Now there’s a
new reason to seriously start investigating the possibility of civilian space travel: one of our favorite non-profit
organizations just declared the universe LGBT-friendly.
Planting Peace’s
latest display of solidarity with the queer community involves a Pride flag, a
high altitude balloon and a GoPro camera. The group, which regularly launches
social activism campaigns to raise awareness about issues like LGBT rights and deworming
children in developing countries, used the balloon to elevatea rainbow flag up through the Earth’s atmosphere. It
eventually reached its peak altitude approximately 21.1 miles above the planet.
The flag
remained airborne, floating in outer space for just over three hours before
making its descent back to Earth, in what Planting Peace says is a symbolic
declaration of the universe as an LGBT-friendly space.
“It was an
honor to send the first Pride flag into space, and it provided a wonderful
opportunity to show that Planting Peace will not stop fighting for LGBTQ rights
until all sexual and gender minorities experience full, fundamental rights in
every corner of the universe,” Aaron Jackson, President of Planting Peace, told
The Huffington Post. “The backdrop of space gave us a stunning, inspiring and
peaceful canvas for our message of hope to our LGBTQ family. I would love for
LGBTQ children who are struggling to see this, and look up to the stars and
remember that the universe shines brightly for them, and they are not alone.”
Over the last
three years, Planting Peace has engaged in a number of high-profile displays of
LGBT visibility and activism. The nonprofit created The Equality House,
a rainbow-colored building across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church
compound in Topeka, Kansas, in 2013 and purchased another home nearby earlier
this year to create the Transgender
Pride house. These houses stand in opposition to the Church’s hate ― both
literally and figuratively ― and operate as safe spaces for queer people in the
area.
The
organization has also sponsored a number of billboards calling out anti-LGBT
bigotry, including one in
North Carolina blasting the anti-queer House Bill 2, another in the
hometown of anti-same sex marriage clerk Kim Davis and, most recently, one
near the 2016 Republican National Convention featuring an image of Ted
Cruz and Donald Trump kissing.
In a move
similar to the launching of the Pride flag into outer space, Planting Peace
declared Antartica “the
world’s first LGBT-friendly continent” in March 2016.
Thank you for
all that you do, Planting Peace! This is truly something remarkable.
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