So I saw this story about some dude who is suing to make Denver Public Schools let him put his 'Straight Pride Flag' in with the various rainbow flags that they allow encourage. Of course my immediate question was, "What does this flag look like?"
Here it is.
I get the symbolism: he's using black and white to indicate a belief that there are exactly two sexes, and not a rainbow of genders; and of course there's the male and female symbols, linked to show that they belong necessarily together.
What an ugly flag, though. The black and white stripes also resemble an old fashioned prison uniform, which is far from proper. A good marriage isn't a prison, but a liberation: an ally, a friend, someone to help carry you when you're weak and support you in pursuing your goals.
I think I'd prefer we just use the skull and crossbones. Ours is the only sexuality that accepts and accomodates the reality of death, and consequently the necessity of natural reproduction -- not just the production of children, but the raising and education of them to be functional members of society. Necessarily, because they need to make and raise children too. They also will always die.
We didn't make the rules, but these are the only rules that work. Memento mori, and love your grandchildren you who are lucky enough to have them.
12 comments:
The skull and crossbones is also a symbol of piracy and a symbol of poison. So, not a good alternative. But the point is not to make the most attractive flag. The point is to expose the liberal hypocrisy that claims to be tolerant while being totalitarian in reality.
Trying mock the rainbow stripes was a step too far. The black and white colors would have been enough. Eliminate the middle stripe or divide it in thirds vertically would be more pleasing.
Why not the black and white yin/yang? The necessity and complementarity of male and female is EXACTLY what the symbol means? (Although, I do like the blunt "Memento Mori", and you're 100% correct about the facts here.)
-- Janet
Janet:
You know, I've never liked the yin/yang flag. It's too much like paisley. You're right about its intended symbolism, though.
G. Poulin:
"The skull and crossbones is also a symbol of piracy and a symbol of poison. So, not a good alternative."
I think I'm motivated in part by its usage on the Plattsburgh flag (see the top right corner of the blog; click on it if you're not familiar with it). The scroll beneath reads, "Thy Will Be Done," and the skull and crossbones is thus both a reminder of death and submission to that part of the natural order.
It has been used for other things, though. Its use in the case of poisons is actually virtuous: it's not there to scare you, but to keep you safe by reminding you of the danger. It's a welcome guide that might avoid what could otherwise sicken or kill.
Agreed, that is quite ugly, which is the opposite of the reality.
I have to disagree with you about the skull. The use of the skull in the Plattsburgh flag is atypical; its usual sense is not of submission to the natural order but the danger of death. The culture of barren desires and lives is one that is the culture of death.
You’re certainly allowed to disagree. I take no offense. I just believe that accepting the danger of death just does constitute submission to the natural order. Probably almost everything relevant passes under the heading of “Thy Will be Done.”
That flag is quite ugly.
On the other hand, the skull and crossbones fails to communicate any message about sexuality. It's not that I don't understand the symbolism, once you explain it, but rather that no random passerby would look at it flapping on the pole and think, "Ah, straight pride!" They might, on the other hand, think "Avast, me hearties! Must be Talk Like a Pirate Day!"
At least, that's what I would say if I walked by a school flying the skull and crossbones. Unless I walked by it with Grim, who could then correct me.
I'm with Tom. The fact that it's ugly is the most important thing to note at first. It seems to be a flag designed in order to get its symbols right on one level, but completely oblivious to what else it is communicating. Black/white: only two sexe, that'll show 'em! But yes, it communicates nothing loving, romantic, fertile - and in fact is rather a denial of those things visually.
"We need a straight pride flag! We need a straight pride fag, dammit!"
Do we? Is it going to do anything but clumsily stick a thumb in the eye of people we disagree with?
That was quite the typo on my part, wasn't it...
"Do we? Is it going to do anything but clumsily stick a thumb in the eye of people we disagree with?"
Oh, I agree that we don't at all. I was just amused by it, and wanted to make a point about the very different relationship between sex and death in this one kind versus the others. For the rest of them, it's just a way of passing time between coming-of-age and death; for this one only, it's a way of dealing with those existential questions.
Black and white flags can be attractive. The flag of Brittany, the Gwenn-ha-du, for example, isn't bad. The "straight pride" flag lacks contrast, and that makes it less attractive. The Male and Female symbols look jumbled against the black stripes.
LittleRed1
AVI, that was, as the kiddos say, epic. Thank you for the best laugh I've had in a while.
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