by Meghan Serceki
It’s almost June which means that rainbows appear seemingly out of nowhere in shop windows, targeted ads, and (if previous Pride months are any indication) even on mouthwash?
This is all part of what we now recognize as rainbow capitalism — corporate shows of support for the LGBTQ+ community as a way to bolster their consumer market. Many people have a love-hate relationship with Pride collections, and we’re not telling you not to drop $20 on that rainbow fanny pack, we’re just trying to help you understand what pride truly is and what support for LGBTQ+ individuals genuinely looks like.
Why do we celebrate Pride?
In the United States, most Pride month activities take place in June in memory of the 1969 Stonewall Riots. After years of oppression, the Gay Liberation Movement was gaining momentum by the late 1960’s, but a violent police raid of the Stonewall Inn solidified the gay community’s drive towards political activism.
Nobody was killed during the six-night riot, but plenty of queer activists throughout history have lost their lives and their livelihoods due to unjust and inhumane laws. The simple fact that we can have Pride parades is testament to the sacrifices they have made to give us the freedoms we experience today — even if there is still a long way to go.
What does this have to do with corporations?
Honestly? Not much. Because this is America and we live in a capitalist society, Pride has been picked up by many corporations in their marketing campaigns and products, becoming increasingly commercialized in recent years.
Visibility is undeniably important, and sometimes something like rainbow shoelaces or a “Love is Love” shirt can help signal to people that you are a safe person to be themselves around. This is not the issue with these Pride collections. Where we run into trouble is when rainbow capitalism uses these symbols superficially to support the public image of their brand while engaging in other activities which harm the LGBTQ+ community.
How can we be consumers of rainbow capitalism?
Some of the most important things in scoping out this year’s pride gear are just being aware of where the products came from, who designed them, and what kinds of things the corporations support.
Ideally, buy from queer-owned businesses. A quick Google search will come up with queer-owned businesses to get you started, and other artists advertise their works through social media and sell on sites like Etsy for small independent artists. Pride is about uplifting members of the LGBTQ+ community, so do your best to support them and their mission.
Larger corporations have shown increased sensitivity to the importance of Pride by partnering with queer artists to create their collections. By doing this, large businesses are giving LGBTQ+ individuals the opportunity to showcase their work and are curating products that actually feel genuine and relatable to them, rather than just slapping a giant rainbow onto a shirt and calling it a day.
Actions speak louder than words. So, no matter how many times that shirt has “PRIDE” printed on it and no matter how large and colorful the font is, it doesn’t mean that the company selling it truly supports LGBTQ+ rights. Many companies participate in this virtue signaling but have actively supported anti-LGBTQ+ candidates. Before buying from any brand, do a little bit of research. Ask yourself where their profits are going and if you want part of your money going there, too. Consumers have power in this regard. Use it wisely.
With all this being said, go take a look at some queer-owned businesses, get yourself that fanny pack, and get ready to celebrate Pride and the people who got us here!