From: mlloyd@westmark.Stanford.EDU (Mike Lloyd)
Subject: Re: My first Triangle
Organization: DSO, Stanford University
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 92 17:40:26 GMT

lorico@boomboom.Eng.Sun.COM (Lori Cotton) writes:
: I remember when I bought my first pink triangle. 

As do I.  My infamously poor memory is aided by the fact that it was
only a few weeks ago.  Even then, it's one of the slightly less
obvious ones: oDen of those pink triangular clasps for a bolo, with
raised rainbow stripes.  Got it in a leather shop on SF.

: It's an earring and I wear it all of the time.  Here at work I
: get the "nice earring" with a wink, then I get the "nice earring, do you know
: what that means?"  I also wear a button when Stacy and I go out that says
: "I'm with her" on top of a pink triangle.

Neat :-)  I've worn the bolo while lecturing, without comment.  I wear
freedom rings(*) almost all the time - there are some hanging from my
bumbag as I sit here.  These too usually attract no comment.  However,
the reason I'm writing this is that the one time I *did* get comment,
I think I bungled my reply pretty badly, and would like comment/advice.
It happened in an airport shop; the place was empty, and I was in a
slight rush.  (I was also not keen to talk - mouth ulcers are a
strong disincentive.)  The person behind the counter said she'd
seen some of the rings before, but wanted to know what they meant,
as she thought they were very pretty.  I considered what to say,
and felt "they mean you have unconventional sexual proclivities"
would not get the idea across.  I said "They mean you're gay",
and I felt pretty bad saying it.  I don't identify as gay, despite
strong support for The Cause (after all, it's largely the same one).
I know leatherfolk who would probably feel even more excluded by my
definition.  Still, I couldn't think of a way to say it which got as
much of the idea through.  We exchanged a few more words (she reacted
positively) and then I had to move on.  What *should* I have said?

(*) For those who havent come across them, they are 6 rings in 
rainbow colours; I wear mine hanging on a necklace most of the time.  I
don't know the origins (anyone?) but I really love the inclusivity of
the rainbow image.  Whatever it's supposed to mean, I wear it to mean
I'm queer, in the broadest of senses.  Could be that I'm gay, could be
that I'm bi, could be that I'm into BDSM.  What it certainly *does* mean
(for me) is "get your attitudes out of my sex life", except phrased
rather more softly.

[Another trivial question: 6 colours.  Newton's observation of 7 has
been claimed to be rot on the basis of his desire to see "holy" numbers
everywhere he looked, but it's still traditional.  {Yeesh - I'm
rubbishing those Dead White European Men again!  Oh no!}  Why 6 in the
rings?  Could it be that they skipped Blue?  One of the BIV end of
ROYGBIV is not there, and missing Blue has neat overtones in British
social politics - the colour Maggie always wore :-)  My colourblindness
means I can't tell which one is gone]

: Oh and *hugs* *flirt* *snuggle* to all ;^)

Oooh, and oodles of them right back atcha!

Mike, who had been hoping this would be a short post :-/
-- 
Mike Lloyd, B0/1 h- f- t w- c g+ k+ s m- e? |"Bloody nose and burning eyes
      Retro-hippy, music nut, bi and        | Raised in laughter to the skies"
          backrubber of devotion            |     - Bruce Cockburn
 ....."I suffer from internalized homophonophobia"....."Their, they're".....