Support ribbon colors - meanings?

[screech-owl]

Okay, I know some of the little folded ribbons have fairly significant meanings, but there are a couple which confuse me.

Standard ribbons:

red = AIDS awareness
pink = breast cancer awareness
yellow = general support of [this week's cause]
black = mourning

Confusing:

I've met two people with a green ribbon - one claims it's for supporting environmental causes, another says it's for organ transplant awareness.

I've met one person with a blue ribbon who says it's for domestic abuse awareness, another says it's for censorship awareness.

Now I've also seen white and purple support ribbons. What do they mean!?! And is orange the only one not currently connected to a cause?

And can a group 'copyright' a color ribbon as a logo or trademark? For example, can an AIDS awareness group sue another group for using the 'red folded ribbon' with a cause not at all connected with AIDS?

[Ethilrist]

I've seen red used for D.A.R.E., as well (side note: I saw posters for D.A.R.E. for years before I ever saw what the acronym actually stood for; I just decided it was Drugs Are Real Evil).

I go with Paula Poundstone's theory, that this is all some vast conspiracy by the ribbon industry to sell more ribbon.

[SmackFu]

Just take a look at this page, Color Guide to Ribbon Campaigns, and you will just give up on any attempt to interpret the meaning of a ribbon. Every color ribbon has at least 5 different groups claiming it as a symbol.

BTW, orange is apparently used for anti-racism.

[screech-owl]

Thank you for the link, SmackFu. Some of the groups are, um, "interesting" [No "Phantom of the Opera" Movie]...

I think I'll just make a tie-dye ribbon and join the "Non-conformists are All Alike" society.

[DVous Means]

Isn't purple the Gay colour?

[andygirl]

The gay color? It wishes, the hussy.

Lavender has been used as a gay color, particularly among the lesbian movements of the 70s. It, along with pink and the rainbow, have strong associations with the queer community. That having been said, it's not an exclusive thing.