How Brands Must Evolve in Their Approach to Pride by Elly Belle
By: Gauge Community
Tags: Diversity And Inclusion, Pride, Brands

How Brands Must Evolve in Their Approach to Pride by Elly Belle Gauge Community Follow Jun 17 · 4 min read

Pride is political. It’s rooted in fighting the oppression of the most marginalized and harmed people in our community, with celebrations each June originating from the Stonewall Riots of 1969 in New York City. During the uprising, predominantly trans women of color and Black trans women — including Marsha P. Johnson — battled back against the police. The riots were spurred by the violence, discrimination against, and harassment of queer and trans people and were the subsequent step taken where more “civil” protest and demands had failed.

From these radical roots, Pride today looks barely recognizable. Rainbow branding and corporate campaigns have watered the public perception of Pride down to a stereotype — “gay Coachella,” maybe. A far cry from protests past.

Why the shift? In 2020, queer and trans people made up less than 5% of the US population and and 8% of its disposable income — about $1 trillion. Corporations want our trust. Somehow, most have decided empty gestures will be enough.

A vague sense of support has grown over the years, with June bringing rainbow displays in McDonald’s and TD Bank, and rainbowed products everywhere from H&M to Adidas to Disney. We see rainbows in the social feeds for Raytheon, a company that builds and distributes weapons. Even Chevron put out a campaign “celebrating” Pride — all while funding the GOP, keeping politicians in power doing harm to queer and trans people.

Pride merchandise and colorful displays — even having same sex couples in ads — isn’t stopping the sky-high murder of trans women. It’s not actively stopping anti-trans legislation like discriminatory bathroom bills, laws that keep trans girls out of sports, or laws that blatantly criminalize health care for trans folks in places like Arkansas. It won’t ensure that queer people of all identities are safe to be who they are at work or in public. And while companies churn out campaigns, the community watches for what actually matters: where brands spend their money in politics and whether they lend a hand in making material differences for our community. In 2021, with a record number of anti-trans bills passing, we simply have no more patience. Brands must pivot away from making Pride a show and put money where it matters if what they want is lasting customer relationships and a decent reputation.

What does this look like? Brands can have much more meaningful engagement with LGBTQ+ customers and allies by donating to and advocating for LGBTQ+ causes, taking a look at what politicians they’re connected to and how they can have an effect on stopping anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ bills, and more. Data from 2019 shows that people are more likely to see Pride-related merchandise as a marketing tactic than as a reflection of the company’s values, and it’s likely that sentiment has only grown.

“Notice how a lot of the companies with a Pride parade contingent are also the ones that have been directly, violently reshaping the city to become more unsurvivable to its historic queer community,” says Mare, who identifies as Pacific Islander, Asian, nonbinary and lesbian. This has been especially true for queer people of color, trans women, and working class queer and trans people.

“Even the best freebies or representation campaigns are band-aids on generations-old wounds that these same corporations have had some part in. Come Pride season, if companies really want to give a public nod at the gays to look like they care, they should be redistributing resources back to the communities organizing themselves who know what they need,” says Mare. Many agree, including Jules, a disabled nonbinary activist. “I think the most meaningful way brands can celebrate Pride is by contributing to specific, localized efforts to celebrate and uplift the LGBTQIAP+ community.”

When brands look beyond marketing campaigns, they notice opportunities up and down their operations to immediately and directly impact the lives of queer and trans people. Things like sourcing materials from places that support LGBTQ+ rights, and cutting ties with companies and industries that harm our people. And where generic corporate campaigns fall short, localized efforts win favor. “A favorite of mine is Hygiene Hustle,” says Jules, “a Black-owned business that sells hand sanitizer and donates proceeds to orgs that support sex workers, people in recovery, and reproductive justice.”

Tasneem, a queer non-binary songwriter and multidisciplinary artist, has one question for brands: “In the end, how are you helping to push LGBTQ+ rights forward by using your platform, social media, your brand ambassadors and with the money you are making?” Many of us already know that the answer — flashy floats aside.

To do right by our communities, all companies must examine the ways they attempt to participate in Pride — in June and far beyond. If your company is helping to make hate and violence against our community possible every month of the year, you have no place. If, on the other hand, you’re working with grassroots organizations, giving money to the right places, hiring queer and trans people, making sure that we have health care, paying fairly, and making sure that our colleagues treat us like humans, you won’t need to do much for us to take notice. We see your values all year long.