#whennnnn

where in the fart did like 60 of yall come from

Stranger Things is technically historical fiction. It’s a work of fiction that is set in the past. We have relevant events like the Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union, the Satanic Panic (D&D and unfounded fear of cults and Satanists), and general exploration of societal values relevant to the 80′s (basically the story is created with the allowed boundaries of normalcy in the time period in mind). This show wasn’t written in the 80′s. That changes how we view and analyze it because while that time period is relevant to the story, the subtext relevant to the viewer will more likely be relevant to our time period. 

Bright colours and questionable fashion choices were very prominent in the 80′s. Rainbows were also wound up in that. If Stranger Things was made in the 80′s, rainbows would be rainbows. But Stranger Things wasn’t made in the 80′s. Readability in visual media is very important. If the audience doesn’t know what’s happening, then something is wrong. Rainbows have come to have an accepted meaning in our current time, that wasn’t really accepted/known outside of queer circles in the 80′s. 

There is a lot of important queer history in the USA in the 80′s. In 1978, “Gilbert Baker, an openly gay man and a drag queen, designed the first rainbow flag. Baker later revealed that he was urged by Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., to create a symbol of pride for the gay community,” (Britannica Article). The first gay flag was made right before the 80′s. (There are definitely better sources on this I was just looking for something quickly). However, “It was not until 1994 that the rainbow flag was truly established as the symbol for LGBTQ pride. That year Baker made a mile-long version for the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.” This is after the time that Stranger Things is currently set in. However, Stranger Things is also being written after these events.