allen@osu-eddie.UUCP (John Allen) (11/14/85)
In <1466@hound.UUCP> P. Hanson says > > Also; lesbians may put "lambda" bumper stickers on their cars... > is there any gay equivalent? (e.g. a "gamma" bumper sticker) > The lambda is used for both gays and lesbians. Below is an article that explains why the lambda was chosen. (reprinted without permission) A HISTORY OF THE LAMBDA Lambda, the eleventh lower case of the Greek alphabet, is the forerunner of our letter L. Originally, the letter was a picture symbol for the scales often seen being carried by the figure of justice. With the passage of time the lambda bore less of a visual resemblance to a scales and its meaning became more abstract in that it came to represent the concept or qualities of balance. The Greeks believed that balance was a reconciliation between two opposites and as such was not a stable state but one needing continuous adjustment. Finally, due to the influence of Greek philosophy, the lambda emerged as it appears in modern day form. The small hook was added in the base of the letter to indicate (1) that some form of action was necessary to bring about a state of equilibrium and (2) that constant action was necessary to maintain that state once it had been achieved. The ancient Spartans adopted the lambda as a symbol of their unity. Worn as a symbol on their shields, it signified the special balance which they felt must exist between an individual and the state. They believed that the demands of society should never interfere with each person's right to be totally free and independent. They also thought that each individual must be bound to society only by individual choice and desire. But, each Spartan recognized that only in a common bond could they hope to preserve their existence as a free and equal people. As Rome rose to power and conquered the known world, the Romans borrowed many things of value from the Greek culture. Among these was the lambda. Owing to the fact that the Romans saw the overall shape of the lambda as suggestive of a flare, it was used as the symbol for "lampas"--their latin word for torch. In our day, scientists seeking a symbol for the wavelength of light (to set up an equation) drew on the historical past, and the lambda, because of its connection with the torch, was chosen. In the sixties, when the quest for gay liberation began to emerge as an organized movement after the famous Stonewall riots, the lambda was selected as a gay symbol because of its historical associations. Previously symbolizing justice, balance and the reconciliation of opposites, unity and the relationship of man and his society, freedom, equality and the independence of the individual and light-- the lambda had those qualities which best represented the objectives of gay people. As acceptance of the lambda became more widespread and its popularity grew, use of the symbol spread rapidly across the United States. Courtesy of Micheux & Co. and the Ohio Gay Rights Coalition. John Allen Ohio State University (UUCP: cbosgd!osu-eddie!allen) (CSNet: allen@ohio-state)