Ariana Grande Fans Turn ‘Dangerous Woman’ Into a Symbol for Peace
As the world continues to mourn for those lost in the senseless attack in Manchester, England (May 22), Ariana Grande fans have transformed the pop star's most recent album motif—the bunny ears mask—into a symbol of unity, prayer and peace.
Following the conclusion of Grande's performance at the Manchester Arena as part of her Dangerous Woman Tour on Monday, an explosion erupted at approximately 10:30 PM GMT outside the venue. Twenty-two people exiting the show were killed, with nearly 60 more injured. Though it's been a rough day for family, friends, fans and the world over, Grande's followers have been incredibly supportive on social media: As word about the devastating event traveled across the Web, an unknown artist crafted an image of a black ribbon featuring the Dangerous Woman album's signature rabbit ears.
Immediately, social media grasped onto the pink and black symbol, broadcasting the #PrayForManchester ribbon far and wide.
It's not clear where the ribbon first originated, as it spread quickly with fans eager to show support for those who lost their lives, their loved ones, as well as those who were affected by the attack.
Several different versions of the black rabbit ribbon have circulated, furthering the idea that this peaceful icon is necessary to bring typically disparate groups together under one cause. While some have co-opted the hashtags surrounding the tragedy to capitalize on users who may be term-searching, you can sense the genuine love, solidarity and appreciation when you spot the ribbon on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
In perilous times like these, we often need a symbol to rally around, one which invokes both our sadness and our hope. Most of all, the ribbon helps people understand that they aren't alone in grieving, in sadness, in confusion, or in anger. In a time when so many of us feel helpless, as we're literally oceans away from those hurting the most, we can see there are others out there feeling just the same. We can talk with them, cry with them, and pray with them for a better day today... and for the world to be a better place tomorrow.
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