As part of their new “anti-fascist” campaign, British makeup company Illamasqua is asking Trump supporters not to purchase their products. In their online pledge, written by founder Julian Kynaston, the brand states, “Illamasqua believe in the freedom of expression, equality, and diversity… As such, we will never knowingly sell our products to people who support President Trump’s values.” Along with these statements, the brand asks that if its supporters want to buy their products, they must pledge against “[discrimination] against race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.”
Freedom of expression, equality & diversity. Join us & together, we can be the change we want to see #Illamafia: https://t.co/eKKjCnSGbF pic.twitter.com/uFTo8L56R7
— Illamasqua (@Illamasqua) February 17, 2017
While it’s certainly admirable that this company is making a statement, it’s a passive and unreliable effort at best. A Trump supporter who really wants to buy an Illamasqua product will probably be undeterred by their political stance. If Illamasqua truly wants to “accept responsibility on challenging [issues]” and “speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves”, it can start by donating more of its proceeds to charities that align with its values, like Planned Parenthood.