Anti-gay Twitter hashtag hijacked by wit
A virulently anti-gay Twitter feed--@LGBTfacts--uses the hashtag #LGBTFacts to spread its word. However, those with a different perspective decide to offer their own thoughts to the same hashtag.
Twitter encourages self-expression and prides itself on not censoring that self-expression.
There are many sorts of selves in the world. So who would be surprised that there appeared a Twitter feed called @LGBTfacts, whose intention is to offer, well, facts about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community?
Because Twitter feeds are also subjective, you might wonder about the definition of the "facts" part of this feed.
For example: "Pedophile priests in the Church are closet liberal homosexuals acting out fantasy & trying to tarnish Church's rep #LGBTfacts #lgbt #ssm."
Here's another: "In fact, AIDS in America originated in a small group of homosexual men in San Francisco, LA & NY. #LGBTfacts #lgbt #ssm #no4m #p2 #tcot."
It so happens that, astoundingly, certain members of the Twitter community happened upon this feed. Within an instant of cogitation, they seem to have decided to offer some more facts to the #LGBTfacts hashtag.
Take this, from Mike Stuchbery: "When cornered, the male homosexual can shoot glitter into the eyes of an attacker to blind them. #LGBTfacts #lgbt #ssm #no4m #tcot #p2."
Or this from Bex Bellingham: "#LGBTfacts Lesbians are awarded a Black and Decker power tool by @TheEllenShow for every 5 straight women they convert."
One of my own favorites was this from Queerpup: "Lesbians aren't allowed to go to school parent's evenings because they eat the pasta from the kid's art display. #lgbtfacts."
Such largely witty tweets seem to have rather swamped #LGBTfacts. So much so that the folks at @LGBTfacts seem to be in something of a pink tizzy.
Indeed, they appear to be accusing their opposition of hashtag hacking. I am not aware that anything one might have previously termed hacking was happening here.
I am not aware that anyone has done anything technologically illegal. However, @LGBTfacts tweeted: "The #Gaystapo now hacking anyone who dares speak out against Pseudo homosexual "marriage". #LGBTfacts #lgbt #ssm #no4m #tcot #p2."
Perhaps hardened by its online lobbying success against SOPA, some tweeters are even offering a technological allusions to the fight against @LGBTfacts.
One tweet reads: "Updates to the Homosexual Agenda are communicated via a sophisticated code hidden in haute couture displayed during fashion week."
Every day, the Web is full of vile bile. It often incites more vile bile in return. Yet here sane and sanguine people are showing there is a different way to neutralize the bile, largely with sheer wit. It is a model that many might choose to follow.
I leave you with the neutralizing words of #LGBT tweeter Shawn Connolly: "So apparently @lgbtfacts says the people mocking them are the #Gaystapo. Can I join the Gaystapo? I bet the uniforms are HOT #lgbtfacts."