real Proud Boys ....

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/10/05/proudboys-twitter-lgbtq...

The Proud Boys were emboldened by Trump’s words. Then, LGBTQ couples reclaimed the group’s hashtag.

Noah Reed, left, posted a series of pictures with his fiance, Derek Ivie, on Twitter using the hashtag #ProudBoys. (Courtesy of Noah Reed)

By

Jaclyn Peiser

Oct. 5, 2020 at 6:01 a.m. EDT

At last week’s presidential debate, President Trump refused to condemn white supremacists and far-right groups like the Proud Boys, an organization that has been known to incite violence.

The president’s comment telling the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” provided a boost to the group on social media, emboldening its members to use Trump’s words as a rallying cry. Two days later, amid rising outrage, Trump denounced the group.

But then actor and activist George Takei suggested a clever comeback — a way to drown out the hate on social media and replace it with something, well, gay.

“What if gay guys took pictures of themselves making out with each other or doing very gay things, then tagged themselves with #ProudBoys. I bet it would mess them up real bad. #ReclaimingMyShine,” Takei, who is gay, tweeted on Thursday.

The call to action went viral over the weekend, with thousands adopting the hashtag and posting images and messages of love and support — all with the intent to take over a moniker linked to hate.