusual earrings? like when people put literal household objects on an earring or like a rubber duck or stuff like that- I've seen people refer to those collectively as 'lesbian earrings'
I went and looked, and found out the current gay frog theme is likely pretty new, in relation to Alex Jones and his rant about chemicals turning the frogs gay. Before that, frogs such as pepe were well. For trolls, racists, and incels. Pepe the frog, came from a comic from like 2005, and originally wasn't much of a symbol for hate so much as stoner culture. But, thinking back I think that the OG queer amphibians, were Frog and Toad. The author even stating as much. And also turning out to be gay, himself. They have been around since the 1970's, and as a kid I really enjoyed those books, decades after their release.
Every day I thank the Lord Thursday that Strange Aeons continues to not be a terf.
most queer women aren’t, it’s just that the ones who are never shut the fuck up about it, so you see it a lot.
About the frog thing, absolutely! I am a younger woman presenting woman-lover and I have a frog backpack that I wear everywhere and almost every time I go out someone with pride pins compliments my backpack.
I'm going to be frank - the lack of discussion of the Roma community and our relationship to the black triangle was an extremely hurtful omission. Especially in a video that does so much to explain the obscure history of other symbols, to simply ignore the glaring point of Romani people.... it's very harmful.
Romani were the only other group targeted for final solution (the first being Jews). The black triangle was predominately a symbol pushed on Romani prisoners. Between 50% and 80% of European Roma died under that symbol. It is a symbol that continues to be used by anti-Romani hate groups to target us.
When queer women reclaim the symbol, but refuse to acknowledge the painful, continuing impact that it has on Romani, it contributes (however small) to that anti-Romani hate.
I am a queer Roma. I understand that many queer people want to reclaim this symbol. But we can not simply reclaim without also addressing the effect that reclamation has on other communities.
I agree it should have been covered, but I don't think it was a purposeful ommision. I think it was just a lack of mention in her sources.
Why do you have to rant and act like Strange is leaving people out on purpose? Don't be an asshole, calm the fuck down, she simply wasnt aware.
@@piss7610 it was phrased respectfully and op is right, it takes a couple minutes of research at most to see what the black triangle actually represents and who it targeted
@@ScorpionClaws789 The thing is - it's mentioned very predominately in the wikipedia article about the Black Triangle. It's a very simple thing to check that it wasn't just lesbians wearing this. When the information is so readily seen (wikipedia isn't exactly an obscure, difficult to find source), leaving it out does start to feel like a purposeful omission
I didn't know anything about any of the triangles aside from the pink one. Now I know I'm gonna need to do a lot more reading on this topic. Thank you for sharing, and I can only imagine how hurtful it must be to see people "reclaiming" a symbol that doesn't belong to them.
me, a they/them gay (nblm):
Strange Aeons: 'history of queer women's symbols'
my brain: mmmm yes give me the wlw knowledge juice
Same
sappho wrote a poem about seeing a women from across the room and full on fainting
Oh, and the double crescent moon symbol for bi folk. I think it was originally designed as an alternative from the triangles, because it has the same blue moon, pink moon, with purple overlap.
the feminine urge to drop hints to your crush via a drawing refrancing queer history
Indeed. I want to give my crush a violet, but at the same time, it feels like such an obvious hint that I feel scared to do so.
i have a lavender menace pin on my backpack to ✨ drop hints ✨ at college. i forgot to take it off one time i went home and my grandmother asked me about it, i just said i randomly saw it and bought it because my favourite colour is purple 💀
The color red now is kinda starting to be one, specifically wearing red, because of Girl In Red
these history videos are always fun
I think frogs are definitely a queer symbol, so much of the queer imagery I see online tends to include frogs. I think that bees and snails have to a lesser extent as well but I could be wrong with that, I just know that I've seen them
Saw that notif and was IMMEDIATELY INTERESTED
Same
Thank you for this video. I like to make subtle pride patches and this has definitely given me some ideas and somewhere to jump off of for my own research!
Have fun! :D
I have a nautical star tattoo on my wrist and it's so funny knowing that's why I have it when I see random dudes (and others) with the stars somewhere on their arms for almost certainly an entirely different reason
I had wrote an essay on Emi Koyama and transfeminism and I'm so glad she got namedropped in this! She is so fascinating and has done a lot for the movement
On me and my gf's first date we went to her apartment to watch a movie and have dinner and she showed me her bedroom. One of the things she made sure to point out was the sword on her wall lol
the black triangle was actually targeting the roma ethnic group, so maybe queer women should use a different symbol
there is also a new updated progress flag which includes the intersex flag within the triangle, which is really well designed and works as a great community flag
I think the sword lesbian thing probably comes pretty solidly from millenial anime fans who were into Revolutionary Girl Utena (which was inspired by the Rose of Versailles)...
and then Utena inspired other stuff... and yeah... just swords swords are powerful hero things.
and Utena 6TQFlVcPyUA
You should start using the labrys more IMO!!! It whips ass
Also the pink triangle is super important as many people branded with it (likely including trans women as they were also persecuted) were still imprisoned after other victims were liberated, as the reason they were in the camps was still a crime.
I love that you mentioned the nautical star tattoo!!! I have one for that reason and nobody has ever heard of it lol
I enjoy these educational videos so much! I’m furious about the fact that we’re not taught any of this in school so I’m thrilled anytime I see educational LGBTQ+ content! Thanks so much! 🙏🏻
IM LEARNING ABOUT WAVELENGTH/LAMBDA IN PHYSICS RN THIS IS A WIN
The anecdote about the trans flag being correct nomatter how you orient it as a metaphor for how there is no one correct way to experience your gender made me tear up! Waaaaaah!
I remember reading an article about the biangles a while ago, and apparently they were created by an artist named Liz Nania in 1985!
New Pokémon games were just announced this morning and one of them is Pokemon Violet
Ik it’s a bit late to say this but I can’t express how much I LOVE ur new set up! It’s so cool:DDD
I feel like frogs, opossums and raccoons have all evolved into queer symbols and I am here for it
Thank you so much for these videos. I learn so much every time, and love your style.
the sword thing! I remember seeing the blog of sword lesbian (p sure it was where the "when you were busy being heterosexual I was practicing the blade" came from! (I'd have to double check)). Not saying sword lesbian's tumblr blog is where the association came from but it feels relevant somehow
For a moment, when i realized the pink triangle was gone, i was bummed. Til i remembered why it was the symbol and that the rainbow flag is perfect for an era of true change! Weve got lots to do still, but we'll never go back.
I haven't even watched this yet and I am just so excited to see strange aeons doing this again
I actually went to the university that Rita Mae Brown was expelled from for being queer, and I knew a woman who had worked for the director of student services who expelled Rita Mae Brown (he was directly mentioned by his actual name in the novel). Thankfully, by the time I went there, not only did the University have a thriving LGBTQ+ student organization, but the Office for Student Services also had a Committee on Sexism and Homophobia and pioneered a Safe Space program called "Friends of Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals" that was part of a relatively new trend on college campuses at that time. I was the co-chair of the student organization and a very active member of the Committee on Sexism and Homophobia and part of the creation of the Safe Space program. Unfortunately, its name wasn't terribly trans-inclusive, but they've come a long, long way since then. And as you might expect of the place where the novel took place, when I took a gay and lesbian literature class at that university, the novel was required reading, as well.
That thing with frogs at the end, I'm pretty sure frogs are generally for most queer identities as I've commonly seen frogs associated with bisexuality and being trans as well as being lesbian.
The lavender menace thing is giving "you can like women but you can't love them, ya know?" And I am so wildly enthralled in this history
I will now always refer to myself as a lavender menace. Thank you, Strange
it wasnt indigo, it was blue. the "blue" you talked about was turquoise. we lost that one. i prefer to think of it as both "blues" became 1.
@M in terms of the pride flag they were named differently
Listening to a person 10+ years younger than me talking about not knowing what "the kids are up to" gives me the strangest comfort.
At 24:53 it looks like the art of Thursday is one of the queer symbols which I love
the black triangle was largely used for Romani people as well
I think the thing against the black triangle I've heard is that a lot more Roma and Sinti people were attacked under it than lesbians so it's a bit erasing of them
The other problem with the black triangle is that it was used to persecute more than just lesbians (in fact, I'm pretty sure lesbians were in the minority of those designated by a black triangle), most notably Romani women. I personally find it insensitive to reclaim the black triangle, especially because it can erase the large number of Roma people who were also forced to wear the triangle, if it becomes associated with lesbians. The pink triangle doesn't have that problem.
I love being referred to as "obvious reasons" /s
I absolutely love these history videos! Will you cover sapphics in a later vid since they weren't mentioned here? I'd be thrilled to see an analysis of all the flags, especially the old flower one, and the new inclusive one that's catching on ^^
There's a line in OK Go's Get Over It "got a body like a battle axe" and i'm wondering if that's saying "she looks like a butch" (since people who think poorly of lesbians often think butches are ugly which is of course nonsense, butches are wonderful
I got bamboozled by a queer women symbol once. I was at London pride and on my way there I briefly saw a venus symbol but instead of the circle, it was an S. My friends and I spent ages trying to google and find what sub category or redesign this symbol was from to no avail.
Turns out it was the logo for She, the lesbian bar. The S was for their name.
would love to hear more about queer symbolism. Like which ear your piercing is on, or hankchief in your back pocket. Less stereotypes like cuffs jeans and flannel. But genuinely what people did in history to identify and express (besides the symbols talked about in the video)
Teya I have loved your content for years but the whole section about bi symbols is just not entirely correct. The biangles symbol was created in 1987 for the Boston Bi Women's community, and it's pretty well documented so idk where the idea that it just kind of appeared comes from. It is true that the bi flag was designed my Michael Page in 1998 and the general design is based on the biangles symbol. The colors do generally represent attraction to same/opposite/both genders, but the lavender stripe was always meant to represent attraction regardless of gender. It's weird to me how the meaning of the lavender stripe has been ret-conned into meaning 'regardless of gender' when that was the original meaning all along.
This is no hate towards you because I genuinely love your content! I'm just very passionate about bi activism and bi history because a lot of it gets over looked. Also after spending 7 years in academia, I've found out the hard way that a lot of foundational queer spaces/rhetorics are bi-exclusionary and it's definitely left me a bit jaded...
23:10 there is also the sapphic flag
Pink white pink stripes with a violet in the center
i love how at 24:53 it looks like stranges furby wall art is a lesbian symbol which..... to be fair.. yeah
Strong Eucalyptus would be a good name for a long furby
24:53 The "What God's Name are these? I can't tell ya, but they're definitely gay" is funny because the top left flag means Straight Ally
I will admit when I clicked on this video I wasn't expecting to feel included as a trans fem person as I normally don't when watching these sorts of things but his real name is strange made me feel all nice and accepted ;-)
the "scissors as lesbian symbol" feels like the type of thing a straight man came up with as a joke in 2008 and it just somehow caught on with kids
Loving all the monocles those historic photos!
Violets and the color lavender are also the symbols for the Takarazuka Revue in Japan! This is the theater troupe that puts on Broadway-level performances where all the roles are played by women, and has served as a big inspiration for media like Revolutionary Girl Utena, Steven Universe, and She-ra. It began in the 1913 and rose to popularity in...you guessed it, the 1920s. It's super dramatic and romantic, and you should definitely check it out!
Great video! Just one little fact check^^ at 14:03, you said Milk was assasinated in 1979, but it was actually 1978! (I'm sure you knew, just typing this for anyone perusing the comments haha!)
Thank you. I have now finally picked my first tattoo design.
4:15
Jade from Victorious had that exact tattoo on her wrist!!!!!👀
(I haven’t finished the video yet so sorry if she mentions this later on)
On the black triangles: there was discourse a couple years ago because the demisexual flag contains a sideways black triangle. Critics claimed that it was problematic for the demisexual community to co-opt a symbol that didn’t necessarily apply to them historically. But the demisexual community claimed it was a reference to the Kinsey scale, a model used to describe sexual attraction with an asexual spectrum axis vs just male/female. I thought it was an interesting discussion and my personal opinion remains that they should change it (maybe to a purple triangle? or a gray one?). But I’m not demi and most attempts to redesign the demi flag in recent years have been met with lukewarm reception
I get not reclaiming a symbol that doesnt belong to you being bad, but tbh its not the same type of triangle and its also just a rly common shape and color? Like the labrys i would get if they had that on the demi flag but triangles are just common in graphic design lol
13:00 those are not triangles, those are chevrons, a totally different design element
16:25 GOD THE MEOWS R SO CUTE
I think the sword lesbian probably originated from Revolutionary Girl Utena, but I'm just spit balling here.
Foxlight studios on tumblr is probably where you're remembering sword lesbian from! There was also battleaxe bi, polearm pan, trident trans and Gladius gay
*takes notes so I know what to get as my next tattoo from my cousin and her girlfriend*
When my mom was in middle school (1970s in the rural US) she said that she would never wear anything with purple in it at school in fear of being seen as gay. Apparently "purple = gay" was a thing at her school, but now I know why.
This was still a thing in my middle school in 2010.
@@jalapeno1119 I was also in middle school around that time, rainbows were thought of as gay
Sapphic flag is honestly adorable imo. Also magical girl utena may be the lesbian thing although theres the famous bisexual woman who dueled somone. Also battle axe bisexuals mean the acceptance of other identities.
Okay but “lavender menace” would be an amazing band name
Hey hi!! I have a relevant story!! I have a lamda tattoo on my wrist and I have a pink triangle tattoo on each ankle! The triangles are upside down with a line through it to symbolize overcoming and the downward pointing triangle with a line is also the earth symbol as a reminded to stay grounded. Hooray!
Joke's on you, Bingus cannot be shamed!
But great video! Always love seeing you tackle more historical topics :3
Also, Violet from the movie Bound... Speaking of violets
as a non binary lesbian, while the video says queer women, would I still be able to use these symbols? i assume so, and i do use some of them, but im not sure :)
Hi I'm also a nonbinary lesbian and I'm here to tell you that you can use any symbols you want if you feel they represent you. Labels and symbols exist for communication, not for classification, and you can use whichever ones you want. (Provided they are not culturally or racially exclusive labels/symbols that you do not have claim to.)
Hell yeah dude! I’m a queer woman and I’m cool with it
@@salamilidaintgonfit7576 thank you :)
@@kelthulhu yay great!
i love the persistence of the “lavender” symbol. the queer club at my college has the word lavender in its title
I also have Gideon the Ninth brain rot. And Harrow the Ninth brain rot. And in the future I'll probably have Nona the Ninth brain rot. And Alecto the Ninth brain rot...
Did not know my favorite color is associated with this 💜 this makes me love it more
i have a violet tattoo on my forearm, a sword tattoo on my hand, and i've been planning on getting a lavender tattoo on my other forearm. i didn't even know these were lesbian symbols before this video, but i am a lesbian so i guess getting those tattoos was an instinct or something lol.
“The frogs might not be lesbians” 😔
Yeah my mom knew what she was doing naming me.
no cos the lavender rhino is adorable i love him too
*Looking down to a frog tattoo on each arm* "Oh shit, this explains a lot"
*swallows, breathes with mouth open and begins to stare.*