The Wikipedia article says that it was associated with the LGBTQ and trans community as early as 2020, while IKEA only leaned into that as of 2021. You appear to be correct, I personally didn’t really notice them popping among my friends’ until 2022 which was afterwards, so that is likely why I assumed that marketing is a large part of what kickstarted it.
Serious question: how did a shark plushy from ikea become a trans mascot?
https://www.intomore.com/the-internet/stuffed-ikea-shark-became-trans-icon/
Pink white and blue colours
That’s it, as far as I’m aware
And marketing.
afaik the marketing came later
but it’s certainly here.
The Wikipedia article says that it was associated with the LGBTQ and trans community as early as 2020, while IKEA only leaned into that as of 2021. You appear to be correct, I personally didn’t really notice them popping among my friends’ until 2022 which was afterwards, so that is likely why I assumed that marketing is a large part of what kickstarted it.