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Popular Information, an independent newsletter dedicated to accountability journalism, looked at 25 corporations (including Comcast, AT&T and Walmart) that have changed their public avatars to include the Pride flag and found that those 25 corporations had collectively given more than $10 million in the previous two years to politicians who were involved in crafting or voting for legislation that would hurt the LGBTQ+ community.īrands are missing out by not catering to the LGBTQ+ community all year Last June, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), highlighted the contradictory practices of a number of major corporations on her Twitter. Rainbow-washing allows corporations to distract from their anti-LGBTQ+ practicesĪnother huge issue with rainbow-washing is that it can distract from a company’s shady track records on LGBTQ+ issues. And no, no one is saying Pride has to be an entirely somber remembrance of the past-it’s a celebration, after all-but it’s a cheap marketing ploy to pay homage to the queer community without actually doing anything to benefit it. The point is that Pride had violent beginnings and throwing a rainbow sheen over your multibillion-dollar company for 30 days a year without putting your money where your mouth is is ignoring history. The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and neighborhood residents, leading to six days of protests and bloody clashes with law enforcement. In late June of 1969, New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in lower Manhattan.
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While it wasn’t the first time members of the LGBTQ+ community were harassed by the police, the Stonewall Riots are widely considered to have created Pride as we know it today. (Often with the sugarcoated excuse that they’ll instead be paid in “exposure,” which does not pay bills and is exploitative and condescending.) Corporate Pride waters down the idea of Pride in general
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That last one is particularly egregious, with brands expecting free labor for their Pride content from queer creators, many of whom-like writer, podcaster, critic and consultant Fran Tirado on Instagram-have opened up about hearing how there’s little no budget for Pride projects. Hiring queer creators for Pride projects and underpaying them (or not paying them at all).Being shady about how they’re giving back to the community all year round, not just in June.Using LGBTQIA+ employees as props in Pride-related marketing materials.Releasing limited-edition Pride merch with little or no information about whether any portion of profits are going toward organizations that benefit the community.Brands slapping rainbows on their social media accounts for June.If you’re a consumer of pretty much any kind of media, you’ve almost certainly seen examples of rainbow-washing, which include:
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Rainbow-washing can take on many different forms RELATED: 8 Ways to Support the LGBTQIA+ Community During Pride Month and Beyond As we head into Pride month, here’s what you should know. It’s called rainbow-washing and, according to Urban Dictionary, it’s, “The act of using or adding rainbow colors 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.”īasically, it’s a type of performative activism, or supporting a cause or issue to garner attention, support or monetization from others rather than actually caring about making a difference in the cause. If you’ve ever noticed things like this and thought to yourself, ‘Gee, this seems a little icky,’ you’re not alone.
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Every June 1, we see our go-to ride share service has changed its profile pictures to a rainbow car we see advertisements for the Apple Watch Pride Band we wonder who in God’s name approved Burger King’s Pride Whopper (seriously).