Something I just noticed..the very logo of the site

[The_Lady_Snow]

It's funny cause once upon a thread butches and fellas had requested that the B be bolder... It's grown on me the pink and green and this logo is wayyyy more aesthetic compared to the original.

I can't remember why the color scheme came about but I do like the style of the letter f, not sure why and love the use of black cause it's one of my fave colors

[jac]

Yes, I have actually studied the logo on countless occassions. The pink, green and black circles on the outside ALWAYS remind me of Spirograph. Gawsh there I go thinking games and play again... lol. I am guessing this is the orbit part of it all... And how pink highlights the F, the word femme and the word orbit. For some reason I find the Orbit in pink to be of greater interest to me than the F in pink. I also find it interesting that the choice of color was green and not blue but then again I have my own idea as to why it is...

I would be interested to know the reasoning and meaning behind the logo, the colors, etc.

[The_Lady_Snow]

Some herstory

http://www.butchfemmeplanet.com/foru...ead.php?t=2219

Originally Posted by stone4play

Yes, I have actually studied the logo on countless occassions. The pink, green and black circles on the outside ALWAYS remind me of Spirograph. Gawsh there I go thinking games and play again... lol. I am guessing this is the orbit part of it all... And how pink highlights the F, the word femme and the word orbit. For some reason I find the Orbit in pink to be of greater interest to me than the F in pink. I also find it interesting that the choice of color was green and not blue but then again I have my own idea as to why it is...

I would be interested to know the reasoning and meaning behind the logo, the colors, etc.

[cara]

I remember June spent days, if not weeks, looking for the perfect "f." I think it's an interesting observation and I, too, have noticed it from the beginning. I'm not offended by it, nor do I think there was an ulterior motive in choosing one font or color over the other. sometimes graphics are graphics with no intention behind them.

[Parker]

I pulled this from the link The Lady Snow provided because it looked like it might help to explain what you're seeing (emphasis mine).

Originally Posted by June

Thanks for playing everyone and for the suggestions.

The fancy font is called TheNautiGal (oddly) and the bold font is called MoolBoran.

I tried the Monogram idea, but because we are working with two swoopy letters, the B and the P, they end up looking better with something between them as more of a design element.

The green got taken a shade darker and we went for black because it made the green and pink pop more. The fancy font also serves as an accent and design element in the rest of the banner.

I have some spacing issues in Orbit I need to fix still. So if you're a little anal - Hold tight, it will get fixed

[lillith]

Ok, I am a bit overtired, so if my perception is off or I am reading too much into the details, my apologies. Here is what I see and how it all seems to work:

One (possibility A): the banner combined with the logo looks like a microphone which can indicate that everyone here is allowed, and even encouraged to use their voice. Because of the very nature of what a microphone does, it lends to the idea our voices are important, and perhaps some need a little extra amplification.

One (possibility B): the banner combined with the logo looks like a lollipop which can indicate that all sorts of flavors exists in our universe. It also give the idea that this is a "sweet" place to be.

Two: if you allow your eyes to unfocus while looking at the surrounding circles, you might be able to see that these outer circles actually blend into a multi-structure of varying colors. Again, this gives the impression that no one color dominates over the others. Granted, there are three simple colors, the melding of the three give a rich and lively appearance.

Three: the black background of the circle not only makes the colors pop more, it reminds me of a kind of heaviness, perhaps depth that everyone holds. It is almost like a blackhole without the sucking. It seems to beg each of us to look within to find that place that does not contain any binaries; just regular people with regular lives, but at the same time, the letters force us to understand that not a single one of us is regular. We are all fantastic with light and love to give to the world.

Four: the "B" does not seem basic. It is not the typical Times New Roman or Arial font that we see everyday. It is bolder, riskier. That does not mean that all butches by nature are bolder or riskier, it is just a letter in this way. However, because it is part of the b/f dynamic, the stray away from the more acceptable font can show us that we are original, and capable of being dynamic. The "f" is a almost floral without being overdone. Many femmes I know (myself included) are not physically high maintenance, and it seems apt that this "f" represents us. It is pretty, but not overly so. Now as for the coloring, I adore the fact the "b" and "p" are green. Here again, we stray away from mainstream ideas of what is supposed to be as opposed to what is. The pink is not soft and baby-like. It is strong, assertive, commanding attention. The combination of the colors is playful, cheerful. I do not believe that anything about the logo or banner is anyway suggesting hetero-normative values in an American societal way.

[Medusa]

Originally Posted by lillith

Ok, I am a bit overtired, so if my perception is off or I am reading too much into the details, my apologies. Here is what I see and how it all seems to work:

One (possibility A): the banner combined with the logo looks like a microphone which can indicate that everyone here is allowed, and even encouraged to use their voice. Because of the very nature of what a microphone does, it lends to the idea our voices are important, and perhaps some need a little extra amplification.

One (possibility B): the banner combined with the logo looks like a lollipop which can indicate that all sorts of flavors exists in our universe. It also give the idea that this is a "sweet" place to be.

Two: if you allow your eyes to unfocus while looking at the surrounding circles, you might be able to see that these outer circles actually blend into a multi-structure of varying colors. Again, this gives the impression that no one color dominates over the others. Granted, there are three simple colors, the melding of the three give a rich and lively appearance.

Three: the black background of the circle not only makes the colors pop more, it reminds me of a kind of heaviness, perhaps depth that everyone holds. It is almost like a blackhole without the sucking. It seems to beg each of us to look within to find that place that does not contain any binaries; just regular people with regular lives, but at the same time, the letters force us to understand that not a single one of us is regular. We are all fantastic with light and love to give to the world.

Four: the "B" does not seem basic. It is not the typical Times New Roman or Arial font that we see everyday. It is bolder, riskier. That does not mean that all butches by nature are bolder or riskier, it is just a letter in this way. However, because it is part of the b/f dynamic, the stray away from the more acceptable font can show us that we are original, and capable of being dynamic. The "f" is a almost floral without being overdone. Many femmes I know (myself included) are not physically high maintenance, and it seems apt that this "f" represents us. It is pretty, but not overly so. Now as for the coloring, I adore the fact the "b" and "p" are green. Here again, we stray away from mainstream ideas of what is supposed to be as opposed to what is. The pink is not soft and baby-like. It is strong, assertive, commanding attention. The combination of the colors is playful, cheerful. I do not believe that anything about the logo or banner is anyway suggesting hetero-normative values in an American societal way.

I LOVED this entire post.

Lillith! You have really illustrated how people can interpret the visual on the logo and I LOVED the idea of it representing a microphone so that everyone has a voice!

[Strappie]

Originally Posted by lillith

Ok, I am a bit overtired, so if my perception is off or I am reading too much into the details, my apologies. Here is what I see and how it all seems to work:

One (possibility A): the banner combined with the logo looks like a microphone which can indicate that everyone here is allowed, and even encouraged to use their voice. Because of the very nature of what a microphone does, it lends to the idea our voices are important, and perhaps some need a little extra amplification.

One (possibility B): the banner combined with the logo looks like a lollipop which can indicate that all sorts of flavors exists in our universe. It also give the idea that this is a "sweet" place to be.

Two: if you allow your eyes to unfocus while looking at the surrounding circles, you might be able to see that these outer circles actually blend into a multi-structure of varying colors. Again, this gives the impression that no one color dominates over the others. Granted, there are three simple colors, the melding of the three give a rich and lively appearance.

Three: the black background of the circle not only makes the colors pop more, it reminds me of a kind of heaviness, perhaps depth that everyone holds. It is almost like a blackhole without the sucking. It seems to beg each of us to look within to find that place that does not contain any binaries; just regular people with regular lives, but at the same time, the letters force us to understand that not a single one of us is regular. We are all fantastic with light and love to give to the world.

Four: the "B" does not seem basic. It is not the typical Times New Roman or Arial font that we see everyday. It is bolder, riskier. That does not mean that all butches by nature are bolder or riskier, it is just a letter in this way. However, because it is part of the b/f dynamic, the stray away from the more acceptable font can show us that we are original, and capable of being dynamic. The "f" is a almost floral without being overdone. Many femmes I know (myself included) are not physically high maintenance, and it seems apt that this "f" represents us. It is pretty, but not overly so. Now as for the coloring, I adore the fact the "b" and "p" are green. Here again, we stray away from mainstream ideas of what is supposed to be as opposed to what is. The pink is not soft and baby-like. It is strong, assertive, commanding attention. The combination of the colors is playful, cheerful. I do not believe that anything about the logo or banner is anyway suggesting hetero-normative values in an American societal way.

This was amazing... I love the way you looked at this... Very cool

Originally Posted by Gentle Tiger

Really? Of all the things to spend mental energy on, are we really now dissecting someone's hard work for this community? Really? Have we run out of topics that will lead to positive discussion and moving instead to dissect the logo? Really???

I'm not moderating yet.

yep, really! Some people have some amazing thoughts on things.

[Ginger]

Originally Posted by cara

I remember June spent days, if not weeks, looking for the perfect "f."

Tell me about it.

LOL

[Ginger]

Logos are by necessity, a boiled-down synthesis of what an organization represents.

Choices are made in their design, of elements that are more simplified than in other contexts, for easy and quick visual recognition. In other words, they don't and can't reflect all the nuances of an organization's members or message.

I guess I'm saying, while I usually take symbols deadly seriously, I don't take them that seriously in some contexts. And no I'm not quite awake and I apologize for my Libran contradictory pov.

PS, "Orbit" is in pink italicized script, not just "f" and "femme," so ... oh hell I don't know what I was saying.

[~ocean]

I like the logo ~

[Ginger]

Originally Posted by IslandScout

Logos are by necessity, a boiled-down synthesis of what an organization represents.

Choices are made in their design, of elements that are more simplified than in other contexts, for easy and quick visual recognition. In other words, they don't and can't reflect all the nuances of an organization's members or message.

I guess I'm saying, while I usually take symbols deadly seriously, I don't take them that seriously in some contexts. And no I'm not quite awake and I apologize for my Libran contradictory pov.

PS, "Orbit" is in pink italicized script, not just "f" and "femme," so ... oh hell I don't know what I was saying.

Okay now that I'm wide awake, and have read all the thoughtful posts in this thread, I'd like to say that I'm even more sure of what I said before, about logos.

I think this one is great. It's visually engaging, unique, and gives a nod to the wonderful binary nature of butch-femme identity that the site welcomes, while providing something fresh (green, not blue, for example) that reflects the diversity of people here and the evolving community.

Personally I like the part of the logo where threads are all woven together into a circle, reflecting the "circle" of community we build through the threads we read and post on.

MGM (now Columbia Pictures) updated the lady holding the torch, that is part of their logo, in 1993, to represent a more modern notion of Woman. Culture changes, and the symbols we choose to represent that culture, change too.

Maybe in 50 years, the Butch Femme Planet logo will change and reflect whatever happens between now and then. What will that look like?

The question I'm more interested in is, What stays the same? I've been scolded more than once by cultural theorists for my essentialist views but I can't let go of the feeling that there is something essential that makes butch "butch" and femme "femme," and that's what I predict will remain present in the logo over time.