The pretty Pri tattoos reprent the ntued fight for LGBTQ+ rights. From ty tattoos to larger piec, the gay tattoo ias are all works of art
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- THE SECRET GAY HISTORY OF TATTOOS AND THEIR HIDN MEANGSJAM BANVALLE·FOLLOW11 M READ·AUG 25, 2018--LISTENSHAREDID YOU KNOW RSIAN CRIMALS THE 1950S HAD A SECRET TATTOO TO INTIFY GAY PEOPLE?THE LGBTI MUNY HAS A LONG AND VARIED HISTORY WH TATTOOS.IN A TIME WHEN WAS ILLEGAL TO BE OUT AND PROUD WTERN CULTURE, MANY LGBTI PEOPLE GOT TATTOOS TO NVEY SECRET MSAG OR AS AN ACT OF FIANCE TO THORY.THE DAYS, TATTOOS AND LGBTI CULTURE GO HAND HAND AND ’S A TREND THAT’S ON THE RISE.BUT WHERE DID ALL BEG AND WHAT DO THE HIDN MEANGS SIGNIFY?‘BAD BOYS AND TOUGH TATTOOS’ACRDG TO FAMO GAY TATTOOIST SAMUEL STEWARD (ALSO KNOWN AS PHIL SPARROW), THE GAY MUNY PARTICULAR REALLY BEGAN EMBRACG TATTOOS THE 1950S.STEWARD WAS BORN 1909 AND LED MANY VARIED ROL LIFE, CLUDG A PROFSOR AT A ROMAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSY AND AN THOR OF GAY PULP FICTN.HE WAS ALSO THE OFFICIAL TATTOO ARTIST FOR THE MOTORCYCLE CLUB, THE HELLS ANGELS OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.STEWARD PUBLISHED HIS THOUGHTS ON GAY MEN GETTG TATTOOS HIS 1990 BOOK BAD BOYS & TOUGH TATTOOS: A SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE TATTOO WH GANGS, SAILORS, AND STREET-CORNER PUNKS.STEWARD SAID: ‘ONE CHANGE, HOWEVER, ME ABOUT THE HOMOSEXUAL ATTU TOWARDS TATTOOS AROUND 1954.’HE NTUED: ‘FOLLOWG THE NATNAL RELEASE OF THE MOVIE THE WILD ONE WH MARLON BRANDO; THE ORIGAL MOTORCYCLE FILM, SEEMED TO CRYSTALLIZE OR RELEASE, THE OBSCURE AND LONG-HIDN FEELGS OF MANY HOMOSEXUALS.’STEWARD BELIEV TATTOOS BEME A SYMBOL OF MASCULY FOR GAY MEN, CLOSELY TIED WH THE GAY LEATHER MUNY.HE SAID: ‘I WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE SUDN APPEARANCE OF SO MANY OF THE FIGUR… AS THE IMPULSE OF MANY HOMOSEXUALS TO BE NSIRED MORE MASCULE — BY THE ADDN OF A TATTOO — GREW STRONGER.’THERE ARE ALSO EXAMPL OF LBIANS THE 1940S AND 50S LERALLY WEARG THEIR SEXUALY ON THEIR SLEEVE BY GETTG A PARTICULAR TATTOO (BUT MORE ON THAT LATER).HERE ARE THE MOST MON LGBTI-SPIRED TATTOOS AND WHAT MEANS TO THE PEOPLE WHO GOT THEM.NOTE: IF SOMEONE HAS ONE OF THE TATTOOS, DO NOT MEAN THEY TOMATILLY INTIFY WH THE EXPLANATNS BELOW1. PK TRIANGLE TATTOOIN NAZI GERMANY THE MID-1940S, GAY PRISONERS NCENTRATN MPS WERE FORCED TO WEARG PK TRIANGL AS A BADGE OF SHAME.IN FACT, ONE SCHOLAR SAYS THE GAY PRISONERS WERE THE ‘LOWT OF THE LOW’ THE HIERARCHY OF THE NCENTRATN MPS.NAZIS TORTURED THE GAY PRISONERS BY STRATG SOME OF THEM AND SODOMIZG THEM WH EMS LIKE BROOMSTICKS. THEY ALSO PERFORMED DANGERO EXPERIMENTS ON THEM TO FD CUR FOR TYPH FEVER AND HOMOSEXUALY.ACRDG TO TIMATNS, BETWEEN 5,000 AND 15,000 GAY PEOPLE DIED GERMAN NCENTRATN MPS.WHEN EYE WNS ACUNTS AND PERSONAL TTIMONI EMERGED SEVERAL S LATER, LGBTI ACTIVISTS BEGAN RECLAIMG THE SYMBOL.THE EARLIT ACUNTS AMERI DATE BACK TO 1977, WHERE LGBTI ACTIVISTS MIAMI PNED PK TRIANGL TO THEIR CLOTH TO PROTT HOG DISCRIMATN.IN THE EARLY 80S, ANIZATN ACT-UP ED THE PK TRIANGLE TO TRY TO RAISE AWARENS THE MIDST OF THE AIDS CRISIS.INSTEAD OF G THE UPSI DOWN TRIANGLE — AS THE NAZIS DID — ACTIVIST AVRAM FKELSTE ME UP WH G THE RIGHT WAY UP.THE ANIZATN ED ARGUABLY S MOST FAMO MPAIGN POSTER: SILENCE = DEATH.SCE THEN, ACTIVISTS HAVE ED THE SYMBOL VAR MPAIGNS SCE, CLUDG PROTTS LAST YEAR OVER NCENTRATN MPS CHECHNYA.THE SYMBOL WENT OM BEG A BADGE OF SHAME, TO A SYMBOL OF PRI.HOW LGBTI PEOPLE RECLAIMED THE PK TRIANGLEMANY LGBTI PEOPLE NOW PROUDLY SHOW OFF THEIR TATTOO PK TRIANGL.‘I GOT AFTER THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB SHOOTG FLORIDA,’ NICK MCGLYNN TOLD GAY STAR NEWS. ‘AT THE TIME, REALLY BROUGHT HOME THE PHYSIL VLENCE THAT’S STILL DIRECTED AT QUEER PEOPLE.‘I WAS ANGRY AND I WANTED TO HAVE MY QUEERNS PERMANENTLY WRTEN ON MY BODY AS A “FUCK YOU” TO THE FEAR OF BEG VISIBLY QUEER PUBLIC,’ HE SAID.MCGLYNN IS A TEACHER AND SAYS HIS PK TRIANGLE TATTOO ISN’T AS OBVLY GAY AS A RABOW FLAG, SO HIS STUNTS OFTEN ASK HIM ABOUT .‘IT GIV ME AN OPPORTUNY TO SAY OUT LOUD PUBLIC THAT I’M A GAY MAN,’ HE SAID.GREG BAILLIE GOT HIS PK TRIANGLE TATTOO ON HIS WRIST SO HE N HI UNR HIS WATCH IF HE EVER FEELS UNSAFE.HE SAID: ‘I GOT TO FEEL LIKE PART OF A MUNY WHILST REMEMBERG THE HORROR THAT HAD BEFTED SOME THAT HAD WENT BEFORE.JEFF INGOLD WANTED TO MAKE HIS TRIANGLE TATTOO SPECIAL SO HE GOT A TRIANGLE OUTLE, WH THE DATE HE ME OUT THE MIDDLE.HE SAID: ‘I GOT THIS TATTOO TO REMEMBER ALL THOSE WHO ME BEFORE ME, WHO FOUGHT AND DIED FOR OUR RIGHTS AND ALSO, TO PLACE MYSELF THAT HISTORY.’INGOLD NTUED: ‘ALONG WH THAT, MY DAD ONCE TOLD ME HE WISHED I DIDN’T WEAR MY SEXUALY ON MY SLEEVE SO MUCH.’SO HE GOT ON HIS ARM FIANCE.‘THIS IS WHO I AM, THIS IS MY HISTORY AND I WON’T BE ASHAMED OF SHOWG OFF,’ HE ADD.BISEXUAL PEOPLE ALSO HAVE A VERSN OF THE PK TRIANGLE WH A BLUE TRIANGLE LKED.2. NTIL STAR TATTOOIN THE LATE 1940S AND 50S, SOME LBIANS GOT A NTIL STAR TATTOOED ON THEIR WRIST AS A SIGNAL TO OTHER LBIANS.MALE D. DAVIS AND ELIZABETH LAPOVSKY KENNEDY’S 1993 BOOK BOOTS OF LEATHER, SLIPPERS OF GOLD: THE HISTORY OF A LBIAN COMMUNY EXPLAS THE PHENOMENON.THEY EXPLAED: ‘THE CULTURAL PH TO BE INTIFIED AS LBIANS — OR AT LEAST DIFFERENT — ALL THE TIME WAS SO POWERFUL THAT GENERATED A NEW FORM OF INTIFITN AMONG THE TOUGH BAR LBIANS: A STAR TATTOO ON THE TOP OF THE WRIST, WHICH WAS UALLY VERED BY A WATCH.‘THIS WAS THE FIRST SYMBOL OF MUNY INTY THAT DID NOT RELY ON BUTCH-FEM IMAGERY,’ THEY WROTE.KENNEDY AND DAVIS ALSO SAID THE LOL POLICE BUFFALO, NEW YORK KNEW ABOUT THE PRACTISE, SO WAS VERY RISKY.POLICE HAD A LIST OF NAM OF KNOWN LBIANS. FOR THIS REASON, THE TATTOO WAS ALWAYS ON THE WRIST WHERE ULD HI BEHD A WRISTWATCH.THE NTIL STAR IS NOW HUGELY POPULAR AMONG LGBTI PEOPLE, CLUDG A LOT OF GAY PORN STARS.AS WELL AS BEG A MON TATTOO FOR SAILORS ( SYMBOLIZ SAILORS TRYG TO FD THEIR WAY HOME), THE NTIL STAR ALSO POTS TO PROSTUTN SOME CIRCL.3. SRPN/BHAZARD TATTOOIN 2011, CNN PUBLISHED A PIECE OM A GAY MAN WHO IS HIV+.IN THE PIECE, MICHAEL LEE HOWARD SAYS HE GOT THE BHAZARD SYMBOL ON HIS RIGHT ARM AND THE RADIATN SYMBOL ON HIS LEFT TO DITE THAT HE’S LIVG WH HIV.AFTER HIS DIAGNOSIS 2005, HOWARD SAID HE GOT THE TATTOOS TO HELP HIM ON HIS JOURNEY OF SELF-ACCEPTANCE.HE SAID: ‘IT’S A BRANDG OF WHO I AM, AND ’S A BRANDG OF BEG FORTABLE WH THAT, BEG FORTABLE WH WHO I AM.’ANOTHER TATTOO LISTED THE ARTICLE AS A SIGNIFIER FOR SOMEONE LIVG WH HIV IS THE SRPN. THIS ONE IS MORE TRICKY BEE THE SRPN TATTOO IS ALSO CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WH ASTROLOGY.GAY MAN WILLIAM CONLEY SAID HE ALSO KNOWS 45–60 OTHERS WHO GOT THE BHAZARD AND SRPN SYMBOLS TATTOOED ON THEIR BODY.IN RPONSE TO THE ARTICLE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF GMFA MATTHEW HODSON WARNED WAS ONLY A SMALL MORY OF GAY MEN GETTG THE TATTOOS.HE SAID: ‘THE PROBLEM WH ANY D REFERENCE TO HIV STAT IS THAT MAY NOT BE UNIVERSALLY UNRSTOOD, SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE A GREAT BIG B-HAZARD TATTOO ACROSS YOUR BUTT-CHEEKS, DON’T NECSARILY MEAN THAT EVERYONE YOU HAVE SEX WH IS GOG TO UNRSTAND WHAT MEANS.‘MOST PEOPLE WH HIV DON’T TELL ALL OF THEIR SEXUAL PARTNERS.‘AND ALTHOUGH SOME GAY MEN CHOOSE TO K THEIR STAT, FIERCE AND UNAPOLOGETIC, ON THEIR SK, THE MAJORY OF DON’T,’ HE SAID.4. ARM BAND TATTOOWHILE SOME PEOPLE MIGHT JT LIKE THE LOOK OF ARM BAND TATTOOS, OTHERS GET THEM TO LET THE WORLD KNOW THEY ENJOY ANAL FISTG.ALEXIS GARCIA TOLD GAY STAR NEWS HE GOT HIS DOUBLE ARM BAND TATTOO ‘TO STAND FOR EQUALY’.HE HAD NO IA ABOUT THE DOUBLE MEANG BEHD THE TATTOO BUT SAID: ‘IT’S IMPORTANT TO ME AS MEANS EQUALY.’KIERAN EVANS SAID HE ALSO DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE DOUBLE MEANG UNTIL AFTER HE GOT DONE. HE HAS MULTIPLE BANDS ON HIS ARM TO REPRENT A MEMBER OF HIS FAY.HE SAID: ‘WHEN I WALK TO A ROOM OF GAYS WEARG A SHORT SLEEVED SHIRT, ONE OF TWO THGS GO THROUGH MY HEAD; I’M EHER LOOKG CUTE AS HELL OR THEY THK I LIKE TO GET MY HANDS DIRTY.’HE’S ACTUALLY HAD GAY MEN ASK HIM ABOUT THE DOUBLE MEANG BEFORE.EVANS SAID: ‘THIS ONE TIME AT A HOOKUP, THE GUY ASKED IF I DID PORN. A FEW YEARS LATER, I THEN REALISED WHY HE ASKED BEE A LOT OF PORN STARTS HAVE BAND TATTOOS AS WELL.’SOME PEOPLE MIGHT ALSO GET THIS TATTOO TO SYMBOLIZE THE EQUALS SIGN.5. EY TATTOORSIAN CRIMAL TATTOOS HAVE A LONG LIST OF HIDN MEANGS.IN SOVIET UNN PRISONS, THERE WAS A STRONG CULTURE OF TATTOOS BEG ED TO DITE A PERSON’S CRIMAL REER AND RANK. IT DIFFERENTIATED WHO WERE CRIMAL EL AND WHO WERE POLIL PRISONERS.THE PRACTICE STARTED AROUND 1930, GREW TO PROMENCE THE 50S AND DIED DOWN BY THE 80S.SOME PROMENT SYMBOLS CLU STAR TATTOOS (DITG THORY), SKULL (DITG MURR), CROSS (A TRADNAL ‘THIEV CROSS’) AND BELLS (DITG A LONG SENTENCE WH NO CHANCE OF EARLY RELEASE).BUT THERE ARE SOME GAY SYMBOLS TOO, LIKE THE EY TATTOO. WHEN TATTOOED ON THE LOWER STOMACH, MEANS THE PERSON IS GAY. THE PENIS SYMBOLIZ A NOSE, WH THE TWO EY ABOVE WATCHG.MOST OF THE TATTOOS SYMBOLIZG BEG GAY WERE FORCED ONTO PEOPLE AS A WAY TO SHAME THEM.FOR EXAMPLE, A SNAKE ENTWED WH A WOMAN DIT A ‘PASSIVE HOMOSEXUAL’ — PECIALLY TATTOOED ON THE BACK.BETY MARKS BENEATH THE EY ALSO DITE A ‘PASSIVE HOMOSEXUAL’, AS WELL AS RED SUS RDS (DIAMONDS OR HEARTS) ON A PRISONER’S BACK.6. EQUALS SIGN TATTOOTHIS ONE’S FAIRLY SELF-EXPLANATORY BUT ’S WORTH MENTNG.THE RED EQUALS SIGN ROSE TO PROMENCE 2013 WHEN THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN ED TO URGE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALY THE UNED STAT.A SEA OF THE EQUALS SIGNS FLOOD SOCIAL MEDIA AND EFFECTIVELY GOT THE NVERSATN FLOWG ABOUT LGBTI RIGHTS.AS A RULT, MANY PEOPLE GOT LTLE PARALLEL LE TATTOOS ON THEIR BODY TO SYMBOLIZE EQUALY.SARAH EBA TOLD GAY STAR NEWS: ‘I GOT TWO YEARS AGO RIGHT AFTER I ME OUT TO MY GRANDMA AND SHE DIDN’T APPROVE BEE SHE DIDN’T THK EQUALY FOR GAYS SHOULD BE THE SAME FOR STRAIGHT PEOPLE.‘IT PISSED ME OFF SO I GOT THE TATTOO AND SHOWED HER. BUT NOW I LOVE AND REMDS ME OF WHO I AM EVERY TIME I SEE ,’ SHE SAID.JAM BAKER SAID HE GOT HIS EQUALS SIGN TATTOO A FEW YEARS BACK, BUT WANTED THE UPSI TRIANGLE TOO.HE EXPLAED: ‘I’M NOT SOMEONE WHO YOU WOULD STANTLY REGNISE AS LGBTI.‘GOG THROUGH UNIVERSY AND NOW PLAYG FOR A GAY FOOTBALL TEAM LONDON, I WANTED TO SHOW THAT I WAS PROUD AFTER NOT BEG NFINT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER,’ HE SAID.DURG THE 1960S, LBIAN FEMISTS ADOPTED THE LABRYS TATTOO AS A SYMBOL OF STRENGTH AND PENNCE.THE LABRYS, OR DOUBLE-BLAD BATTLE AXE, IS ASSOCIATED WH ANCIENT MATRIARCHAL SOCIETI, THE AMAZONS AND THE GREEK GODSS DEMETER.IN THE MOAN CIVILIZATN (LASTG OM AROUND 3,000 TO 1,100 BCE), THE SOCIETY AT THE TIME WAS PREDOMATELY MATRIARCHAL.THEIR RELIGN CENTERED AROUND A BARE-BREASTED GREAT GODSS WHO IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN A PROTECTOR OF WOMEN.THIS GODSS IS OFTEN PORTRAYED AS HOLDG SNAK HER HANDS — A SYMBOL OF FERTILY AND AGRICULTURE — AND SURROUND BY FEMALE WORSHIPPERS WH DOUBLE AX.IT REPRENTS A SYMBOL OF POWER.THE SYMBOL SOMETIM APPEARS AGAST A VLET BACKGROUND (A MONLY ACKNOWLEDGED SAPPHIC LOR) AND AN UPSI DOWN TRIANGLE.IN KYRGYZSTAN, THERE’S EVEN AN LGBTI RIGHTS ANIZATN LLED LABRYS.UNFORTUNATELY SOME TRANS-EXCLNARY RADIL FEMISTS (TERFS) HAVE -OPTED THE SYMBOL RECENT YEARS.8. LAMBDA TATTOOLAMBDA IS THE 11TH LETTER OF THE GREEK ALPHABET.THE GAY ACTIVIST ALLIANCE SELECTED THE SYMBOL TO REPRENT THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT 1970. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TERPRETATNS OF THE SYMBOL, CLUDG STANDG FOR ‘LIBERATN’. IT’S ALSO THE PHYSICS SYMBOL FOR ENERGY.ALAN MEGGS GOT HIS LAMBDA TATTOO THE EARLY 90S AT FRH ST TATTOOS LONDON.HE GOT BEE HE WANTED ‘SOMETHG LS EASILY REGNIZABLE THAN THE PK TRIANGLE SO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO ASK ME ABOUT .’MEGGS TOLD GAY STAR NEWS: ‘IT FEELS MORE POLIL — LS MASTREAM. MY OWN LTLE ACT OF REBELLN.‘IT REMDS ME OF OUR PAST AND THE BATTL THAT HAVE BEEN WON TO BE ACCEPTED TO MASTREAM SOCIETY. AND REMDS ME WE STILL HAVE A FAIR WAY TO GO.‘WE SHOULD NTUE TO WALK THE FOOTPRTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT THE LAWS AND PREJUDIC OF THE LATE 60S AND EARLY 70S AND NO BE PLACENT. IT’S PART OF MY GAY HISTORY,’ HE SAID.9. CIRCLE TATTOOSOME TERSEX PEOPLE MAY PROUDLY GET A CIRCLE TATTOO.ORGANISATN INTERSEX INTERNATNAL (OII) ATRALIA CREATED THE TERSEX PRI FLAG 2013. THE YELLOW BACKGROUND AND PURPLE CIRCLE REPRENT ‘HERMAPHRODE’ LORS.ACRDG TO THE WEBSE: ‘THE CIRCLE IS UNBROKEN AND UNORNAMENTED, SYMBOLIZG WHOLENS AND PLETENS.‘WE ARE STILL FIGHTG FOR BODILY TONOMY AND GENAL TEGRY, AND THIS SYMBOLIZ THE RIGHT TO BE WHO AND HOW WE WANT TO BE,’ THE WEBSE STAT.10. WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE!LGBTI PEOPLE N GET A MYRIAD OF TATTOOS THAT REPRENT THEIR GENR INTY OR SEXUALY.JAM STANNAH SAID HE WANTED SOMETHG SUPER GAY SO HE GOT TWO TOM OF FLAND-SPIRED MEN KISSG.HE SAID: ‘I WANTED SOMETHG THAT WAS ACTUALLY SO OBVLY GAY AND A LTLE SHOCKG TO LOOK AT.‘[IT] IS SUCH AN OPEN DISPLAY OF SENTIALLY HOW PROUD I AM THAT I’M GAY.‘IT’S ALSO A B OF A FUCK YOU. I BASILLY AM NOW RTRICTED OM TAKG MY TOP OFF QUE A FEW UNTRI WORLDWI FOR FEAR OF ARRT. BUT ’S ALSO A B OF A MIDDLE FGER TO ALL OF THAT AS WELL,’ HE SAID.CANDICE ARMAH INTIFI AS NON-BARY AND SAW A TATTOO BY ARTIST JULIM ROSA ON SOCIAL MEDIA WH THE WORD ‘GENR’ A DISTORTED SIGN.ARMAH EXPLAED: ‘WARPED AND WAVY WORDS SEEMED TO F HOW I FELT AND STILL FEEL ABOUT THE GENR BARY. I WANTED MY OWN VERSN TO KEEP WH ME SO ASKED HER TO DRAW SOME MOCK-UPS.‘I LOVED THE RULT,’ THEY ADD.ALEXAVIER TAIGA WANTED SOMETHG SPECIAL AS A NOD TO HIS TRANS INTY. SO HE GOT A QUOTE OM CHRIS COLFER’S BOOK STCK BY LIGHTG.THE BOOK IS ABOUT A GUY WHO WANTS TO LEAVE HIS NSERVATIVE TOWN.TAIGA SAID: ‘I LOVE THE QUOTE BEE I E OM A NSERVATIVE SMALL TOWN. BUT HAS EXTRA MEANG FOR ME BEE I’M A TRANS GUY.‘I GOT THE TATTOO BEFORE G OUT TO ANYONE,’ HE SAID.HE’S CURRENTLY 12 MONTHS ON TTOSTERONE AND HE’LL GET THE OTHER HALF OF THE QUOTE AFTER HIS TOP SURGERY SOON.THE SEND HALF OF THE QUOTE IS ‘ONCE THERE WAS A BOY WHO FLEW’.ERIK LULILIAN WANTED TO FEATURE TRIANGL AND A BIRD TO SYMBOLIZE ‘EEDOM’ AND AS AN HOMAGE TO HIS QUEER INTY.HE SAID: ‘I THK TATTOOS THEIR OWN RIGHT ARE A KD OF RECLAMATN OF OUR BODI.‘SO MANY QUEER PEOPLE GREW UP HOEHOLDS [THAT] SENT MSAG THAT OUR BODI ARE NOT OUR OWN. IT TAK A LOT OF NER WORK TO UNDO THAT MDSET.‘MY TATTOOS, THAT WAY, ARE AN OUTWARD EXPRSN AND CELEBRATN OF MY LIBERATN,’ HE SAID.SEE ALSO
- 150+ MEANGFUL RABOW TATTOO DIGNS FOR MEN (2023) GAY PRI & HEARTS
THE SECRET GAY HISTORY OF TATTOOS AND THEIR HIDN MEANGSJAM BANVALLE·FOLLOW11 M READ·AUG 25, 2018--LISTENSHAREDID YOU KNOW RSIAN CRIMALS THE 1950S HAD A SECRET TATTOO TO INTIFY GAY PEOPLE?THE LGBTI MUNY HAS A LONG AND VARIED HISTORY WH TATTOOS.IN A TIME WHEN WAS ILLEGAL TO BE OUT AND PROUD WTERN CULTURE, MANY LGBTI PEOPLE GOT TATTOOS TO NVEY SECRET MSAG OR AS AN ACT OF FIANCE TO THORY.THE DAYS, TATTOOS AND LGBTI CULTURE GO HAND HAND AND ’S A TREND THAT’S ON THE RISE.BUT WHERE DID ALL BEG AND WHAT DO THE HIDN MEANGS SIGNIFY?‘BAD BOYS AND TOUGH TATTOOS’ACRDG TO FAMO GAY TATTOOIST SAMUEL STEWARD (ALSO KNOWN AS PHIL SPARROW), THE GAY MUNY PARTICULAR REALLY BEGAN EMBRACG TATTOOS THE 1950S.STEWARD WAS BORN 1909 AND LED MANY VARIED ROL LIFE, CLUDG A PROFSOR AT A ROMAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSY AND AN THOR OF GAY PULP FICTN.HE WAS ALSO THE OFFICIAL TATTOO ARTIST FOR THE MOTORCYCLE CLUB, THE HELLS ANGELS OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.STEWARD PUBLISHED HIS THOUGHTS ON GAY MEN GETTG TATTOOS HIS 1990 BOOK BAD BOYS & TOUGH TATTOOS: A SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE TATTOO WH GANGS, SAILORS, AND STREET-CORNER PUNKS.STEWARD SAID: ‘ONE CHANGE, HOWEVER, ME ABOUT THE HOMOSEXUAL ATTU TOWARDS TATTOOS AROUND 1954.’HE NTUED: ‘FOLLOWG THE NATNAL RELEASE OF THE MOVIE THE WILD ONE WH MARLON BRANDO; THE ORIGAL MOTORCYCLE FILM, SEEMED TO CRYSTALLIZE OR RELEASE, THE OBSCURE AND LONG-HIDN FEELGS OF MANY HOMOSEXUALS.’STEWARD BELIEV TATTOOS BEME A SYMBOL OF MASCULY FOR GAY MEN, CLOSELY TIED WH THE GAY LEATHER MUNY.HE SAID: ‘I WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE SUDN APPEARANCE OF SO MANY OF THE FIGUR… AS THE IMPULSE OF MANY HOMOSEXUALS TO BE NSIRED MORE MASCULE — BY THE ADDN OF A TATTOO — GREW STRONGER.’THERE ARE ALSO EXAMPL OF LBIANS THE 1940S AND 50S LERALLY WEARG THEIR SEXUALY ON THEIR SLEEVE BY GETTG A PARTICULAR TATTOO (BUT MORE ON THAT LATER).HERE ARE THE MOST MON LGBTI-SPIRED TATTOOS AND WHAT MEANS TO THE PEOPLE WHO GOT THEM.NOTE: IF SOMEONE HAS ONE OF THE TATTOOS, DO NOT MEAN THEY TOMATILLY INTIFY WH THE EXPLANATNS BELOW1. PK TRIANGLE TATTOOIN NAZI GERMANY THE MID-1940S, GAY PRISONERS NCENTRATN MPS WERE FORCED TO WEARG PK TRIANGL AS A BADGE OF SHAME.IN FACT, ONE SCHOLAR SAYS THE GAY PRISONERS WERE THE ‘LOWT OF THE LOW’ THE HIERARCHY OF THE NCENTRATN MPS.NAZIS TORTURED THE GAY PRISONERS BY STRATG SOME OF THEM AND SODOMIZG THEM WH EMS LIKE BROOMSTICKS. THEY ALSO PERFORMED DANGERO EXPERIMENTS ON THEM TO FD CUR FOR TYPH FEVER AND HOMOSEXUALY.ACRDG TO TIMATNS, BETWEEN 5,000 AND 15,000 GAY PEOPLE DIED GERMAN NCENTRATN MPS.WHEN EYE WNS ACUNTS AND PERSONAL TTIMONI EMERGED SEVERAL S LATER, LGBTI ACTIVISTS BEGAN RECLAIMG THE SYMBOL.THE EARLIT ACUNTS AMERI DATE BACK TO 1977, WHERE LGBTI ACTIVISTS MIAMI PNED PK TRIANGL TO THEIR CLOTH TO PROTT HOG DISCRIMATN.IN THE EARLY 80S, ANIZATN ACT-UP ED THE PK TRIANGLE TO TRY TO RAISE AWARENS THE MIDST OF THE AIDS CRISIS.INSTEAD OF G THE UPSI DOWN TRIANGLE — AS THE NAZIS DID — ACTIVIST AVRAM FKELSTE ME UP WH G THE RIGHT WAY UP.THE ANIZATN ED ARGUABLY S MOST FAMO MPAIGN POSTER: SILENCE = DEATH.SCE THEN, ACTIVISTS HAVE ED THE SYMBOL VAR MPAIGNS SCE, CLUDG PROTTS LAST YEAR OVER NCENTRATN MPS CHECHNYA.THE SYMBOL WENT OM BEG A BADGE OF SHAME, TO A SYMBOL OF PRI.HOW LGBTI PEOPLE RECLAIMED THE PK TRIANGLEMANY LGBTI PEOPLE NOW PROUDLY SHOW OFF THEIR TATTOO PK TRIANGL.‘I GOT AFTER THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB SHOOTG FLORIDA,’ NICK MCGLYNN TOLD GAY STAR NEWS. ‘AT THE TIME, REALLY BROUGHT HOME THE PHYSIL VLENCE THAT’S STILL DIRECTED AT QUEER PEOPLE.‘I WAS ANGRY AND I WANTED TO HAVE MY QUEERNS PERMANENTLY WRTEN ON MY BODY AS A “FUCK YOU” TO THE FEAR OF BEG VISIBLY QUEER PUBLIC,’ HE SAID.MCGLYNN IS A TEACHER AND SAYS HIS PK TRIANGLE TATTOO ISN’T AS OBVLY GAY AS A RABOW FLAG, SO HIS STUNTS OFTEN ASK HIM ABOUT .‘IT GIV ME AN OPPORTUNY TO SAY OUT LOUD PUBLIC THAT I’M A GAY MAN,’ HE SAID.GREG BAILLIE GOT HIS PK TRIANGLE TATTOO ON HIS WRIST SO HE N HI UNR HIS WATCH IF HE EVER FEELS UNSAFE.HE SAID: ‘I GOT TO FEEL LIKE PART OF A MUNY WHILST REMEMBERG THE HORROR THAT HAD BEFTED SOME THAT HAD WENT BEFORE.JEFF INGOLD WANTED TO MAKE HIS TRIANGLE TATTOO SPECIAL SO HE GOT A TRIANGLE OUTLE, WH THE DATE HE ME OUT THE MIDDLE.HE SAID: ‘I GOT THIS TATTOO TO REMEMBER ALL THOSE WHO ME BEFORE ME, WHO FOUGHT AND DIED FOR OUR RIGHTS AND ALSO, TO PLACE MYSELF THAT HISTORY.’INGOLD NTUED: ‘ALONG WH THAT, MY DAD ONCE TOLD ME HE WISHED I DIDN’T WEAR MY SEXUALY ON MY SLEEVE SO MUCH.’SO HE GOT ON HIS ARM FIANCE.‘THIS IS WHO I AM, THIS IS MY HISTORY AND I WON’T BE ASHAMED OF SHOWG OFF,’ HE ADD.BISEXUAL PEOPLE ALSO HAVE A VERSN OF THE PK TRIANGLE WH A BLUE TRIANGLE LKED.2. NTIL STAR TATTOOIN THE LATE 1940S AND 50S, SOME LBIANS GOT A NTIL STAR TATTOOED ON THEIR WRIST AS A SIGNAL TO OTHER LBIANS.MALE D. DAVIS AND ELIZABETH LAPOVSKY KENNEDY’S 1993 BOOK BOOTS OF LEATHER, SLIPPERS OF GOLD: THE HISTORY OF A LBIAN COMMUNY EXPLAS THE PHENOMENON.THEY EXPLAED: ‘THE CULTURAL PH TO BE INTIFIED AS LBIANS — OR AT LEAST DIFFERENT — ALL THE TIME WAS SO POWERFUL THAT GENERATED A NEW FORM OF INTIFITN AMONG THE TOUGH BAR LBIANS: A STAR TATTOO ON THE TOP OF THE WRIST, WHICH WAS UALLY VERED BY A WATCH.‘THIS WAS THE FIRST SYMBOL OF MUNY INTY THAT DID NOT RELY ON BUTCH-FEM IMAGERY,’ THEY WROTE.KENNEDY AND DAVIS ALSO SAID THE LOL POLICE BUFFALO, NEW YORK KNEW ABOUT THE PRACTISE, SO WAS VERY RISKY.POLICE HAD A LIST OF NAM OF KNOWN LBIANS. FOR THIS REASON, THE TATTOO WAS ALWAYS ON THE WRIST WHERE ULD HI BEHD A WRISTWATCH.THE NTIL STAR IS NOW HUGELY POPULAR AMONG LGBTI PEOPLE, CLUDG A LOT OF GAY PORN STARS.AS WELL AS BEG A MON TATTOO FOR SAILORS ( SYMBOLIZ SAILORS TRYG TO FD THEIR WAY HOME), THE NTIL STAR ALSO POTS TO PROSTUTN SOME CIRCL.3. SRPN/BHAZARD TATTOOIN 2011, CNN PUBLISHED A PIECE OM A GAY MAN WHO IS HIV+.IN THE PIECE, MICHAEL LEE HOWARD SAYS HE GOT THE BHAZARD SYMBOL ON HIS RIGHT ARM AND THE RADIATN SYMBOL ON HIS LEFT TO DITE THAT HE’S LIVG WH HIV.AFTER HIS DIAGNOSIS 2005, HOWARD SAID HE GOT THE TATTOOS TO HELP HIM ON HIS JOURNEY OF SELF-ACCEPTANCE.HE SAID: ‘IT’S A BRANDG OF WHO I AM, AND ’S A BRANDG OF BEG FORTABLE WH THAT, BEG FORTABLE WH WHO I AM.’ANOTHER TATTOO LISTED THE ARTICLE AS A SIGNIFIER FOR SOMEONE LIVG WH HIV IS THE SRPN. THIS ONE IS MORE TRICKY BEE THE SRPN TATTOO IS ALSO CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WH ASTROLOGY.GAY MAN WILLIAM CONLEY SAID HE ALSO KNOWS 45–60 OTHERS WHO GOT THE BHAZARD AND SRPN SYMBOLS TATTOOED ON THEIR BODY.IN RPONSE TO THE ARTICLE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF GMFA MATTHEW HODSON WARNED WAS ONLY A SMALL MORY OF GAY MEN GETTG THE TATTOOS.HE SAID: ‘THE PROBLEM WH ANY D REFERENCE TO HIV STAT IS THAT MAY NOT BE UNIVERSALLY UNRSTOOD, SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE A GREAT BIG B-HAZARD TATTOO ACROSS YOUR BUTT-CHEEKS, DON’T NECSARILY MEAN THAT EVERYONE YOU HAVE SEX WH IS GOG TO UNRSTAND WHAT MEANS.‘MOST PEOPLE WH HIV DON’T TELL ALL OF THEIR SEXUAL PARTNERS.‘AND ALTHOUGH SOME GAY MEN CHOOSE TO K THEIR STAT, FIERCE AND UNAPOLOGETIC, ON THEIR SK, THE MAJORY OF DON’T,’ HE SAID.4. ARM BAND TATTOOWHILE SOME PEOPLE MIGHT JT LIKE THE LOOK OF ARM BAND TATTOOS, OTHERS GET THEM TO LET THE WORLD KNOW THEY ENJOY ANAL FISTG.ALEXIS GARCIA TOLD GAY STAR NEWS HE GOT HIS DOUBLE ARM BAND TATTOO ‘TO STAND FOR EQUALY’.HE HAD NO IA ABOUT THE DOUBLE MEANG BEHD THE TATTOO BUT SAID: ‘IT’S IMPORTANT TO ME AS MEANS EQUALY.’KIERAN EVANS SAID HE ALSO DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE DOUBLE MEANG UNTIL AFTER HE GOT DONE. HE HAS MULTIPLE BANDS ON HIS ARM TO REPRENT A MEMBER OF HIS FAY.HE SAID: ‘WHEN I WALK TO A ROOM OF GAYS WEARG A SHORT SLEEVED SHIRT, ONE OF TWO THGS GO THROUGH MY HEAD; I’M EHER LOOKG CUTE AS HELL OR THEY THK I LIKE TO GET MY HANDS DIRTY.’HE’S ACTUALLY HAD GAY MEN ASK HIM ABOUT THE DOUBLE MEANG BEFORE.EVANS SAID: ‘THIS ONE TIME AT A HOOKUP, THE GUY ASKED IF I DID PORN. A FEW YEARS LATER, I THEN REALISED WHY HE ASKED BEE A LOT OF PORN STARTS HAVE BAND TATTOOS AS WELL.’SOME PEOPLE MIGHT ALSO GET THIS TATTOO TO SYMBOLIZE THE EQUALS SIGN.5. EY TATTOORSIAN CRIMAL TATTOOS HAVE A LONG LIST OF HIDN MEANGS.IN SOVIET UNN PRISONS, THERE WAS A STRONG CULTURE OF TATTOOS BEG ED TO DITE A PERSON’S CRIMAL REER AND RANK. IT DIFFERENTIATED WHO WERE CRIMAL EL AND WHO WERE POLIL PRISONERS.THE PRACTICE STARTED AROUND 1930, GREW TO PROMENCE THE 50S AND DIED DOWN BY THE 80S.SOME PROMENT SYMBOLS CLU STAR TATTOOS (DITG THORY), SKULL (DITG MURR), CROSS (A TRADNAL ‘THIEV CROSS’) AND BELLS (DITG A LONG SENTENCE WH NO CHANCE OF EARLY RELEASE).BUT THERE ARE SOME GAY SYMBOLS TOO, LIKE THE EY TATTOO. WHEN TATTOOED ON THE LOWER STOMACH, MEANS THE PERSON IS GAY. THE PENIS SYMBOLIZ A NOSE, WH THE TWO EY ABOVE WATCHG.MOST OF THE TATTOOS SYMBOLIZG BEG GAY WERE FORCED ONTO PEOPLE AS A WAY TO SHAME THEM.FOR EXAMPLE, A SNAKE ENTWED WH A WOMAN DIT A ‘PASSIVE HOMOSEXUAL’ — PECIALLY TATTOOED ON THE BACK.BETY MARKS BENEATH THE EY ALSO DITE A ‘PASSIVE HOMOSEXUAL’, AS WELL AS RED SUS RDS (DIAMONDS OR HEARTS) ON A PRISONER’S BACK.6. EQUALS SIGN TATTOOTHIS ONE’S FAIRLY SELF-EXPLANATORY BUT ’S WORTH MENTNG.THE RED EQUALS SIGN ROSE TO PROMENCE 2013 WHEN THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN ED TO URGE PEOPLE TO SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALY THE UNED STAT.A SEA OF THE EQUALS SIGNS FLOOD SOCIAL MEDIA AND EFFECTIVELY GOT THE NVERSATN FLOWG ABOUT LGBTI RIGHTS.AS A RULT, MANY PEOPLE GOT LTLE PARALLEL LE TATTOOS ON THEIR BODY TO SYMBOLIZE EQUALY.SARAH EBA TOLD GAY STAR NEWS: ‘I GOT TWO YEARS AGO RIGHT AFTER I ME OUT TO MY GRANDMA AND SHE DIDN’T APPROVE BEE SHE DIDN’T THK EQUALY FOR GAYS SHOULD BE THE SAME FOR STRAIGHT PEOPLE.‘IT PISSED ME OFF SO I GOT THE TATTOO AND SHOWED HER. BUT NOW I LOVE AND REMDS ME OF WHO I AM EVERY TIME I SEE ,’ SHE SAID.JAM BAKER SAID HE GOT HIS EQUALS SIGN TATTOO A FEW YEARS BACK, BUT WANTED THE UPSI TRIANGLE TOO.HE EXPLAED: ‘I’M NOT SOMEONE WHO YOU WOULD STANTLY REGNISE AS LGBTI.‘GOG THROUGH UNIVERSY AND NOW PLAYG FOR A GAY FOOTBALL TEAM LONDON, I WANTED TO SHOW THAT I WAS PROUD AFTER NOT BEG NFINT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER,’ HE SAID.DURG THE 1960S, LBIAN FEMISTS ADOPTED THE LABRYS TATTOO AS A SYMBOL OF STRENGTH AND PENNCE.THE LABRYS, OR DOUBLE-BLAD BATTLE AXE, IS ASSOCIATED WH ANCIENT MATRIARCHAL SOCIETI, THE AMAZONS AND THE GREEK GODSS DEMETER.IN THE MOAN CIVILIZATN (LASTG OM AROUND 3,000 TO 1,100 BCE), THE SOCIETY AT THE TIME WAS PREDOMATELY MATRIARCHAL.THEIR RELIGN CENTERED AROUND A BARE-BREASTED GREAT GODSS WHO IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN A PROTECTOR OF WOMEN.THIS GODSS IS OFTEN PORTRAYED AS HOLDG SNAK HER HANDS — A SYMBOL OF FERTILY AND AGRICULTURE — AND SURROUND BY FEMALE WORSHIPPERS WH DOUBLE AX.IT REPRENTS A SYMBOL OF POWER.THE SYMBOL SOMETIM APPEARS AGAST A VLET BACKGROUND (A MONLY ACKNOWLEDGED SAPPHIC LOR) AND AN UPSI DOWN TRIANGLE.IN KYRGYZSTAN, THERE’S EVEN AN LGBTI RIGHTS ANIZATN LLED LABRYS.UNFORTUNATELY SOME TRANS-EXCLNARY RADIL FEMISTS (TERFS) HAVE -OPTED THE SYMBOL RECENT YEARS.8. LAMBDA TATTOOLAMBDA IS THE 11TH LETTER OF THE GREEK ALPHABET.THE GAY ACTIVIST ALLIANCE SELECTED THE SYMBOL TO REPRENT THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT 1970. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TERPRETATNS OF THE SYMBOL, CLUDG STANDG FOR ‘LIBERATN’. IT’S ALSO THE PHYSICS SYMBOL FOR ENERGY.ALAN MEGGS GOT HIS LAMBDA TATTOO THE EARLY 90S AT FRH ST TATTOOS LONDON.HE GOT BEE HE WANTED ‘SOMETHG LS EASILY REGNIZABLE THAN THE PK TRIANGLE SO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO ASK ME ABOUT .’MEGGS TOLD GAY STAR NEWS: ‘IT FEELS MORE POLIL — LS MASTREAM. MY OWN LTLE ACT OF REBELLN.‘IT REMDS ME OF OUR PAST AND THE BATTL THAT HAVE BEEN WON TO BE ACCEPTED TO MASTREAM SOCIETY. AND REMDS ME WE STILL HAVE A FAIR WAY TO GO.‘WE SHOULD NTUE TO WALK THE FOOTPRTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO FOUGHT THE LAWS AND PREJUDIC OF THE LATE 60S AND EARLY 70S AND NO BE PLACENT. IT’S PART OF MY GAY HISTORY,’ HE SAID.9. CIRCLE TATTOOSOME TERSEX PEOPLE MAY PROUDLY GET A CIRCLE TATTOO.ORGANISATN INTERSEX INTERNATNAL (OII) ATRALIA CREATED THE TERSEX PRI FLAG 2013. THE YELLOW BACKGROUND AND PURPLE CIRCLE REPRENT ‘HERMAPHRODE’ LORS.ACRDG TO THE WEBSE: ‘THE CIRCLE IS UNBROKEN AND UNORNAMENTED, SYMBOLIZG WHOLENS AND PLETENS.‘WE ARE STILL FIGHTG FOR BODILY TONOMY AND GENAL TEGRY, AND THIS SYMBOLIZ THE RIGHT TO BE WHO AND HOW WE WANT TO BE,’ THE WEBSE STAT.10. WHATEVER YOU WANT TO BE!LGBTI PEOPLE N GET A MYRIAD OF TATTOOS THAT REPRENT THEIR GENR INTY OR SEXUALY.JAM STANNAH SAID HE WANTED SOMETHG SUPER GAY SO HE GOT TWO TOM OF FLAND-SPIRED MEN KISSG.HE SAID: ‘I WANTED SOMETHG THAT WAS ACTUALLY SO OBVLY GAY AND A LTLE SHOCKG TO LOOK AT.‘[IT] IS SUCH AN OPEN DISPLAY OF SENTIALLY HOW PROUD I AM THAT I’M GAY.‘IT’S ALSO A B OF A FUCK YOU. I BASILLY AM NOW RTRICTED OM TAKG MY TOP OFF QUE A FEW UNTRI WORLDWI FOR FEAR OF ARRT. BUT ’S ALSO A B OF A MIDDLE FGER TO ALL OF THAT AS WELL,’ HE SAID.CANDICE ARMAH INTIFI AS NON-BARY AND SAW A TATTOO BY ARTIST JULIM ROSA ON SOCIAL MEDIA WH THE WORD ‘GENR’ A DISTORTED SIGN.ARMAH EXPLAED: ‘WARPED AND WAVY WORDS SEEMED TO F HOW I FELT AND STILL FEEL ABOUT THE GENR BARY. I WANTED MY OWN VERSN TO KEEP WH ME SO ASKED HER TO DRAW SOME MOCK-UPS.‘I LOVED THE RULT,’ THEY ADD.ALEXAVIER TAIGA WANTED SOMETHG SPECIAL AS A NOD TO HIS TRANS INTY. SO HE GOT A QUOTE OM CHRIS COLFER’S BOOK STCK BY LIGHTG.THE BOOK IS ABOUT A GUY WHO WANTS TO LEAVE HIS NSERVATIVE TOWN.TAIGA SAID: ‘I LOVE THE QUOTE BEE I E OM A NSERVATIVE SMALL TOWN. BUT HAS EXTRA MEANG FOR ME BEE I’M A TRANS GUY.‘I GOT THE TATTOO BEFORE G OUT TO ANYONE,’ HE SAID.HE’S CURRENTLY 12 MONTHS ON TTOSTERONE AND HE’LL GET THE OTHER HALF OF THE QUOTE AFTER HIS TOP SURGERY SOON.THE SEND HALF OF THE QUOTE IS ‘ONCE THERE WAS A BOY WHO FLEW’.ERIK LULILIAN WANTED TO FEATURE TRIANGL AND A BIRD TO SYMBOLIZE ‘EEDOM’ AND AS AN HOMAGE TO HIS QUEER INTY.HE SAID: ‘I THK TATTOOS THEIR OWN RIGHT ARE A KD OF RECLAMATN OF OUR BODI.‘SO MANY QUEER PEOPLE GREW UP HOEHOLDS [THAT] SENT MSAG THAT OUR BODI ARE NOT OUR OWN. IT TAK A LOT OF NER WORK TO UNDO THAT MDSET.‘MY TATTOOS, THAT WAY, ARE AN OUTWARD EXPRSN AND CELEBRATN OF MY LIBERATN,’ HE SAID.SEE ALSO
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