Last week (or 100 years ago, hard to tell) President Donald Trump refused to condemn the Proud Boys during the presidential debate, instead telling the group to “stand back and stand by.” This high profile shout-out from their leader has only encouraged the far-right hate group, who the Anti-Defamation League has categorized as “violent, nationalistic, Islamophobic, transphobic and misogynistic.”

In an effort to mock and disarm the Proud Boys, actor and activist George Takei tweeted, “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”.

I wonder if the BTS and TikTok kids can help LGBTs with this. 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

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 1, 2020

The online gay community quickly sprang into action, flooding the timeline with heartwarming images of gay love from across the globe:

We're Proud and we're Boys and Nazi cowards can fuck right the fuck off. #ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/pOTpcJe7WZ

— Sam J. Miller (@sentencebender) October 4, 2020

Look at these cute lil #ProudBoys (#retweet and make this hashtag about love, not hate) pic.twitter.com/AddflCUMpi

— Bobby Berk (@bobbyberk) October 4, 2020

My husband and I have been together 30 years. We are:#ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/Fccr6sFD0k

— Mark Fish (@SMarkfish) October 4, 2020

Reclaiming the hashtag #ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/OyeTIvftiy

— TURN TEXAS BLUE (@Blue_Texas2020) October 3, 2020

Gay twitter taking over #ProudBoys is the best thing about this weekend and exactly why I love my #LGBTQIA people so hard! 🌈🙌🏽❤️❤️ https://t.co/vmqN8NwF5b

— Melissa Fumero (@melissafumero) October 4, 2020

If you wear our uniform, know what it means.

If you’re thinking about wearing our uniform, know what it means.

Love is love.
Know what we mean? 🇨🇦🏳️‍🌈

— Canadian Forces in 🇺🇸 (@CAFinUS) October 4, 2020

Taking over #ProudBoys https://t.co/d2bHLmCEtc pic.twitter.com/sTWXDRcY7F

— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) October 4, 2020

We grew up in a time when gay men had no rights, when newspapers called us poofs, when police didn’t investigate when we were murdered.
So now we hold hands in the street, kiss in public and got engaged on top of a fucking mountain in Rio. Because we’re the real #ProudBoys pic.twitter.com/u8w2S0EqLJ

— Patrick Strudwick (@PatrickStrud) October 4, 2020

The hashtag has now been completely taken over by the gays, sharing heartwarming stories, rallying cries, and the sweetest photos. It’s a welcome respite from the constant noise from the right-wing hate group, and a masterful trolling of of those insecure manbabies. Matt Dechaine, who tweeted a photo of himself and his husband, told CNN “Seeing the hashtag was so uplifting, … It feels like the movement for positive change for all is gathering momentum all the time and I’m glad to be a small part of it. By coming together rooted in respect and love for each other, the world can be so much better!”

The reclaiming of #ProudBoys is wonderful. Here’s me and my husband. Together for 20 years and married for 3. Both very proud boys. pic.twitter.com/U2Dj95wpxy

— Matt Dechaine 👂 (@mattdechaine) October 4, 2020

These tweets are a welcome respite from the exhausting, demoralizing news cycle that is 2020. Even amidst all the bad stuff going on, it’s nice to remember that we can in fact still have nice things. Well done, George!

#ProudBoys hashtag has been hijacked by gay men and it’s amazing. 🤣🏳️‍🌈

— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) October 4, 2020

(via CNN, featured image: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

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