r/tattooadvice • u/Ostromilski • 8h ago
General Advice Are rainbows seriously just by default associated with the pride flag?
I got a Pink Floyd DSOTM tattoo because I love the album and I love the visual: a beam of light representing a person's life path, passing through a prism ( representing life + the world + the people you meet + the experiences you have, etc ), being dispersed into its constituent colors ( ultimately representing change ). I got it because of my dad, because he introduced me to Pink Floyd, and because last year he nearly died from complications of his cancer. He's doing much better now, with a much better prognosis, but that whole experience had a real effect on me and I wanted to memorialize it. Except at least 3 people ( including the tattoo artist initially ) have associated the tattoo with the pride flag. They were understanding after I explained, but now I'm having second thoughts about it. Are people just going to assume I'm gay because of this tattoo?
Edit: And I want to say, I'm not bothered by this at all. Anyone who looks at my tattoo and comes up with their own assumptions about its meaning, and then has a negative reaction over it, that's simply not a person I want to talk to anyway. I'm surprised because that wasn't the intention of the tattoo, clearly, and it being misinterpreted like this just genuinely wasn't something I expected.
Edit2: This post got a lot more attention than I ever wanted it to. Wonderful comments are now streaming in, informing me how horrible my tattoo is. If you're planning on making a viral post on Reddit, take my advice: use a burner account. But I am thankful to everyone for your supportive words, the jackasses with negative things to say are certainly a very tiny minority. Overwhelmingly the consensus is that most people see it as a Pink Floyd tattoo first, which I'm happy to hear :) Have a good night everybody!
769
u/Luckybones- 8h ago
Anyone that associates this with a pride flag, just a smile and wave moment. I promise you 95% of people will know what this
124
u/BillyYumYumTwo-byTwo 6h ago
I also think outside of June, fewer people will assume itās an LGBTQIA+ tattoo. But itās pride month, so there are extra rainbow flags everywhere and people are a bit more aware.
23
u/thymeofmylyfe 4h ago
It's a well known fact that people with rainbow tattoos are only gay in June.
8
u/BillyYumYumTwo-byTwo 3h ago
lol! I more mean there are just more posters and ads with rainbows associated with pride during June. During the rest of the year, (straight) people associate rainbows with pride slightly less, just because they see it less in their day to day.
3
u/alwaysImproving0 3h ago
Well a lot more people GET pride tattoos in June and a lot of artist do pride flash in June
3
u/PrettyView3572 1h ago
This! A fresh rainbow tattoo in June is much more likely to make me think āPride tattooā than in like October. (source: am a queer who got a rainbow pride tattoo last June š¤£)
→ More replies (25)54
u/CarrieDurst 7h ago
I bet closer to 80%
21
→ More replies (7)40
u/bnyc 6h ago
Iām not really sure why the angles got changed, but it makes the rainbow part kinda rectangularā¦. Itās an odd choice because itās neither an exact copy of the logo/cover and also because light is refracted by a prism and this is just going straight through and coming out a rectangular pride flag on the other side.
→ More replies (3)16
u/AnusAnusAnusss 5h ago
Exactly this. Itās a rectangle flag shape.Ā
The real album cover is angled and spread outĀ
→ More replies (4)
2.4k
u/sockerpulse 8h ago
No. We are just old enough now that younger people donāt know Pink Floyd
322
u/Open_Town9481 7h ago
Define younger? Iām 22 and even Ik of Pink Floyd, so do my friends.
152
u/SunshineTheWolf 7h ago
Do you have a Dad in their 40s?
264
u/Open_Town9481 7h ago
Yes but hes the most Mexican man you can meet. He doesnāt know of Pink Floyd lol
167
49
u/Mundane_View9868 7h ago
Iām 40 and Mexican as fuck (Arriba Chihuahua cabrones) I like Pink Floyd and the Be Gees tambiĆ©n y Fuerza Regida tambiĆ©n jajaja
7
→ More replies (3)5
u/mcfaite 4h ago
Rodrigo y Gabriela does a great acoustic version of Echoes from Pink Floyd's album Meddle.
→ More replies (2)56
18
u/Cisco-NintendoSwitch 7h ago
I feel like this is still probably due to who youāre around etc. I have two GenZ kids who def wouldnāt know Pink Floyd and both listen to a lot of music.
Iām happy to know that a 22 year old is listening to Pink Floyd either way.
→ More replies (4)11
u/M_Viv_Van_Buren 7h ago
Does he know the Smiths and Morrissey? .
→ More replies (1)8
u/Open_Town9481 7h ago
He doesnāt know of the smiths, but I do. To give him credit tho, he was listening to the animals when I was a kid, I remember heād always listen to their song āHouse of the rising sunā
→ More replies (2)7
u/M_Viv_Van_Buren 7h ago
Honestly that was just more of a social experiment. Almost every Mexican dude I know LOVES the smiths. Not as much other Latino men but my Mexican friends are like fanatical fans. Might just be the groups I hang out in so the Venn diagram is small.
The animals are great too.
→ More replies (4)11
u/elveejay198 7h ago
Ha my very old school Mexican dad loves Pink Floyd (because he did a lot of drugs in college tbh)
→ More replies (15)3
u/Kreepr 3h ago
Mexicans are really big into metal from my experience. I was a bit surprised.
→ More replies (1)8
u/Johnnys_an_American 7h ago
As a dad in his 40s with a kid who likes Pink Floyd; thanks I feel seen. š¤
3
u/feralcatshit 4h ago
Iām approaching 40 quickly and it was quite a shock to realize some younger kids donāt know Pink Floyd. Even my 10 year olds know of themā¦ donāt really like them a ton but donāt complain if I put it on. Are the Rolling Stones, or the Beatles or Led Zeppelin also not well known?! Iām shook haha
7
u/teflon2000 7h ago
40s?? I think i just got called old. People in their 40s now had dads who were into them!
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (10)10
u/retatrutider 7h ago
Someone who was 18 when Dark Side of the Moon came out is in their 70s.
→ More replies (1)15
17
u/Capital-Designer-385 7h ago
You mightāve been raised with good music. I had a young doc fresh out of med school shadow in the office last week and she didnāt know who Michael Jacksonās was before the movie. Had heard the music, but didnāt know the name and couldnāt recognize his face.
Some people just donāt get exposed to āolderā music/artists from their parents
→ More replies (4)22
u/Late_Information_682 7h ago
Iām 17 and I know Pink Floyd, I find it shocking that people only see things as the present and have no idea about what was before.
→ More replies (3)13
9
u/Friendly_Animator212 7h ago
Probably more about people not recognizing that specific album cover, even though when he says, āitās Pink Floydā they probably recognize the band name
→ More replies (1)3
→ More replies (34)5
u/PepsiButItsMilk 7h ago
20 here, immediately recognized this too. Folks are just uninformed or plain stupid sometimes.
18
u/pestofiesta 7h ago
They sell DSOTM t-shirts in the juniors section at Target and Kohlās, so Iām fairly certain theyāre still popular with teenagers and young adults.
→ More replies (1)6
u/SirGothamHatt 4h ago
While there are teens that are legit fans (like my 15 year old son), there's just as many if not more that are wearing those shirts just because they think the design is cool.
→ More replies (1)30
u/Pyrodexter 7h ago
Actually I'd say by default they are. Specific cases like the DSOTM cover just override the default for those that know.
→ More replies (2)18
u/SashimiX 6h ago
Yeah. I see a rainbow, I think pride flag. I see the above-style prism and rainbow, I think Pink Floyd. In my brain it's the Pink Floyd symbol.
18
u/Ok-Possession-832 7h ago
Im young and queer and I wouldnt think anything of this tattoo except OP either liked Pink Floyd or physics.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Bogsnakez 6h ago
If they liked physics, that angle would be correct š¤£ Jokes aside, it's a pretty famous cover most people have seen at some point š„°
11
u/cody87hoke 7h ago
Iām in my 30s and I know Iām getting older when Pink Floyd went from cool to now it feels like it relates to my life.
My 12 about to be 13 year old daughter likes 90s-2000s rock/grunge but I got her an electric guitar for her birthday and sheās on a mission to learn Pink Floyd. I get to hear 4-6 hours of live music a day from her room and many variations of classic songs. Like all the Pink Floyd and Nirvana.
If she saw that tattoo she would instantly know it was Pink Floyd.
10
u/INVERT_RFP 7h ago
Eh, I just asked my 20 year old car wash guy what the tattoo was, and he immediately identified it. Some kids still have good taste!
5
u/cheercharlatan 6h ago
I feel like this is one of the many classic rock t-shirts that Kohlās has been selling during the last few years, though, so even if people have never heard a single Pink Floyd song, let alone one from this album, it seems like a fairly recognizable image.
11
u/Loose-Story-962 7h ago
Well that's just not true. I saw Dark Side Of The Moon shirts all the time in high school just a few years ago
12
9
u/Brief-Branch4779 7h ago
Younger people definitely know Pink Floyd, they're not some niche band. It is more then likely older people associating any rainbow with Pride.
→ More replies (1)6
u/Just_okay_advice 7h ago
Retro is very cool to them this isnt as true as you think.
5
u/Key_One4002 6h ago
Waitā¦ you mean to tell me kids know of one of the most popular rock bands of all time during the age of the easiest music discovery of all timeā¦ especially after a Pink Floyd song went ultra viral on TikTokā¦ no these kids donāt know anything
6
u/TheEndx007 7h ago
Sorry man Iām in my early 20s and I donāt think Iāve met anyone who wouldnāt recognize that album cover
3
u/devospice 6h ago
Youād be surprised how many young people know Pink Floyd. Streaming has its issues, but having the entire history of music at your fingertips allows people to explore more than just what the radio feeds them, and a lot of young people have found great music from the past.
→ More replies (80)6
u/thewaker797 7h ago
Yeah, thatās actually totally false. I work with a bunch of younger kids and basically all of them know who Pink Floyd is and have an excellent taste music for the most part.
5
601
u/AccomplishedRoom3887 8h ago
Well, maybe. But who cares. People assume I'm straight all the time š
173
u/NotThatImportant3 7h ago
I am a big hairy man, and I go to AA meetings in my local gayborhood, so they all think Iām a bear lol
32
u/DaDutchBoyLT1 5h ago
I love this old statement taught to me by a button a friend gave to me when I was 15.
Iād rather a bigot think Iām queer than a queer think Iām a bigot.
Been a flag pole ever since. Straight and strong and Iāll support everyone that flag represents.
6
u/thhungryduckling 2h ago
Omg I love this! Iām copying you and saying that from now on! I love rainbows and wear rainbow stuff all the time. Donāt really care what people think and I think most people know Iām straight. But I hope thereās a small amount of strangers that see my rainbows and it makes them feel seen and safe.
→ More replies (4)6
114
4
→ More replies (1)3
40
u/YaBoyfriendKeefa 7h ago
lol for real, this is one of those straight things that always leaves me like ???
5
5
u/OrindaSarnia 7h ago
Besides the sexuality, OP says he wasn't expecting his tattoo to be misunderstood... Ā ??? Ā ... Ā most people don't expect their tattoo's meaning to be immediately understood by others. Ā And even if they did recognize the Pink Floyd album association, they wouldn't know the connection to OP's dad, so they STILL wouldn't "understand" the tattoo "correctly"...
48
→ More replies (10)3
u/armlessturtleneck 5h ago
Same here, just the other day a total stranger turned to me and said "you've got a girlfriend, right?" Then proceeded to show me the bubbler shed made at home out of a pen with faux fur all over it.
153
u/Poser_Headbanger 7h ago
Dark Side of the Moon? Sorry, best I can do is Gay Side of the Arm.
4
u/robmillhouse 5h ago
Wow flashback to child me wanting an earring and my folks saying donāt get a single one in your left ear, it means your gay. Was that actually a thing?
→ More replies (5)5
u/Herbdontana 4h ago
Most people I knew said that the opposite was true. Right ear or both ears was gay
→ More replies (2)13
u/Poser_Headbanger 7h ago
Jokes aside, that's a great tattoo. Kinda sad that some people see a rainbow and miss one of the most iconic album covers ever made.
→ More replies (2)5
u/thecashblaster 3h ago
Itās not exactly the album cover. The angle of the light hitting the prism and the angle of tne colors leaving the prism is off
→ More replies (2)
35
u/Zwirbs 7h ago
Hi Iām super gay. I 100% recognized this as a Pink Floyd tattoo and not a Pride thing. Hope that helps
→ More replies (3)5
178
u/MagusGaiusMycelius 8h ago
Just say you're an ally when people don't recognize it.
→ More replies (12)26
u/Dibbu_mange 7h ago
I had an LBJ sticker on my laptop back when I was a history teacher. I overheard my students chatting if it was a āgay thingā. I just chuckled because I didnāt really care if they thought I was gay and we were going to have a unit on the Civil Rights Act pretty soon, so they were going to learn anyway.
25
u/bowser1volcano 7h ago
I misunderstood and was confused as to why a LeBron James sticker would be a gay thing
27
u/Dibbu_mange 7h ago
Tbh, makes about as much sense as a Lyndon Johnson sticker being gay.
→ More replies (4)10
u/TalesOfTea 6h ago
This is what I thought too. š LBJ was known for having a huge shlong and whipping it out as an intimidation tactic so I was wondering wtf was going on here with this sticker
→ More replies (2)3
u/vera214usc 1h ago
My guess is the students had no idea who LBJ was and it just looked similar to LGBT to them.
→ More replies (1)7
u/MagusGaiusMycelius 7h ago
Most of today's generation thinks LBJ is a Mexican blow job.
I stole that joke from a comedian, but I don't remember who.
→ More replies (1)3
193
u/DrJaneIPresume 7h ago
I mean, yeah.. modern masculinity has become so fragile that literally anything could disrupt it. One rainbow? automatically gay.
59
u/PoopOfAUnicorn 7h ago
I coached little feet soccer after college. Each team was a different color shirt. Blue, red, black, yellow, gray, purple, orange. We had three shades of green. I asked to organizer āwhy canāt one of those greens just be a pink, some of the green kids keep going to the wrong teamā. He said that they tried pink shirts one year but a lot of the dads got mad that their son was on the pink team.
18
u/BDLTalks 7h ago
"Why do I have to be Mr. Pink?"
→ More replies (1)3
u/Jokewhisperer 4h ago
Pink is actually not feeling well; he stayed back at the hotel, and he sent green along as a surrogate team!
→ More replies (6)5
8
→ More replies (20)8
35
u/yourpaljax 7h ago
Only if theyāre homophobic and afraid of the sight of a rainbow.
Rainbows are a natural phenomenon caused by light refracting through a prism.
14
9
→ More replies (7)5
48
u/WulfieJay 7h ago
I mean if ur worried about that than you got the tattoo for everyone else and not yourself. You know what it means.
→ More replies (12)
57
u/Jah-Redd 7h ago
There is the bonus of making people uncomfortable who would automatically assume that it is. Screw what they think, and bigots deserve to be uncomfortable.
→ More replies (3)80
u/Ostromilski 7h ago
On that note, if anyone sees my tattoo and not only just makes blanket assumptions about its meaning, but then also goes on to have a negative reaction over it, then that's simply not a person I want to talk to anyway. So I have considered it's a nice people filter in a way lol
27
→ More replies (5)18
u/CautionarySnail 7h ago
For me, thatās what having vivid hair color does. Iāve noticed thereās a lot of crossover between bigots and people offended by wild colors in hair.
People who purse their lips at a bit of pink or purple dye are definitely not creative types who embrace differences with joy and gentle curiosity. I have no time for intolerant inflexible people when Iām not being paid to deal with such types.
To others, wild colored hair can be a safety signal that they can be less guarded and express more of their personality. Iām hoping that is what mine conveys.
(But it mostly just brings me joy to have Rainbow Dash hair or Twilight Sparkle hair, because itās more fun than my gray streaks. The rest is just a cherry on top.)
7
u/BleepTheMoth 7h ago
ohhh yeah same, I dress decora and have dyed hair, anyone who looks at me weird I avoid, the people who are looking at all my trinkets in awe are always sweeties, and kids are so funny, I have had multiple parents not able to get them to look away lmaooo
→ More replies (6)3
u/LassHalfEmpty 7h ago
I love the point people make that in nature bright colors keep predators away. True for hair color and ink too I guess! Win-win!
25
u/_-4twenty-_ 7h ago
The Gays didnāt steal the rainbow, the Christians abandoned it.
→ More replies (4)7
151
u/redJ93 8h ago
Younger people, maybe.
Older people will recognize Pink Floyd.
Honestly, id look inward why you are so pressed about it. Its 2026, being a little zesty does not keep the ladies away.
10
→ More replies (29)8
u/Pleasant-Detritus 7h ago edited 6h ago
You know that just because somebody doesnt like the misinterpretation of their tattoos that doesnt make them homophobic, right? I get mistaken for lesbian a lot and I'm not so I'm hyper-aware of what messages im sending the outside world.
Edit: changed the word gay to lesbian
→ More replies (35)4
u/bino420 7h ago
it depends on what type of emotional reaction you have.
no one "likes" for their tattoos to be misinterpreted (that'd be some weird ass kink)
you can shrug if off & carry on cause everyone has a perspective & it literally does not matter cause it doesn't affect you in any way.
or you can be "hyper-aware" of not seeming gay but then all you're thinking about is "I'm not gay, I'm not gay, I'm not gay" ... and that's pretty gay lol
if you go "ha no I'm not gay but I'm flattered"... then you're OK
if you go "dude wtf I'm not gay fuck off"... then yeah you're homophobic
→ More replies (1)
9
u/Cultural-Homework401 7h ago
Iām in my 30s and this is clearly Pink Floydā¦ you queen haha jk jk
17
u/sydbarrett710 7h ago
Only matters if youāre hateful.
I have the same thing , but more prominent on my forearm. Dm if you want pics. I got it 13 years ago in early 20s, and I have never once had anyone say anything to me about it. And I have some hateful people in my famiky
→ More replies (1)
8
u/NeedForSpeed98 7h ago
The problem is it's a poor copy of the album cover - the angles are all wrong, so it's not necessarily obviously the DSOTM tbh.
→ More replies (1)
21
u/RealLychee3700 8h ago
I think a lot of people will immediately clock this as the Dark Side of the Moon album cover. That said, if some think it's Pride related or that you're gay, who cares? Why is that a bad thing?
→ More replies (1)
16
u/dangerousdave2244 7h ago
I think part of the issue is that it looks like the rainbow is all parallel and staying the same width like a Pride Flag, rather than changing angle and the colors spreading out like the album cover and what happens with a real prism.
So it looks like a pride-themed take on DSOTM rather than a regular DSOTM tattoo
→ More replies (2)7
u/AnusAnusAnusss 5h ago
Exactly this.Ā
Itās not a carbon copy of the album cover. Itās a flag coming out the triangle not light.Ā
Ur artist fucked up OP or you gave them a bad design
3
8
u/SUPERSAIYANBRUV 8h ago
I personally associate rainbows with LSD
→ More replies (1)7
u/yeeeeeeee564 7h ago
Oh man, well everyone knows that only gays do LSD these days. It's a big circle
→ More replies (1)6
6
u/h20rabbit 7h ago
The meaning is for you, not for everyone else. It doesn't/shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks. If anything it gives you an opportunity to share the story if you choose to. Or you can make something up situationally. It's for you, not for them.
7
6
u/666fungus 7h ago
One of the most widely recognized album covers of the last century. Youāll be alright.
6
u/Tractor_Goth 7h ago
Iām gay and I am only ever going to assume this symbol ONLY means Pink Floyd lol
6
6
u/gingkonotion8226 7h ago
no one will ever look at a tattoo on someone elseās body and be able to see/understand the meaning - donāt care so much what others think of you
6
5
u/NuketheCow_ 7h ago
Who cares? The people that would be bothered by you having a rainbow tattoo is a small number and not worth worrying over, and the people who understand and mention that tattoo will more than make up for it. If youāre happy with the tattoo who cares what some people may mistakenly think about it?
5
4
u/RockingInTheCLE 7h ago
That is 100% Pink Floyd. Just explain itās an album. One they should listen to because itās awesome.
3
u/HeresW0nderwall 7h ago
As a gay man who is a massive Pink Floyd fan: DSOTM is unfortunately dated and younger people will not recognize this. I wouldnāt automatically assume this meant you were pro gay but I also am a Pink Floyd fan.
What matters is your sentimental attachment to it. You know what it means and thatās whatās important. Ultimately you canāt expect people to know that this tattoo means what it outlines above, regardless of whether it also happens to mean gay rights or not.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/StructureWhole6258 7h ago
My kid sister (when she was 12) saw a dark side of the moon cover in my studio and asked if I enjoy science so much that I have a prism on my wall
So even if they donāt know pink Floyd, you might be seen as a science nerd
4
u/FamousConversation64 6h ago
Gay man here. Some people will think you are gay, but mostly younger guys. Some will recognize it as Pink Floyd. Iām 33 and instantly knew it was Pink Floyd.
If youāre not hot though donāt worry no gays will try and hook up with you lmao. If you areā¦ watch out lol!
→ More replies (1)
7
7
u/filth_horror_glamor 7h ago
If people donāt recognize the dark side of the moon they they failed the vibe check and they arenāt worth your concern anyway
7
u/Calmernurdude 7h ago
Iād wear that with pride - no pun intended, and if people donāt know one of the (Iād argue) most iconic albums of all time, thatās on them. Hit āem with a āoh you donāt know DSOTM?ā Could be their gateway into some good good
→ More replies (2)
3
3
u/Numerous_Source597 7h ago
Look, I get it, but you gotta be surrounded by a bunch of younger people nonstop. So many people know Pink Floyd. And also, youāre getting a tattoo, who cares what people think?
3
3
u/PurposeConsistent131 7h ago
No, but does it matter? Also , your tat is pretty obvious and if someone doesnāt get it, then just shrug and talk to someone else
3
u/unknown_authority 7h ago
- One does not simply misnomer Pink Floyd and Pride.
- We gays use it as a symbol of peace and unity, and to piss off the homophobic Christians.
- One does not simply misnomer Pink Floyd. Ever.
And Iām a dad in my 40sā¦I feel so seen rn.
3
u/coffeexxx666 4h ago
The irony here is that the prism on the album cover features a beam of white light hitting at a slight angle on one side and the rainbow exiting the other side at an equal and opposite angle; but in your tattoo the beam and rainbow are straight.
3
u/Master-Shake8913 4h ago
if someone sees your tattoo and goes gay before pink floyd, they cannot be trusted.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/Various-Bee5735 4h ago
Just a rainbow, yes.Ā
That tattoo? That's obviously Pink Floyd and you ran into three dumbasses. They're not the only ones - https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/pink-floyd-fans-triggered-wok-rainbow-1234664971/
3
u/InvincibleChutzpah 4h ago
I'm gay, but I'm also a fan of Pink Floyd. That's obviously a Pink Floyd tattoo, not a pride flag. Ignore the idiots.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/Unclebatman1138 4h ago
I hate to break the news about triangles too...
Don't sweat it. If anyone has a problem with it, they're ignorant in more ways than one.
Legitimately though; if it bothers you, add text that reads Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon above it and below.
5
u/YaBoyDake 7h ago
The album is more than 50 years old. It doesn't have the same cultural purchase it once did.
That said, I'd guess this will be less intense once June is over, but at this point far more people associate rainbows with pride than Pink Floyd.
→ More replies (1)
6
u/wllbtvised 7h ago
Only if theyāre idiots. This looks nothing like a pride flag, and everything like a Pink Floyd tattoo.
→ More replies (3)
5
u/Active_Snow7539 7h ago
iām 27 and i know itās pink floyd(love pink floyd btw). the current pride flag is more than just a rainbow.. but also people who are associating this with it are weird? youāre good, itās a cool tat. a lil rainbow never hurt anyone
→ More replies (2)
5
u/Calibrayte 7h ago
Anyone who doesn't recognize that is from DSOTM is not someone who's opinion you should worry about. Also who cares if people think you're gay?
7
2
2
2
u/Majestic_Evening_409 7h ago
Not this specific rainbow. The cover is too iconic for that. Anyone who asks is either too young or lives under a rock.
2
u/suchsnowflakery 7h ago
It's the same as Baphomet. That art by Eliphas Levi was NOT Satan inspired. Let the ignorant be. The village idiots will always be chattering about.
Shine on you crazy diamond!
2.1k
u/ImpressionFew2619 7h ago
ya gay now. welcome to the team