Pride Always Exists, Not Just in June
With the fading away of June and the turning of the calendar, it’s evident that the once colorful Pride Month logos are changing back to their original state and the abundance of bright rainbow flags are disappearing from your social media timelines. It seems as though once July has made its appearance, the celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community no longer crosses the minds of those unaffected and the calendar keeps passing on. However, who’s to say the celebration of Pride Month stops when June ends?
Rainbow Washing
We’ve all seen “rainbow-washing.” Brands decide that the way they’ll show support is to change their Instagram icon to a different color scheme and call it a day. Slapping rainbows on social media posts for the month of June isn’t showing complete solidarity and authenticity. Pride becomes a trend for both brands and people to hop onto, regardless of their true intentions and dedication to the equality of the LGBTQIA+ community and everything they have worked for. For example, CVS, AT&T, and Verison were among 25 companies that have donated over $10 million to anti-LGBTQIA politicians. These same brands changed their social media icons to include the Pride flag.
Allyship
True allyship isn’t performative— it’s more than resharing trendy graphics on your social media in order to appear educated. Instead, read and actually educate yourself on issues facing the community, listen to those who are members, and stop to think about others before yourself. Donate to organizations that further the acceptance and legacy of LBGTQIA+ members. All of these things can be done year-round, and not just during Pride Month.
It’s not just individuals who can practice being allies. While many may be rainbow-washing, there are a fair number of brands who practice what they preach. During 2020 Pride, Fabletics launched a new collection featuring bright colors and rainbows. In addition to their new line, they pledged to donate a portion of their proceeds to the It Gets Better Project (an organization that empowers LGBTQIA+ youth around the world). This action speaks beyond rainbow leggings and proves that there are companies/brands that have the ability to truly support all customers.
Extended Learning
We all know that there are podcasts, shows, and books for literally everything. No excuses can be made for not taking the little time to sit down and educate yourself. Buffer created a list of resources for allies to understand that education of the LGBTQIA+ community doesn’t fall on their friends and family within it. From influencers to follow, inclusive vocabulary, and simple readings lists, there’s no shortage of the internal work that’s available.
On With July, and Beyond
I realize my privileged position allows me to preach about LGBTQIA+ resources and discuss the importance behind the rainbow flag. After the history we’ve been taught, I just figure there is never too much education and work to be done for inclusivity. With that said, here’s to celebrating Pride all the time and holding each other accountable.
About Emma
Emma is a senior studying Advertising/Public Relations and Writing. She is currently serving as President of the GVPRSSA Executive Board. This year is her second year involved with PRSSA and GrandPR previously as Podcast Director and Account Associate. Emma hopes to work in a PR agency after graduation (unless she lands her dream job of being Taylor Swift’s publicist). In her free time, Emma enjoys watching movies, listening to music, and spending time with her dogs, Lola & Clementine.
Twitter: @emmanelson34