Pride 2019 Quick Hits
June marked the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in NYC. It also marked the 49th annual Pride march as record numbers of brands displayed rainbow-hued stripes across their logos in proud support of the LGBTQ+ community.
This year also saw the first Queer Liberation March—a demonstration protesting the presence of corporations at Pride.
The Queer Liberation March march was intended to reclaim the event from the brands who some feel utilize the month as a marketing opportunity without true dedication to the cause. Terms like “woke washing” and “rainbow capitalism” became synonymous with the offending brands.
However, a number of brands were lauded for their sincere commitment to the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. Here are a few of the brands many felt did Pride right:
● HARRY’S Shave with Pride. The shaving supply company introduced a series of notably beautiful limited-edition razor handles designed by artist José Roda. One-hundred percent of the profits from sales of the handles went to The Trevor Project—an LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization. Corporate messaging is one thing, but financially committing to a notable organization that furthers the cause is truly something more.
● SEPHORA We Belong to Something Beautiful. This big name in cosmetics created a 2-minute video that artfully celebrates different gender identifications while focusing on the beauty of the human condition uniting us all. It was part of a wider effort to support LGBQT+ organizations by catering to the beauty needs of transgenders and other gender identities.
● TAYLOR SWIFT (yes, she is indeed a brand)You Need to Calm Down (music video). The pop singer used her voice to speak out on behalf of the LGBQT+ community and did so with a catchy new number that makes a bold political statement and packs an emotional punch, all while maintaining a sense of Wes Anderson-style whimsy. Throughout her career Swift has kept support for diversity and inclusivity out of her act, but it seems she’s finally taking a cue from her colleague, Lady Gaga, and speaking up.
● LYFT Two is Too Few. Lyft drove attention toward non-binary, gender-queer and gender-fluid identities by updating its app to include a wider range of gender pronouns. The brand also made strides to effect real change through its partnership with the National Center for Transgender Equality by together helping motorists get driver’s license information changed to identify them by their preferred name and gender.
● VERIZON Love Calls Back. Coming out of the closet can fracture relationships with those who were unaware. Telecom giant Verizon spent Pride Month calling attention to the need for people to reconnect with those they’ve shunned over revealed sexual or gender preferences. The centerpiece of the effort was a moving, minute-long video showing four members of the LGBQT+ community being embraced anew by loved ones who once rejected them. Verizon also donated a quarter-mil to the org that facilitates these reunions, PFLAG.
● TINDER Pride Slide. Dating-app Tinder constructed a rainbow-colored Pride slide in NYC’s Madison Square Park. An insanely long line of revelers waited to ride down the 30-foot chute. Tinder sold tickets to ride the slide and then donated proceeds to the Human Rights Campaign, which is pushing for congressional approval of the Equality Act to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
LGBTQ+ OGs
True commitment to the LGBTQ+ cause is indicated by the brands who act on their alliance year-round. Here are a few examples of brands whose LGBTQ+ commitments have been walking the walk for years.
Starbucks. Since 2012, employees have had a series of trans-specific medical benefits ranging from gender reassignment surgery to hair grafts, voice therapy, and much more. These trans-specific health benefits are made possible by a partnership with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (Starbucks was the first company among many to team up with the WPATH).
IKEA. In 2015, IKEA gave Russia the bird (and not the one adorning that country’s coat of arms) over a demand that the Swedish furniture company censor from its house magazine articles portraying members of the LGBQT+ community in a good light. IKEA had been resisting such demands from Russia for a couple of years prior to that. That takes courage. BTW, IKEA has included LGBQT+ models in its ads for about a quarter of a century.
PayPal. You send money through PayPal, but PayPal refused to send any of its own to North Carolina after the legislature in 2016 passed a law stripping civil-rights protections from the LGBQT+ community. PayPal responded to the new law by canceling plans to build a processing center in that state. Financial impact: an estimated $2.66 billion loss to North Carolina’s economy.
