How was it for you the first time you wore gay pride paraphernalia?

It felt a little liberating. I had a lot of things when I was younger and would always wear something rainbow when I went out. I don't think others really associate the rainbow with LGBTQ+ like they would a symbol or a logo. To clarify, if you wore say.. the transformers logo out and about, people will recognize it as the transformers logo. If you wore a rainbow bracelet, people would think that it was just a rainbow bracelet and not that you where from the LGBTQ+ community.

 

I have worn equality wristbands in areas with non-discrimination ordinances, but it was mainly when I was first coming out. I guess it was more of an effort to gain friends maybe.

 

I started wearing some rainbow jewelry off and on last year. I was curious if it would get any reactions but so far the only people to comment have been young children who like rainbows lol. I do take them off or keep them covered in certain circumstances. For example I have difficulties with walking and often need to use taxis but many of the drivers are conservative and sometimes ask awkward questions about various things, and some will have religious items around the dashboard or hanging from the mirror, so for the sake of convenience I'll just avoid showing them till I'm out of their taxi to avoid any potential comments.

 

I made myself a rainbow friendship bracelet in December, and I've worn it every day since. I've worn it around my grandparents who don't know, I wore it to my homophobic christian friend's house, everywhere I go. At first I was nervous and expected to get a lot of potentially negative comments, but nobody even notices. I have not had a single comment on it.

 

I honestly think only those who are apart of the LGBT community would recognize it or straight people who are open-minded and know about different cultural symbols, which you wouldn't have to worry about them anyways. Closed-minds or homophobes probably won't even know what it means, so most likely no worries there. Then, there is that category of blissful unawareness such as my grandmother when she saw a pride flag, "Oh what pretty colors." I was convinced she would buy one and put it up because she liked all the colors lol.

I've personally never worn any rainbow items (but would, just have never really purchased any). I did however have a bag that had the HRC equality symbol and I never had anyone notice.

 

I haven't worn anything pride-related before, but I have to say it's reassuring that's too afraid to wear anything relating to the LGBT community. I'm probably being paranoid, but I'm worried that people will heckle me, shield their kids, judge me, etc. should I be open about it.

 

I've a silver ring with triangular shaped stones. The stones are each a different color of the rainbow and are bezel set. A friend gave it to me on the way to a bears' weekend. He said I needed to accessorize. It's tasteful and it fits on my thumb. My friend is an ox. I won't wear it to work, but I do wear it when I want. I've yet to have anyone who is straight mention it at all.

 

I bought a rainbow flag from the pride parade last year and wore it immediately as a cape :---D It felt really safe and empowering to wear it! I wouldn't wear it anywhere else than on pride parades though.

A while ago I had some relatives coming over just to have a quick look in my flat - I have the same flag on my wall and a smaller one as well. I kinda forgot about those so didn't stress about it and they didn't say anything then. I did get a book where the protagonist is gay for Christmas though, lol. If my grandparents came over to visit I might take those flags down though. Would be easier.

I wear rainbow nail polish quite often but I'm not concerned about it.

 

The first time I wore my necklace in public it did feel a bit awkward. Almost, like I had a big flashing light on my head. After a while I realized that I was paying more attention to it than 99% of the people around me. I got to where I would wear it all the time. Unfortunately I took a new job inside a poultry plant and the only jewelry that is allowed inside is a plain wedding band and you have to wear a glove over it (food safety rules). I got out of the habitof grabbing it and I moved last week so I currently don't know it's exact location. I know I still have it because I was wearing it when I moved, but I put it down and cannot find it in my still unsettled mess.

 

I was shopping around Christmastime in Spencer's. There was a bin full of buttons and stuff and I saw a pride one and I had this huge urge to buy it and I wanted to wear it so badly. Hopefully the day will come where I can actually buy and wear one

 

I bought a rainbow belt, and I was already a member of my school's GSA. When I showed my mom she said "Well I'm glad that you support gay rights, but people might think that you actually are gay."

That's also how I came out to my mom as bi. She thought it was a phase and didn't really take me seriously.

 

12? 13? I forgot, but I got a pride wrist band from the mall, and still have it.

 

I remember the first time I wore my rainbow mickey pin, I was nervous that people would stare at me, or I'd get great praise for it.

I was a bit disappointed by the lack of response to it, initially. Although it has told me one thing: Those kinds of scenarios only happen when you don't expect them to happen.

 

At school I sometimes paint a rainbow flag on my face using highlighter and I also wear a rainbow bracelet and people usually just yell out "gay rights!" Or something like that.

 

I wore my first rainbow bracelet when I was around 17.

I remember only wearing it once on the day I bought it.

After wearing it once, I took it off and lost it somewhere.

 

I never have :roflmao:

 

I know this is off topic but "paraphernalia" has to be one of my favorite words. Right next to nomenclature and glucagon.

 

I'm thinking of buying a nice rainbow wristband soon.
It's funny, I'm out to most of my friends and I generally tell people that ask but just today a friend of mine kept hassling me about "the ladies". I kept telling him he had it all wrong but he wouldn't take the hint, it was hilarious lol.
It'll be funny to see how the people who don't know I'm gay react.