Thanks to the efforts of politicians and dignitaries from LGBTQ-friendly countries like Germany, Great Britain, and Denmark, the Pride flag has repeatedly found its way into the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
By displaying the rainbow, these leaders have helped ensure that Qatar’s record of state-sanctioned homophobia will not be subsumed by a wave of sportswashing—especially as the soccer matches provide headlines and distractions from this homophobia for the media and the public.
But without the backing of entire nations behind them, regular fans have found it much more difficult to sneak a rainbow flag into a World Cup stadium, despite Qatar’s assurances that Pride banners would not be confiscated (before changing their mind).
According to Mashable’s Meera Navlakha, the Brazilian soccer magazine Corner has brainstormed a uniquely 21st century solution to this dilemma: an augmented reality Pride flag Snapchat filter.
Known as “Pride Nation,” the filter enables fans to use a special Snapchat lens that superimposes a rainbow on top of any country’s flag. From there, they can post the virtual Pride flag onto their account so that it looks like they’re displaying LGBTQ support right in the middle of any World Cup stadium.
While it’s not as conspicuous an act as waving a rainbow flag out in the open in Qatar, the filter does enable many users to inundate social media with rainbow posts live from the World Cup. It goes without saying that this show of support never could’ve happened without the benefit of augmented reality.
Corner founder Fernando Martinho explained that his magazine invented the Pride Nation filter specifically to enable LGBTQ people and allies to protest peacefully on the scene without fear of arrest or violent reprisal.
“[We] believe football is for everyone and we’ll always stand for human rights. That’s why this campaign was born,” Martinho emphasized.
To add the filter, search for “Pride Nation” on your Snapchat account or scan the QR code at the conclusion of the embedded video above.
It’s the best way to display the rainbow in Qatar without the responsibility of being a Danish Prime Minister.
