Does Corporate Pride Make a Difference? | Mercy M’fon
Yes, I know I know. I am with you: Rainbows are the biggest travesty to come to adult fashion. And, it can be true that this is still our ancestors’ dream in many ways. Every year Pride Month arrives, and every year, many of us choose to use our voices to convey how annoyed we are by corporate America’s choice to use this one time recognition to capitalize on our LGBTQ+ community. For many of us established in our queer communities, it is all too easy to slide into our queer bubbles and roll our eyes when confronted by this monthly wave of rainbow logos and cheesy Pride t-shirts, because it doesn’t speak to us individually and because we believe it to be an exploitation of our community for our dollars. But I wonder if it’s possible to explore more nuance around corporate Pride. Because while it is true that many corporations use the month of June to capitalize off the queer community while using the rest of the year to fund anti-queer and trans politicians and policies, it is also true that for many queer people across the country, Rainbow Capitalism is the only time they get to see themselves reflected in the mainstream. Consider a scenario like this: You have recently (or not so recently) come out to your family, and they have disposed of you. And for this one month, you can walk into a Target and see Pride clothing featured in the store, front and center. Seeing our community so publicly and visually celebrated is something that so many of our ancestors worked tirelessly to make space for.
So while yes, Rainbow Capitalism is in many ways an exploitation of our community, it is also a reflection of the countless years of work done by folks in our own community to ensure that LGBTQ+ folks are recognized, protected, and celebrated on a national level. It is a dream from those who have passed, and those who are living, to see more comfortable spaces; a continued conversation; or an open door where there once was none. It is counter marketing to the national and international message that we, in our whole selves, are inherently wrong. So while yes, it is still important for us to recenter Pride away from corporate America and back to our shared struggle and celebration of Queer Liberation, and while yes, Rainbow capitalism has resulted in some of the most bizarre parades known to human existence, the nuanced impact of corporate Pride should not be so easily dismissed. Because for many of our queer siblings without the safety net of a queer community, it can also be the only time that they have heard anyone say out loud that being themselves is something to take pride in.
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