ZestSync

This Is What It Means If You See A Red Porch Light

In 2016, the website Immediate Safety posted an article claiming that anti-gun activists had begun installing red porch lights to announce that their homes were gun-free. The article referred to the trend as "red lighting." However, the trend was entirely made up, as Snopes confirmed. Close reading revealed that the article was clearly satirical. It quoted a Jane Seymore from the Department of Protecting Everyone (DOPE) and was written by a Dr. I.M. Swindler. Immediate Safety  does not claim to be satirical but it has published obviously outlandish articles like "Sewer Rats in Los Angeles Becoming Sentient," and "Surviving Alien Abduction: A Users Guide for 2016."

So if you see a red porch light, it's not about gun control. However, red porch lights can have other meanings beyond heart health, according to Restore, Decor, and More. They can also just be a decorative choice for Halloween or Valentine's Day. On May 4, which is International Firefighters Day, they also represent support for firefighters. 

Finally, some people associate red lights with prostitution, probably because of the phrase "red-light district," which refers to a neighborhood with lots of sex businesses. However, this association may now be a thing of the past.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunCDknJrbGxfqbWqv4yiqmavmJbBbrXTZqSemZ6oeqqyjLKmrmWjmrJurYyrnJ1loKS%2FpLSMpaCgoKRk

Mittie Cheatwood

Update: 2024-06-07