Every June, timelines are flooded with rainbows, and brands race to color their logos, launch collections, and post messages of support to the LGBTQ+ community in their pride campaigns. But behind the vibrant visuals and inclusive slogans lies a question that deserves attention: are companies truly committed to the cause, or just surfing the wave of visibility for profit?
From riot to pinkwashing
This year marks the 56th anniversary of the Stonewall Riot, when the private club of the same name for LGBT+ people was brutally raided by the police and customers protested against the violence. Tired of living in the shadows of oppression, the protesters, by “throwing the first bricks”, started a movement that would become a symbol of resistance and pride in being free to express oneself and love.
In 1969, no one imagined that the fight for civil rights for the queer community would expand on a global scale, much less that it would become the public target of awareness and support campaigns organized by major brands and companies. But the battle is not won, since the commercialization of diversity has been influencing public perception of what constitutes genuine action and what is merely a strategy to profit from this community, also known as pinkwashing.
To understand pinkwashing better, we must return to the term pink money. It is speculated that the term pink money originated around the 1960s, when the gay community in San Francisco, California, USA, experienced population and economic growth, and local merchants noticed the need to serve a new market. In short, the term is used to refer to the purchasing power of LGBTQ+ people.
Visibility with action
It is undeniable that there are companies that truly care about inclusion. The clothing brand Abercrombie & Fitch has already raised over $5 million for The Trevor Project, which focuses on preventing suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, and in 2025, it has committed to donating $400,000 to the organization regardless of the profit from sales of the new Pride collection.
In Brazil, the Natura perfume house is also establishing itself as a positive example of commitment. In partnership with the Senac São Paulo education institute, the brand continues to invest in the “Beauty and Inclusion” project, which offers free make-up training to people from the queer community and aims to increase access to the job market through professional training.
It takes more than a flag in the logo
On the other hand, consumers have been paying attention to brands that focus more on cheerful seasonal posts and less on significant impacts. This performative and well-calculated activism is the aforementioned pinkwashing, which has the main objective of appropriating the LGBTQ+ cause for a company’s profit, without implementing policies that benefit the community.
Last year, Data for Progress released a list of companies that launched support campaigns during Pride Month but contradicted their own rhetoric by funding anti-LGBTQ+ American organizations and politicians. Big names such as Toyota, Amazon, and Budweiser have contributed more than $700,000 in donations to candidates with harmful and discriminatory agendas.
Pride is a year-round responsibility
When we talk about Pride Month, we cannot allow ourselves to be swayed by the superficiality of trends promoted by marketing. We must remember that it all started with taking a stand against violence and oppression. Celebrating free love and expression is just as important as using our voices to demand change from governments, organizations, and companies. Carrying this flag is a duty for the whole year, not just for June.
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The article above was edited by Isabella Messias.
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