Proud Boys hashtag overtaken by photos of gay pride
FILE – In this June 30, 2019, file photo parade-goers carrying rainbow flags walk down a street during the LBGTQ Pride march in New York, to celebrate five decades of LGBTQ pride, marking the 50th anniversary of the police raid that sparked the modern-day gay rights movement. Democrats flooded Twitter and email inboxes this week with praise for the watershed Supreme Court decision shielding gay, lesbian and transgender people from job discrimination. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File)
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DALLAS (NewsNation Now) — The hashtag #ProudBoys, which is used by a far-right group mentioned in Tuesday’s presidential debate, was taken over this weekend by gay men celebrating their relationships.
When President Donald Trump was questioned about white supremacists and the Proud Boys during the Cleveland event, Trump told the group to “stand back and stand by.” He clarified that statement Wednesday telling the group to stand down.
The Proud Boys became a trending topic on social media in the days that followed as they celebrated the president’s comments at the debate, with more than 5,000 of the group’s members posting “Stand Back” and “Stand By” above and below the group’s logo.
But all that changed when gay men hijacked the hashtag over the weekend.
On Sunday, the #ProudBoys hashtag began trending again as users included it on photos of their significant others or other pride imagery. The Canadian Forces in the United States tweeted their support Sunday morning.
Some celebrities joined in by posting on Twitter throughout the weekend.
“Brad and I are #ProudBoys, legally married for 12 years now,” wrote actor and activist George Takei. “And we’re proud of all of the gay folks who have stepped up to reclaim our pride in this campaign. Our community and allies answered hate with love, and what could be better than that.”
Other people tweeted out their own personal stories or pictures of their loved ones.
Reuters and Nexstar Media Wire contributed to this report.
