Gay Icon the Babadook Was the Unofficial Mascot of LA Pride, and It Was Glorious

The internet can be a terrible place, but it’s also the only place where the Babadook, the terrifying bogeyman at the center of Jennifer Kent’s horror film of the same name, could become what he was always born to be: A gay icon.

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While the origins of the Babadook being outed date back to 2016, it’s only been in recent weeks that he has largely been recognized as a major LGBTQ figure. A never-ending cycle of tweets, Tumblr posts, gifs, and videos have turned gay Babadook into the best meme on the internet, and it was only a matter of time before he took LGBTQ Pride Month by storm.

Vulture Senior Editor Kyle Buchanan attended Los Angeles’ Gay Pride Parade yesterday and experienced firsthand just how prolific the Babadook has become as a gay icon. He documented the character’s many sightings in an updated-live Twitter thread, and to say it was glorious would be a major understatement. Other Twitter users uploaded their own sightings of the Babadook as well.

The Babadook was so prolific at LA pride, that Twitter even made an entire moment about it:

The Babadook has taken on many different forms at #LAPride. (Documented by @kylebuchanan.) https://t.co/cXjZ6cGmR2

— Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) June 11, 2017

There were Babadook signs:

LA Gay pride. And the first Babadook sighting. pic.twitter.com/lXUm9UkUKY

— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) June 11, 2017

Babadooks #5 and #6 present a double terrifying journey at LA gay pride pic.twitter.com/6TtrxIj4pY

— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) June 11, 2017

Yaaaas an LA Pride Babalewk pic.twitter.com/MiVweXdbou

— Abraham Diaz (@abrahamdjr) June 11, 2017

There were Babadook costumes:

This Babalewk transitions from day to night fairly well IMHO pic.twitter.com/7D9my72lOt

— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) June 11, 2017

If it’s in a look or it’s in a book, it’s Babadook #7 at LA gay pride pic.twitter.com/LwtKqwjFhp

— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) June 11, 2017

And, best of all, there was the dancing Babadook:

Babadook got moves! pic.twitter.com/Bli9ateezb

— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) June 11, 2017

It’s been a long time coming for the Babadook, but he reminded us all why he’s a gay icon by becoming the unofficial mascot of Los Angeles’ pride parade. There’s no question he’ll make his way around the country at other pride events, including New York on June 25.

Most people have never even seen the most iconic workroom entrance in Drag Race herstory pic.twitter.com/YMUnzIPGR8

— Your Friend’s Dad (@ReginAdeleRey) June 9, 2017

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