What Is The 'Trans Hydra' Symbol And Where Did It Come From? The Viral 'Gender Ideology' Hydra Explained

The LGBTQ+ community has found a new symbol to represent trans rights and it comes in the form of a cool trans hydra. But the symbol didn't start as being pro-trans and was actually made to rally against gender ideology. So how did the trans community turn this hate-filled symbol into something positive? Here's what you need to know.

What Is The 'Trans Hydra' Symbol?

At the beginning of May 2024, the anti-LGBTQ+ group Gays Against Groomers made a post on X rallying against the idea of gender ideology with a symbol depicting a many-headed hydra designed with the trans pride flag colors. The very negative post reads, "Gender ideology isn't just a neo-religious cult; it is biotechnological warfare in drag, like a multi-headed hydra with claws in every corporate sector."

Fortunately, the trans community on X wasn't willing to let this post slide. They found the design of the hydra cool and decided to take the image of the trans or gender ideology hydra and turn it into a positive symbol, with many reframing it as being symbolic of the strength and resilience of members of trans people, with one X user writing that it "represents how we'll be difficult to snuff out, no matter how hard you try to destroy us, we come back twice as strong, every time."

How Is The 'Trans Hydra' Symbol Used Online?

Shortly after the trans community decided to embrace the gender ideology hydra, Gays Against Groomers' original post sharing the symbol was deleted, although the reason why isn't confirmed. Since then, the hydra has only spread further across online trans communities. People are drawing flags with the symbol, editing its colors to represent a variety of pride flags and even redrawing the hydra in different art styles.

Posts sharing the trans hydra are most popular on X, but are also popping up on a variety of pride-related subreddits and Tumblr. In general, LGBTQ+ people are expressing how cool they find the hydra design and choosing to embrace it for the better, taking it away from transphobes and turning it into a powerful force for good.

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For the full history of the trans hydra, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.