Navigating Rainbow Washing
Meaningful Allyship during Pride Season
When we first launched the Creative Friction podcast, our goal was to tackle topics that were often overlooked in the agency space and engage in honest conversations, even when they felt challenging. With June upon us, a month that brings mixed emotions for the LGBTQ+ community, it's crucial to address how some brands miss the mark when marketing or expressing support for queer and trans individuals. In this article, I'll provide a condensed preview of our upcoming livestream on Linkedin, scheduled for tomorrow, June 2nd at 12p CT.
Understanding Rainbow Washing
June marks LGBTQ+ Pride month, and as a result, we'll see rainbows and various LGBTQ+ symbols everywhere. Commercials featuring same-sex couples, limited-edition Pride merchandise in stores, and brands incorporating rainbow colors into their profile pictures will become prevalent. While it's encouraging to witness increased recognition for the queer community, it's important to shed light on the phenomenon of "rainbow washing."
Rainbow washing refers to companies that appropriate LGBTQ+ symbols solely for profit without actively supporting the community. As defined by ThisIsGendered, it refers to the act of using or adding rainbow colors and/or imagery to advertising, apparel, accessories, landmarks, et cetera, in order to indicate progressive support for LGBTQIA+ equality (and earn consumer credibility) – but with a minimum of effort or pragmatic result. // akin to “green washing” regarding environmental justice issues and “pink washing” with respect to breast cancer/LGBTQ+ rights.
Avoiding Rainbow Washing
To demonstrate genuine allyship, consider the following approaches:
1. Be an ally every day. While it's acceptable to have special initiatives during Pride month, it's crucial to show commitment throughout the entire year, not just in June.
2. Support education and opportunities. Showcase solidarity by actively contributing to the education and advancement of LGBTQ+ individuals. Fundraising efforts can also be a meaningful way to support the community.
3. Provide meaningful opportunities in-house. Create an inclusive environment within your agency by fostering growth and improving career prospects for LGBTQ+ individuals.
4. Align your public image and internal processes. Ensure consistency between your outward portrayal of support and the actual practices within your agency.
Join our Live Podcast Discussion
As mentioned, this article provides a condensed overview of our live podcast discussion scheduled for tomorrow, June 2nd at 12p CT.
I invite you to join us for this important conversation, where we will delve into the concept of Rainbow Washing, explore meaningful actions for brands and businesses to showcase allyship, and discuss how you can assist your clients in avoiding tone-deaf mistakes during Pride season.