‘Rainbow poppy’ little more than a social media myth

It's the classic tale of "don't believe everything you see on the internet."

Memes are being spread across social media calling for Canadians to band together to keep the regular red poppy as the symbol of Remembrance Day in defiance of some movement to create a 'rainbow poppy'. 

The only problem is, there's no evidence of such a thing. The poppy, which the British media outlet metro.co.uk traced to a single eBay account in England, was available for six pounds before the poster received an onslaught of negative messages. The poppy has since been removed from eBay.co.uk. It doesn't appear to have popped up anywhere else, nor are they any LGBT communities talking about it or pushing for it. 

However, the storm appeared to spread across Canada when claims that a Manitoba school suspended two students for refusing to wear a rainbow poppy were made on Twitter. The Interlake School Division denied those claims.

“In light of misinformation which has been widely spread on social media, we will share that at no point did any staff member of Stonewall Collegiate or Interlake School Division direct, nor mandate, any student to wear a ‘rainbow poppy,” the Board of Trustees said in a tweet Thursday. “The Board of Trustees will not comment on matters regarding individual students so as to maintain confidentiality for those involved.”

(1/3) Statement from the Board of Trustees of Interlake School Division (ISD) regarding recent social media coverage of the use of 'rainbow poppies': In light of misinformation which has been widely spread on social media, we will share that at no point did any staff member of

— Interlake School Division (@interlakesd) November 7, 2019

(2/3) Stonewall Collegiate or Interlake School Division direct, nor mandate, any student to wear a 'rainbow poppy'. The Board of Trustees will not comment on matters regarding individual students so as to maintain confidentiality for those involved.

— Interlake School Division (@interlakesd) November 7, 2019

While the claims surrounding the rainbow poppy have been deemed untrue, several Reddit threads have been created in opposition and the conversation surrounding the controversial poppy continues on social media.

According to the Royal Canadian Legion’s website, there are more than 40 official commemorative pins available, none of which are rainbow-coloured. Poppies are also available at many local businesses through the national Poppy Campaign.

A new digital poppy is available online at mypoppy.ca.

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