Facebook users are posting thousands of rainbow reactions on the Democratic Unionist Party’s page in protest at the party’s stance on LGBTQ issues.
Rainbow reactions have flooded timelines in the past week after Facebook released them to mark LGBTQ pride.
Now people are seemingly using them to share their feelings about the Conservatives’ possible deal with Northern Irish party the Democratic Unionists after failing to secure enough seats for an overall majority in last week’s election.
The party is opposed to gay marriage and in the 1980s supported a campaign called “Save Ulster from Sodomy” which was against the legalisation of homosexual sex. The son of party founder Dr Ian Paisley, Ian Paisley Jnr MP, has also said he felt “repulsed” by homosexual acts.
Facebook user Conor McKay came up with the idea to show the LGBTQ community’s opposition to the party by bombarding their pages with rainbow reactions.
He posted a Facebook status encouraging people to get involved, which read:
“Like this page and you get to use a pride reaction in addition to like,wow,angry,sad etc.” said McKay’s post.
“Then go to the official DUP page and put a rainbow react on the DUP posts so that they have more rainbows than likes. I’m sure the homophobes will love it.”
Conor MckayLike this page and you get to use a pride reaction in addition to like,wow,angry,sad etc Then go to the official DUP page and put a rainbow react on the DUP posts so that they have more rainbows…
And that’s what people did. Thousands of them on post after post. A recent statement from the party’s leader Arlene Foster has received over 7,000 rainbow reactions.
Users are also posting comments to air their views on the party and their potential new role in British politics.
One user posted: “Well done, now commit to implementing the will of the majority and introduce same sex marriage to commit to bring yourselves in line with the country you want to stay united with.”
Another wrote: “The DUP’s regressive views are not welcome in government. We are a country that supports equality, gives women freedom to choose and celebrates LGBTQ rights.”
Users who would like to get the reaction to use themselves just have to like the LGBTQ@Facebook page, then they can react to any post on Facebook using the rainbow flag.
