emma spinks
“The act of using or adding rainbow colours and/or imagery to advertising, apparel, accessories, landmarks… in order to indicate progressive support for LGBTQ equality (and earn consumer credibility)—but with a minimum of effort or pragmatic result.” – Urban Dictionary
Rainbow washing is essentially when businesses use the rainbow Pride colours to suggest to consumers that they support the LGBTQI+ community, without having to put in actual effort or produce a tangible outcome for queer folk.
During June, companies that engage in rainbow washing will transform into colourful hubs, with bright, rainbow versions of their logo on social media. Their advertising and feeds may “highlight” local members of the LGBTQI+ community, featuring them wearing their seasonal “Pride” merch or other company apparel, without paying (or underpaying) the queer talent involved. They might drop the rainbow flag colours across their advertising to catch your eye and entice you into their stores. Or they might allude to Queer organisations they support, without bringing out the receipts to prove it. Then BOOM—the first of July rolls around and everything switches back to business as usual while they walk away with your hard-earned queer cash.
Think about this: As an individual identifying as LGBT, how would you feel about people who tag along to parades when that is their only action of solidarity for the whole year? Should they be allowed to wear the rainbow? With all the colorful celebrations it’s easy to forget that there are still horrible fates for LGBT people across the world and LGBT youth suicide data is extremely concerning.
The LGBT community is under constant threat. The Trump administration has set a strict anti-LGBT agenda: It banned trans and HIV+ people from the military, nominated a host of federal judges who are opposed to LGBT rights, attempts to eliminate protections for transgender people in homeless shelters, and is outspoken about its pro conversion therapy stance. And yet, his campaign deems selling a $35 rainbow MAGA hat, whose proceeds go against the community, appropriate. Probably the worst example of rainbow-washing in history.
The commodification and monetisation of the Pride flag (a flag that represents the Queer community’s long history of resilience against oppression and strife) has had a watering down effect on Pride as an event. In some people’s minds, Pride has become more about brand deals, sponsorships and celebrity appearances, than amplifying queer voices and raising awareness for LGBTQI+ issues. It’s also damaging because it misleads well-intentioned people into thinking they’re supporting the LGBTQI+ community, when in reality they’re lining the pockets of multi-billion dollar corporations.
Final thoughts
- Companies should be held to a higher standard of allyship
- Brands should support the LGBT community authentically, and, above all, all year-round.
- Corporations should understand that Pride Month originated on resistance and it isn’t a once-a-year party that they can cash in.
- Until that time comes, though, if even one LGBT kid sees a rainbow ad or that temporary rainbow profile photo and decides to live another day, it was all worth it.
for the students 