The trope that I chose for this assignment is the usage of the rainbow to represent gay pride for the LGBTQ+ community. While the rainbow flag is a common trope that represents gay pride, the rainbow colors itself have created its own trope that can be translated into gay rights and gay pride.

The first example of this trope is a TIME magazine cover illustrated by Oliver Munday in 2016. The cover depicts six rolls of toilet paper in the colors of the rainbow. Even without reading the article, most readers can assume that it is about the LGBTQ+ community because of the rainbow colors as a trope. With the title being ‘Battle of the Bathroom’, it shows readers that the article is about transgender rights when it comes to which bathroom he or she is most comfortable and prefers to use. The usage of the different colors of toilet paper rolls helps relate the photo illustration to what the article is about while using a common trope that grabs the reader’s attention and shows that it is about the LGBTQ+ community.

 

The second example of the rainbow as a trope is illustrated in this gay pride poster recently created by KIKIANDNIM. The rainbow itself represents LGBTQ+ community because of the trope itself. In addition, the word “pridetone” is a play on Pantone Color, famously known for its Pantone Matching System. The “15” represents the year that same-sex marriage was declared as a consitutional right. The “2020” represents the year that the US Supreme Court extended job protections to the LGBTQ+ community. Lastly, the phrase “love is love” is often coined by allies or members of the community to show that no matter if love is between a man and a woman, two women, or two men, it is love and should be accepted. Without the usage of the rainbow as a trope, people would not be able to fastly understand what the poster represents without reading it. 

 

 

The last example that I chose was Levi’s 2018 Pride Campaign video. I chose this because worldwide famous brands and companies have shown their support for gay rights and the LGBTQ+ community throughout the years. In the opening scene, a gay pride rainbow flag is flying with the Levi’s logo shows in rainbow colors instead of its original red. Without knowing the purpose or title of the video, the audience is able to determine that this video is showing support for gay rights because of the rainbow trope used. Throughout the video, seven individuals share their stories about love and acceptance. While each individual is talking, there are hints of the rainbow being shown, whether it is painted on a jean jacket or a banner hanging up in the background. With the small additions of the rainbow, it allows the audience to really understand and interpret the meaning of the video. 

The rainbow being used as a trope to represent gay pride and the LGBTQ+ community is commonly used and widely known. This trope shows meaning and can be easily spotted and known for what the meaning behind it actually is.

 

References:

TIME Magazine cover: https://time.com/magazine/us/4341384/may-30th-2016-vol-187-no-20-u-s/ 

Pride Poster: https://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/813079796/pride-print-lgbtq-poster-pride-printable 

Levi’s Pride: 2018 Campaign Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw-8wie7trI