A ribbon is a long, narrow strip of cloth or material, often used for tying things or for decoration. Ribbons are common on gifts, medals, and in hair.
From Middle English *ribban*, from Old French *ruban*, of uncertain origin, possibly from a Germanic root. The spelling and meaning shifted over centuries as decorative strips became more common.
Ribbons became symbols of causes—like yellow ribbons for support or red ribbons for awareness—long before hashtags existed. A simple strip of cloth can carry a huge amount of social meaning.
Ribbons have been culturally coded as feminine in fashion and decoration, and certain awareness ribbons have been associated with women’s health issues like breast cancer. This can reinforce narrow ideas of femininity and who is expected to care about specific causes.
When using ribbons as symbols (e.g., awareness campaigns), avoid implying that only women or a single gender are affected or responsible. In design, don’t assume ribbon motifs are inherently “for girls.”
["band","strip","sash","badge (for causes)"]
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