LGBTQ+ climate protesters march with giant ‘climate dildo’ to make urgent point
Rainbow Rebellion members march in Soho. (Facebook/Rainbow Rebellion)
LGBTQ+ activists took to London’s Soho to protest the climate emergency with a giant “climate dildo” to boot.
Activism group Rainbow Rebellion marched down Old Compton Street, one of the capital’s main LGBTQ+ thoroughfares, on Saturday (18 June) to demand that those in power take action toward a greener future.
The group walked with a giant pink dildo made out of what appeared to be paper and cardboard with the words “come out for the climate” written along the side.
In a Twitter video published by renewable energy professional and Green Party candidate Fergal McEntee, two climate activists pulling the dildo along explained its meaning, saying: “It’s about getting action in the LGBTQ+ community, [creating] awareness about what’s happening globally because right now France is at 44 degrees.”
The Rainbow Rebellion march has just started!!@XRebellionUK @ExtinctionR @RainbowRebels#gaypride2022 pic.twitter.com/1mNev4Le46
— FergalMcEntee (@McEnteeFergal) June 18, 2022
Rainbow Rebellion is an extension of climate change activists Extinction Rebellion – commonly abbreviated to XR. It created a Facebok page for the event, called “fighting climate change is such a drag” saying: “Let’s help our community wake up to the part we can play in combatting climate change.”
As part of its mission, Rainbow Rebellion emphasises that the fight for LGBTQ+ rights would be more difficult if “climate change leads to social collapse” and, as such, implores other queer people to follow its lead in demanding inaction be dealt with.
“If we reach a point of climate breakdown and social collapse, marginalised groups – like the LGBTQIA+ community – will experience increased discrimination and violence,” a Rainbow Rebellion spokesperson said to Out News Global. “The queer community has stood and continues to stand up to demand social justice; we now need to demand climate justice as well.”
Rainbow Rebellion has been acknowledged by several regional XR groups, including XR North, XR Scotland, and overarching climate activist groups across the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
