As soon as June starts, my Instagram feed is filled with posts selling various rainbow merchandise , in the honour of Pride month; Multicoloured shirts, footwear, accessories , flashy sales. It is perceived as a move by big brands and corporations to showcase their love and support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
But the real question is, is it really?
“Rainbow capitalism refers to the incorporation of the symbols of the LGBTQIA+ community, to auction a plethora of products and schemes”. Yes, this move in some ways does promote the inclusion of queers. But, it is the subtle grim reality, which I would like to shed some light upon.
We tend to buy these limited edition products, to encourage inclusion and make an effort from our side. But the sad truth is, that the amount of money we spent on this particular cause doesn’t actually assist them in any beneficial manner. Nowadays, Pride month, which has the beautiful significance of commemorating the 1989 Stonewall riots of New York City, have merely become a “marketing approach” to mint more money. The big giants endorse this community heavily for these 30 days and then vanish into thin air.
For instance , Nike, a brand which openly shows their love for the queer community during this month, gets most of their production done in China, a country which is always under scrutiny due to their strict anti LGBTQIA+ laws. There is no evidence that brands like H&M use their profits during Pride month towards some organization that supports a definitive and transparent cause, for instance, providing homes to transgenders who have no place to call their own. On the other hand, Durex is a brand that openly stands for this cause all year long, be it Valentine’s day or some other occasion.
As consumers, we need to be aware of where our money goes, and how it’s actually being utilised. Instead of buying stuff during Pride month, we can volunteer to give money to charities, startups and organisations started by the LQBTQIA+ community, all year long, and contribute in a way that they can actually see, feel and appreciate.
Reducing hate crimes, fighting for their equal rights, and ensuring that there is no discrimination whatsoever is actually called making a fruitful endeavour.
Companies can include gender-neutral bathrooms, emphasise on the correct usage of pronouns, include more diversity in their employees, and encourage inclusion in each and every way possible, instead of making a half-hearted effort to promote different sexualities.
Rainbow capitalism tends to ignore the lower-class, blacks, less affluent, and just focuses on some parts of the community, which further fuels the discrimination. The main purpose thus remains defeated, and once again, heteronormativity indirectly gets promoted.
LGBTQIA+ community has been through horrors that we cannot even fathom. Their journey to being accepted and acknowledged into society hasn’t been a smooth road.
Yes, we have made progress, but our goal is still incomplete.
These people don’t need superficial ways of support, they actually need to see that society acknowledges, and welcomes them with open arms.
Pride month isn’t a ‘trend’, it represents the celebration of a whole community, who are still fighting for their rightful place in the society. Thus, we need to ensure that the rainbow keeps on shining all year long!