This guy just made the most perfect point about the whole ‘gay poppy debate’
An eBay seller listed a rainbow poppy and has received “vile and rude message” as a result. (Twitter)
As criticism mounts against an eBay listing of a “rainbow poppy”, a Twitter user has made an incredible point about the entire debate.
Earlier this week, a screenshot of an eBay listing of a poppy badge splashed with the colours of the rainbow went viral.
A battalion of users battered the badge, citing their fury that there “doesn’t need to be a gay version of everything”.
The seller behind the badge has received “vile and rude messages”, they said on the product description page.
Wait, there’s a rainbow poppy?
Well, there actually isn’t one, that’s the thing.
The badge itself is not officially sold by the Royal British Legion – the charity behind the traditional red poppies.
Yet, the handmade rainbow-style poppy has become a lightning rod for anti-LGBT+ views.
Especially amid swirling speculation that the poppy is designed to commemorate queer soldiers involvement in the two Great Wars.
As a result, LGBT+ folk were forced to express that the community is not “hijacking” the poppy tradition, but welcomed increased visibility of queer people’s efforts in the wars, such as Alan Turing.
World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, who was convicted of gross indecency for consensual homosexual sex in 1952 (Creative Commons)
Many LGBT+ people’s involvement in the wars have been shuffled into the margins across the decades, activists said.
Moreover, in the bouquet of poppy variations, none has seemingly had more pushback than the ‘LGBT+ poppy’.
Other types include a purple poppy to commemorate the animals lost in the war, or a black poppy to remember African, black, Caribbean and Pacific Island’s contributions.
‘People can show their appreciation however they like, but don’t start mouthing off against the LGBT community.’
But one other type has failed to be picked-up on the radars of the red poppy purists.
A Twitter user called Alex has schooled the poppy police by bringing to light a certain official poppy type.
“The British legion sells Poppies with football teams on them and no one cares,” he wrote on Twitter.
The British legion sells Poppies with football teams on them and no one cares, We don’t want to make Remembrance Day all about the LGBT movement. Gay men fought for this country but nah Swansea city deffo did more for the war effort. Do you care or are you just homophobic? pic.twitter.com/e8JadOGlw1
— alex?? (@AlexGough_) November 5, 2019
“We don’t want to make Remembrance Day all about the LGBT movement.
“Gay men fought for this country but, nah, Swansea city [definitely] did more for the war effort. Do you care or are you just homophobic?”
Alex reminded followers that to acknowledge those who fought and died for their country “who happen to be part of the LGBT community doesn’t change the respect you have for the overall cause”.
Countless men who have openly confirmed their sexuality have been stripped of their medals and titles over the years and even kicked out of service. Men who sacrificed their lives don’t have their names on memorial walls because they were apart of the lgbt community.— alex?? (@AlexGough_) November 5, 2019
Whether rainbow or purple, poppy styles will ‘not change the point of Remembrance Day’.
Critics have explained that the red poppy covers all bases by showing reverence to all of those who died during the wars.
But as Alex said, poppies particular to the wearer or a community “will not change the point of Remembrance Day but will only make the day more significant”.
“Now I’m no football expert,” he continued, “but other than the 1914 Christmas Day truce, football had absolutely nothing to do with the war.
“People can show their appreciation however they like, but don’t start mouthing off against the LGBT community if you’re not gonna start on the football fans.”
Twitter is seriously conflicted over the football and rainbow poppies.
Alex’s thread rattled Twitter, becoming a laundry bag of views with seemingly as many people supporting his views as those slashing into it.
One opposer said: “Are they just for remembering soldiers who are LGBT or is it for remembering all soldiers?”
Yet as someone hit back: “Are the Swansea city ones just for remembering Swansea city fan soldiers or all soldiers?”
Are the Swansea city ones just for remembering Swansea city fan soldiers or all soldiers?— Brodie ? (@brodiethevegan) November 5, 2019
Other critics underlined that with the football poppies, the club crest is on the side and the red petals remain.
“By all means have a rainbow flag beside the poppy, but covering it, disrespect,” said Josh.
I’m a part of the gay community and I don’t see the problem in the poppy? Tbh the poppy still represents all man and woman with ever sexuality they may have who though in the wars. We don’t need our flag to show that! The poppy does it for us…
— RitaBot Andrew❄️ (@Ritabot_andrew) November 6, 2019
However, as Lucy stressed: “What the f*** has football got to do with people being murdered?
“Why should there be a football badge anyway near a poppy, it’s so wildly inappropriate.”
Another user advocated for a rainbow badge, albeit, with just one difference:
It should be noted that these rainbow pins were not official and were just knock offs on eBay. Some charmer trying to cash in. I do agree there should be an lgbt pin but it could be in the same style as the football ones, with a flag attached to the side.
— Mark Evans-Leigh (@NowThatsJustG) November 6, 2019
