Search Result

LGBT+ HISTORY AND PRIDE

Rainbow and Pink Washing

"Rainbow washing" uses LGBT+ rainbow-themed symbolism (the rainbow flag being the most common) in advertising, branding, services, merchandise and/ or social media to supposedly support the LGBT+ community but without active support.

Also referred to as “pinkwashing”, a term used to call out corporations or organisations that use Pride for their own gain/ profit only and/ or give themselves a misleading air of progressiveness, tolerance and allyship. This is not dissimilar to “greenwashing”, when companies claim to be environmentally friendly while still damaging the environment and/ or supporting damaging policies and practices.

Every year, as LGBT+ Pride month approaches, the LGBT+community is besieged by corporate and business logos which burst into rainbow colours. Some argue that this sort of support, sponsorship and partnership increases LGBT+ visibility while also helping to consolidate our rights and presence in a modern world. Others say their participation is simply taking advantage of a free market opportunity, increasing profits without necessarily putting anything back.

For example, if a business increases its net profit by 5% by supporting Pride month – a fashion line or increased paying customers, for example - should keep it for shareholders, invest it in LGBT+ positive initiatives within the business, or give profits back to the LGBT+ community?

Good practice

Some businesses provide meaningful support to the LGBT+ movement, which earns them the cache and credibility to fly the LGBT+ rainbow flag colours, including:

Advocating vocally for LGBT+ rights, publicly opposing anti-LGBT+ views and policies, and working to reduce hate and bias
Hiring and supporting the advancement of LGBT+ employees year-round and ensuring LGBT+ representation at all levels of the company, especially in leadership
Implementing LGBT+ inclusive policies and processes, eg, health insurance and pension rights for same-sex partners
Creating opportunities for customers and employees to express their own identities within products, platforms, and services, like the ability to select your own pronouns
Spotlighting intersectional identities to boost awareness and action on behalf of the most marginalised people in our society
Making year-round investments in frontline LGBT+ groups with financial or in-kind donations, partnerships, or participatory impact campaigns created in collaboration with LGBT+ organisations (to ensure they add real value to the movement)
Celebrating Pride Month through events or campaigns that help to achieve tangible and transparent goals for the LGBT+ community with measurable outcomes and asking consumers to take meaningful action beyond buying something

Some companies show a consistent commitment to the LGBT+ community, and not just during Pride month, and you can show your support by purchasing their brands. But we should never be complacent: check out what they do, follow the money, and ask questions if they are not doing what they say or you feel they should.

"Our community organisations have become increasingly corporatised and exploited, with UK Pride parades often dominated by big business sponsors and floats, vote-seeking politicians and state agents such as the police, who brag about their LGBT+ inclusiveness but have not apologised or compensated us for their decades of oppression.

Pride is now capitalism with a pink hue. It has become monetised: we pay to march, the city authorities extort vast charges from the Pride organisers and we are encouraged to buy rainbow-branded merchandise to express our sexual and gender identity. Much of LGBT+ is part of the neoliberal establishment.

Most queers no longer dissent from the values, laws and institutions of mainstream society. They happily settle for equal rights within the existing social order; often uncritically seeking what straights have, no matter how dubious. Increasingly, LGBT+ culture has lost its critical edge. We have been mainstreamed, which on one level is great, but mainstreamed on heterosexual terms. Many of us seem to aspire to little more than an LGBT+ version of straight family life."

Pride has sold its soul to rainbow-branded capitalism | Peter Tatchell | The Guardian | 28 Jun 2019

Stonewall UK Workplace Equality Index

UK Workplace Equality Index | Stonewall
Benchmarking tool for employers to measure their progress on lesbian, gay, bi and trans inclusion in the workplace.

Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG)

It’s not difficult to find companies in the news that don’t do what they should, either legally or morally. Still, they are under increasing pressure today to show how they are generating profits sustainably and responsibly and reflecting political and public concerns about climate change, economic inequality, and social justice. "ESG washing" is a relatively new term coined to describe how companies exaggerate or misrepresent ESG efforts and initiatives, such as diversity, equity and inclusion, to gain favourable support from consumers, employees, and investors, for example. As companies launch their Pride-related promos, it’s important to understand which are genuine attempts at supporting the LBGTQ+ community and what qualifies as rainbow-washing.

Environmental, social, and corporate governance | Wikipedia

More

Film clips

↑ Back to top