'Be Gay, Do Crime' meme resurfaces for Pride Month

cultureJun 1, 202631601

Independent creators and small sellers are circulating 'Be Gay, Do Crime' stickers, T-shirts, pins, and digital art as Pride Month merch and slogans. Nitehawk programmed 'BE GAY, DO CRIME PART III,' screening Basil Dearden's VICTIM on 35mm at Nitehawk Prospect Park and at Nitehawk Williamsburg on Monday 6/29. Sellers and artists pair the phrase with donation appeals and playful captions in Pride messages and artwork. The motif works as a tongue-in-cheek reclaiming of outlaw imagery, giving Pride merch a provocative, political edge that signals defiance and solidarity.

Low Quality Facts

@lowqualityfacts.bsky.social

Happy Pride Month! Tonight's Low Quality Ad is for these "Be Gay Do Crime" Stickers. I'm usually not one to promote criminal activity, but hey, who am I to tell the gays how to celebrate? collabs.shop/4qxqqa

An sticker featuring a cute, smiling cartoon kitchen knife dripping with rainbow-colored liquid. The text "Be Gay Do Crime" is written above the knife, surrounded by colorful sparkles, all set against a cork background.

1728d ago

Low Quality Facts46

Please stop pointing out all the times in the past that I have promoted criminal activity.

The Prophet Obblonge4

I am, however, one to promote criminal activity Especially drug use, possession, manufacture, and distribution And prostitution And independent intelligent thought And so many more BE GAY BE WHATEVER DO CRIME DO IT NOW!!

Truckle4Evr🔥🏳️‍🌈4

Keep those handy. We're quickly approaching the day when being gay IS a crime (again). I intend to crime 'til my dying day. Happy Pride!

Charmy

@smoldragoncharmy.bsky.social

Be Crime, Do Gay!!! 🏳️‍🌈 Happy pride month fellow Babs, be yourself and be proud ❤️ Featuring my beloved husband @kinsir.bsky.social Artwork by @dracky.bsky.social

1108d ago

Megan Fox

@glassbottommeg.bsky.social

It's pride again and now the game is actually announced, so this time I can point at this and go "eyyy, Verminsteel is pretty gay!" instead of going "hey look at these cooky cartoon characters, I wonder if they're about to do a crime"

The cast of Verminsteel, in very pride colors, variously lofting bricks, molotovs, and a farming implement that is presumably only going to be used for legal farming-related activities

507d ago

Megan Fox8

I'll be damned, it's spelled "kooky" Well, let this be a lesson to all of you that the spelling of "kooky" is abnormal and silly and not at all in kee- oh I get it now

Mel Buer

@melbuer.bsky.social

Happy Pride month, be gay do crimes venmo your favorite queer (me) five dollars

308d ago

Sunset Gato

@gato.gay

Your yearly reminder that Pride started as a riot. Happy Pride everyone!

An anthro tabby colored feline standing poolside facing the viewer wearing a vibrantly flamboyant leotard and rainbow mesh crop top with the words in rainbow text loudly proclaiming "be gay do crime" in the background.

258d ago

Snerpa ~ Commissions Open!

@snerpadash.bsky.social

Happy Pride! 🏳️‍🌈 :> Thank you for the art share! I am a demi-pan/transmasc nonbinary artist living in Ohio 💜 I enjoy drawing all sorts of things, but here are some of my queer drawings from the last couple years 💜

raccoon character sticking out her tongue and looking like she's up to no good. she holds a knife with the pansexual flags colors. The text reads "be gay. do crime."

198d ago

✍🏼Winter Simpson

@winterandwords.social

👋🏼 Hello #LGBTQWriteAThon! I'm Winter (she/her), canon bisexual character and high functioning trash. I live in rural Ireland and convert caffeine into stories. My favourite literary genre is Be Gay, Do Crime. June's goal is to finish the current revision of my cyberpunk WIP, Miles From Morning 🌆

288d ago

Darth Astris (COMMS CLOSED TIL DEC)

@darthastris.bsky.social

Time to be gay and do crime! Be like Chopper! (And support a queer artist!) www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/1717...

138d ago

Leigh

@newbabyfly.schism.org

You wanna do something cool for Pride? You can support my trans teen by subscribing to Sticker Club this month. Guest Artist @zsgishin.bsky.social made this for y'all and he's receiving the profits for June. Show him some love! 🌈🏳️‍⚧️ ⚡ ko-fi.com/newbabyfly/t... #pride #sticker #artistsupport

Sticker design by zsgenshin of a cat-like character giving a thumbs up with the text "Be Gay do Crime" and stars in the background

88d ago

Saggy

@mespinozart.blorbo.social.ap.brid.gy

We interrupt our regular programming for this silly thing. TaXian Jun is here to wish everyone a happy first day of Pride! He also has a message for all my queer people: "Be Gay, Do Crime" :blobcat_dab: #pride #erha

Digital colored illustration of Taxian Jun from erha in chibi style. He is wearing his traditional black/gold fengguan and his dark and gold embroidered robes. He is posing with a dab and smiling with a toothy grin, eyes close. On both his hands he is holding a small pride flag.

78d ago

LoWolf

@lowolf.bsky.social

Happy Pride Month everyone! Be true, be you! Oh and be gay and do a crime! Art done by the amazing @nekumeichan.bsky.social

168d ago

zali

@zalixiv.bsky.social

Happy Pride Get out there and be gay, do crime #GPOSERS | #BPOSERS | #XIV

137d ago

Team Quazar Charmeleon

@draconayr.bsky.social

I love pride month because I just like seeing people be happy with who they are at their core. Don't forget to be gay and do crime. My current crime is that I don't have a hypnovisor on my face which Nurse Charmeleon apparently has mandated and- wait she's here hold on WE CAN TQPK ABOUT THUISIZVAV.

148d ago