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Whats with all the unicorns?

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Devil Dave, Nov 27, 2019.

  1. Devil Dave

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    Why are unicorns appearing every where? Why have they become so popular in recent years? I see them on T-shirts, mugs, wrapping paper, gift bags, there are unicorn shaped lights, unicorn diaries, unicorn stationary, unicorn sweets and cakes, and it's not just all kids stuff. Unicorns are being used as some kind of logo for the lgbt community. Just about every gay user on instagram is reaffirming their sexuality by flooding social media with images of unicorns. Why?
     
  2. Delphine

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    I never understood what the fuss is all about either ... hopefully someone here can explain the origin of the unicorn craze? :shrug:
     
  3. musicteach

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    I'm not sure either but I've definitely noticed it with the teenage populace. Our tuba players always wear socks that aren't exactly black — bit of a tradition. This year they featured unicorns on their socks. Don't ask me why. And never ask the tuba section why they do the things they do.
     
  4. BiGemini87

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    Same! I don't know what made people take it on as an LGBT symbol exactly, but my money is on the concept of unicorns being "rare" and "special"... Which, 1) LGBT people are neither, and 2) Even if they were, having this many people adopt it as their symbol would completely negate its purpose.

    I mean, if people like using it, go for it--I definitely won't be. (I'm more of a phoenix girl, anyway). :wink:
     
  5. Oliverrrrr

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    It's because we're all mystical beings, unique, unknowable, unnattainable, mythical, and the only one of a kind (as if). The unicorn attraction for people suggests that some folk find a resonance, in either the meaning or aesthetic of the unicorn iconography. There's clearly a huge fantasy element as well as a heavy dose of escapism.

    I'm not sure why unicorns and rainbows have become so closely associated, but seeing as they have i can see why some LGBTQ folk have taken the iconography to heart.
     
    #5 Oliverrrrr, Nov 27, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2019
  6. Oliverrrrr

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  7. BiGemini87

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  8. Chizu

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    I think it's just been built up over time by a number of social forces. Harry Potter made fantasy mainstream, and then things like Despicable Me ran with unicorn jokes, and for whatever reason, My Little Pony has built up a cult following.
    Unicorns can be associated with rainbows, and the rainbow was already an LGBT symbol, so I guess some people linked the two. A lot of it probably has to do with being special though. Unicorns having one horn sort of symbolizes being one and only.
    I think unicorns were originally supposed to mean rhinos though. Rhinos are pretty much unicorns when you think about it.
     
    #8 Chizu, Nov 27, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2019
  9. Oliverrrrr

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  10. Devil Dave

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    Well exactly. "Here's a mythical creature to symbolize what a unique individual I am." It's the same damn creature that all the other gays are using, you're not being that unique. I would suggest that people invent their own creature, but imagination is quite rare these days. And they're probably scared of being laughed at for creating a monster nobody has ever seen or heard of before. So much for self expression.

    A phoenix can represent getting up every time you get knocked down, or going through a difficult experience and coming out strong and with a renewed passion for life. I think phoenixes have a lot more depth as symbols than unicorns. You could also say that butterflies represent rebirth and transformation, but then butterflies can't burn the shit out of things.

    Maybe I'll choose a Hydra as my mythical beast symbol. The many heads represent my many thoughts and ideas and dreams which sometimes get cut short by distractions, but they always grow back. I have sad and disappointing memories that come back to haunt me, and I have fun memories which make me smile and laugh, and I have projects that I have to put aside to focus on other things before returning to them and eventually finishing them. There, I'm a disorganized, scatter-brained Hydra!
     
  11. Benway

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    I think a large portion of the whole unicorn thing comes from the My Little Pony fandom, which I've discovered is unusually large and contains many members of the LGBT community.

     
  12. Devil Dave

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    The thing is, The Last Unicorn is one of my all time favourite animated movies, and hardly anyone I speak to has ever heard of it, even with this whole unicorn resurgence.
     
  13. Benway

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    I've heard of it but I've never seen it. It's one of those movies that, as far as I know, is kind of stuck in the 1980s, like The Care Bears Movie or even An American Tail. Now don't take that as a condemnation, I liked An American Tail, but I just never got around to watching The Last Unicorn. I was born in 1987, most of the tapes I had as a kid were from Disney, but every now and then I'd get a tape of something like All Dogs Go To Heaven or better yet The Brave Little Toaster, both of which blew my feeble six year old mind as children's introductions to death and existential crises.
     
  14. BiGemini87

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    Right? Sad, but true. I'd love to see people come up with new beasties. Humanity did it once upon a time; it'd be great to see them do it again.


    Exactly why I love them--both the literal and metaphorical aspects they represent. :slight_smile: Then again, I know a fair number of people who like them too, so no doubt they're played out for a lot of people. So I guess I can't give the unicorn crowd too hard of a time, lol. It'd just be fun if they went with more variety. Heaven knows there are a ton of mythical beasties out there, each one as intriguing as the last.

    I love it! This has to be the most imaginative concept regarding Hydras I've ever heard. If you're a creative of any kind, you should totally do something with that; it shows a great deal more depth of thought and ingenuity. ^_^

    (Also, I haven't seen The Last Unicorn in years! I used to get so upset that she wanted to turn human, because she was such an amazing creature. But I understand her loneliness, now.)
     
    #14 BiGemini87, Nov 27, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2019
  15. Devil Dave

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    it is a very dated movie, but the voice acting is amazing. Who can resist Christopher Lee's voice as a grumpy old king. The songs aren't quite on par with Disney movies, but the opening song by America is beautiful. The hand painted backgrounds all look lovely as well. I didn't really appreciate the Last Unicorn as a kid, because it was more dreary than Disney, but when I re-watched it as a teenager, by the time I was heavilly into mythology and role-playing games, it blew me away, and I even burst into tears at the ending. So I would recommend it to people who like older animation. Unless you've become sick of unicorns. But it's not exactly a fluffy unicorn that shits rainbows everywhere, it's more of a sad story about vulnerable creatures that have been driven close to extinction.
     
  16. Devil Dave

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    I once thought that if I were to ever get a tattoo it would be the Hydra, as designed by Ray Harryhausen in the movie Jason and the Argonauts. Medusa was actually my favourite creature, but she has a human form, and I always thought it odd to have a human body tattooed on a human body. Especially being a gay man, people would be like "why have you got a tattoo of a naked snake woman with her titties hanging out?" and I would be like "well I'm used to getting hit on by men who get hard for me, and then they go quiet on me and never talk to me again and my life gets cluttered with crumbling memories of what they used to mean to me". That would be kinda pathetic.

    But a hydra has no human features, it's just a mess of writhing animal parts with no human torso or face to relate to. It can symbolise chaos and confusion belonging to one being. But I'm not into tattoos anyway, I think a pendant would be more my style.
     
  17. Poofter

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    It’s a fad, like zombies we’re in my opinion. I have always liked unicorns since I was a little kid getting Rainbow Brite books from the weekly reader and watching it and My Little Pony. For some it’s a link to the past. Kids from the 80-90s growing up with it revisit their youth. I think it will fade out again.

    However, with it being a symbol, that people can rally around. Just like the rainbow flag. It represents something unique and at the same time allows people to have a common link.

    I do like the sentiment of everyone creating something they like for themselves. If I create my own unicorn art. It is unique and does represent myself.

    Just like soldiers get tattoos of their unit patch, each one incorporates some element of themselves in design but is recognizable as a link to the past. At this point so is the unicorn and the rainbow.