1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Cashing in on Pride???

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by PatrickUK, Jun 5, 2021.

  1. PatrickUK

    Advisor Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2014
    Messages:
    6,943
    Likes Received:
    2,359
    Location:
    England
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    In the UK, many companies and organisations have adopted the rainbow into their logo for Pride month and some have brought out new product ranges too.

    How do you feel about things like this?

    On social media, opinion seems to be split between those who see it as "cashing in" and making profit from Pride and those who welcome the support and increased visibility (roughly where I stand).

    No big arguments please, but where do you stand?
     
  2. BlueMonday

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2017
    Messages:
    417
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Earth
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    A few people
    Cashing in.
     
  3. Denial

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2018
    Messages:
    520
    Likes Received:
    39
    Location:
    USA
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    Some people
    I view it as some of both. The visibility is good but sometimes it gets to be too much. For example, the pet store near me was selling rainbow sweaters for guinea pigs which seemed to be a little much.
     
  4. QuietPeace

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2020
    Messages:
    1,706
    Likes Received:
    1,154
    Location:
    Northern Europe
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Other
    Out Status:
    A few people
    Companies Pridewashing is just as much garbage as greenwashing. Individuals doing so on social media etc might be ok if they are allies and is perfectly ok for LGBT+ people even if they normally do not show such things.
     
  5. HM03

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2013
    Messages:
    2,623
    Likes Received:
    508
    Location:
    Pergatory
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Some people
    I'll gladly take any support we can get, even if has a bit of a hidden motive.

    That being said, independent queer artists etc should be supported this June if you want to buy rainbow anything. Not Amazon and other huge companies.
     
  6. SteveBi45

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2021
    Messages:
    138
    Likes Received:
    92
    Location:
    Europe
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Not out at all
    I think it's mostly cashing in on it. My company also wanted to do this, but then everyone working here said no - not until you truly have a diverse culture that embraces LGBTQ+ . They're working on it, but they have a long way to go.
     
  7. Shorthaul

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2016
    Messages:
    1,498
    Likes Received:
    231
    Location:
    Idaho
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    Mostly cashing in, especially considering how many places still do business in countries that are still openly hostile to people in the LGBT community.
     
  8. Destin

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2018
    Messages:
    2,055
    Likes Received:
    715
    Location:
    The United States
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
  9. pozistani

    pozistani Guest

    I'm of a real mixed mind on this. There have been companies that have stood by the LGBTQ+ community since long before it became cool. It's been a long time since I attended Pride, but even back then I could see a coming tide of commercialization. However, post 9/11, everyone wanted heavy security for public events and that just raised costs. Could the local community cover that? Or did local Pride organizers reach out to those with deeper pockets?

    But much like Cinco de Mayo celebrations in most of the US (and elsewhere), there is a certain amount of cultural appropriation of minority culture so others can make money. Will Juneteenth be next?

    While it's not my first choice and I rather miss when Pride was just about the community and a few supportive allies, it does say something when large corporate entities are no longer fearful of using LGBTQ+ imagery when they do what they do (which is make money).
     
  10. sojabohnenfeld

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2017
    Messages:
    173
    Likes Received:
    35
    Location:
    united states
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Some people
    I really really dislike it. How about we change the education system so that kids learn more than just about old straight white men? Pride Month is useless when we don't make these changes
     
  11. Chiroptera

    Admin Team Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2014
    Messages:
    2,504
    Likes Received:
    1,383
    Location:
    Brazil
    Gender:
    Male
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    This.

    Here in Brazil we had three days ago a stream from a beer company, which had posted that they supported the LGBT+ movement, in which they paid some "artists" to sing sertanejo. After one song, while talking to the audience and between themselves, the singers started to make homophobic jokes and one of them acted all flamboyant in an act of mockery towards gays.

    Until now and as far as I know, the company hasn't said a damn thing about it.

    Another store chain that sells clothes in Brazil changed their logo to include a rainbow flag. This company strongly supported Bolsonaro during his campaign, the most homophobic and bigot president we had until now, after the brazilian military dictatorship.

    So, yeah... on one hand, I think it's nice that we are seeing more discussions about this. However, we need to be careful not to let companies take our movement and transform it in a way to grab our money without giving a shit about our lives. It's easy to post a rainbow on Twitter, but if the company does nothing against an act of homophobia, they can go to capitalist hell.

    I don't care about avatars or cute posts. Are they donating money to LGBT+ projects? Are they openly positioning themselves against bigots, for real? Are they hiring and giving voice to LGBT+ people? This is what is important. And I won't settle for less.
     
  12. MistyMorn

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2019
    Messages:
    114
    Likes Received:
    47
    Location:
    US
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    A few people
    Cashing in. I feel it makes Pride out to be a joke or a fad in some ways. Like Kellogg's with the cereal. It's less about bringing acceptance and equality and making people comfortable in their own skin and more about kitschy stuff to make a buck.
     
  13. Kyrielles

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2017
    Messages:
    613
    Likes Received:
    58
    Location:
    U.S.
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Consumerism at its finest, I dislike it. The amount of companies that sell rainbow merch targeting PRIDE month and then donate to politicians who are anti lgbt and push anti lgbt bills. I really hate the way the world works honestly.
     
  14. Tightrope

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2013
    Messages:
    5,415
    Likes Received:
    387
    Location:
    USA
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    Cashing in. Not authentic at all. You have companies and organizations that have always been sort of conservative and now they have overlays with rainbow and then some colors that a web designer or graphic artist came up with for them. They are definitely big companies and have LGBT representation within them. But what's the real story between the image they are portraying and the reality once inside?
     
  15. Libertino

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2016
    Messages:
    1,195
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    This Side of the Enlightenment
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Other
    Out Status:
    Some people
    All I can say is: follow the money. Look into what organizations, politicians, and charities the companies that sell pride merch donate to. Look into what legislation they support. I am all for the increased normalization of LGBT pride and LGBT acceptance, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to give my money to any company that has hopped on to the pride bandwagon.
     
  16. pozistani

    pozistani Guest

    You mean like mentioned in this article I presume:

    Congresswoman is shredding companies celebrating “Pride” while supporting anti-LGBTQ politicians
    Companies that change their logo to include a rainbow are finding out that isn't good enough when they're funding the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation we've faced over the past years.