“The Scottish Register of Tartans was established by an act of the Scottish Parliament in November 2008, following a Member’s Bill submitted by Jamie McGrigor MSP in February 2007.”

Tartan is part of the establishment but is also subversive, is rock n roll but also royalty. It’s perfect for the queer community which has a tradition of sending up establishment traditions, from ballroom to Miss World to bingo.

Tartan is a symbol of British hospitality (it’s cosy!) but also luxury hospitality

Why tartan?

Gen Z like tartan and they are also very queer

Many cultures (eg India and Pakistan) have textile designs as part of their folk tradition. The queer community could do with some too—we don’t at the moment.

Tartan is quintessentially British - you need permission from the Royal Family to wear some of it

Scotland is the only country where a home grown soft drink (Irn Bru) outsells Coke and it has its own tartan

Queer men love tartan - Alan Cumming in Traitors, Eddie Izzard in a kilt