June, otherwise known as Pride Month, is officially over. In its wake, storefronts everywhere have stripped themselves of rainbow flags, clearance sections in department stores have become bogged down with LGBT+ themed merchandise, and corporate logos that had previously honored the pride flag on social media have reverted to their original, less colorful states. With corporate America quickly moving on to the next marketing scheme, it is easy to forget how many companies celebrated Pride Month this June, and how the LGBT+ community had mixed feelings about this attention from corporations. Many asked the question: is it ethical and appropriate for corporations to celebrate Pride Month?
The question should not be whether
or not corporations ought to celebrate pride, but how they can do it
respectfully. When companies celebrate Pride Month in a way that respects and
uplifts the LGBT community, they show their LGBT+ employees they are seen and
valued, and that they help to continue shifting our social landscape to one
that accepts everyone. Money talks, and when dozens of corporations change
their logos to rainbow, it’s hard not to take notice. The message is clear:
corporate America at large stands in solidarity with the LGBT+ community. At
least, for a month.
But not all corporate celebration of LGBT+ pride is created equal. For some
companies, Pride is less of an opportunity to honor the LGBT+ community and
more of an opportunity to sell rainbow-themed merchandise to turn a quick profit.
This is where corporations celebrating Pride can quickly become an issue. Companies
carelessly celebrating Pride can exploit the LGBT+ community instead of
uplifting it.
Furthermore, when corporations fail to give back to the LGBT+ community while participating
in Pride celebrations, they can also harm small LGBT+ owned businesses and
independent LGBT+ artists who need community support to survive. While many
LGBT+ people and their allies want to support LGBT+ businesses and content
creators, it can be hard to do so. Their products are generally more expensive
than that of corporate retailers, and they’re often only available online or at
events such as Pride. The unfortunate reality is that for many people, it is
more convenient and cost effective to walk into Target and buy a shirt covered
in rainbows for Pride Month than it is to shop online for Pride merchandise
made by an LGBT+ artist.
This is not to say that large corporations should not sell merchandise for
Pride because they might take sales away from LGBT+ companies and content
creators. Supporting LGBT+ businesses and artists is an issue in and of itself
that would not instantly be solved if large corporations suddenly stopped
selling Pride merchandise every June. In an ideal celebration of Pride,
corporations and LGBT+ content creators could coexist with ease.
Instead, more corporations who sell Pride merchandise need to put their money
where their mouth is. For corporations, it is one thing to support something
verbally, and another thing to support it financially. Companies that donate to
LGBT+ charities and sponsor Pride events do more for the LGBT+ community than
companies who change their Twitter logo to rainbow. Additionally, it is
important for companies that celebrate Pride to actually support their LGBT+
employees. A company that publicly expresses support only to enact homophobic
and transphobic policies is not an ally and has no place celebrating Pride.
Lastly, corporations who celebrate Pride would do well to understand that while
Pride Month only happens once a year, the LGBT+ community exists all year
round. Rainbow flags don’t need to be pulled from storefronts come July 1.
Advertisements that showcase LGBT+ people and families can be aired any time of
year. The more a brand celebrates Pride consistently, the more it will truly
earn respect from the community it is celebrating.
Pride is not a marketing scheme. It is not a party. It is a celebration of how
far the LGBT+ community has come, and a way to recognize how much there truly
is left to do to create a truly equal world for all of our LGBT+ siblings.
Everyone who understands this, even corporations, are welcome.