Pride 2021

How global brands are pink washing to show their support to LGBTQ community this pride month.

Krishna Priya Kotari | Executive| Crowd Core

“Equality means more than passing laws. The struggle is really won in the hearts and minds of the community, where it really counts.” – Barbara Gittings

Why and How is LGBTQ pride month celebrated?

People from all around the world get together to celebrate the month of pride every June. Colorful city streets are flagged with Rainbow as people gather to participate in parades supporting the LGBTQ+ community, and to celebrate the Stonewall Riots of 1969 in New York city. LGBTQ proponents of the Stonewall Inn, who were mainly people of colour, fought back against the police because of harassment and targeted attacks. It caused an upheaval in four days.

Thanks to these LGBTQ patrons of Stonewall and generations, that battled for community rights, the world is now an easier place for LGBTQ people than it was ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago.

While the Pride-Thematical product is customary in June – a practice that is often critically criticized and compared with pink-washing – it remains an enormous value that may come from rocking rainbows throughout this year, since it helps to make people more visible and supports and encourages others who continue to explore their identity within the LGBTQ community.

Popular brands such as Apple, Fossil, Reebok, and others typically devote enormous resources to LGBTQ Non-profit organizations (including The Trevor Project, GLSEN and other groups) during The Pride Month.

There's really something everyone can grin about, from Disney’s exciting Rainbow Pride Collection to Reebok's pride and campaigns "All Types of Love”.

Let’s see how these brands are supporting their love towards LGBTQ+ community:

Celebrate love and Disney with the Rainbow Disney collection:

This year's collection from Rainbow Disney contains all sorts of items, apparel, accessories, all-star characters from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and more.

The Walt Disney Business is continuing to provide money to organizations across the world that assist LGBTQ populations, to honor Pride Month 2021 and the company Pride Collection.

Ralph Lauren’s “polo pride collection”

Love Ralph Lauren's timeless look? Pride Month 2021 is celebrated by the brand with a unique collection, including shirts, chains, bottles of water and other goods. Ralph Lauren has launched an adult and children's gender-neutral line, from hoodies to polo tops. The Stonewall Community Foundation benefits from all earnings from Polo shirts and 25% of the purchase price from selling every graphic T-shirt and water bottle.

Apple’s pride bands

Apple has launched two Apple Watch Pride bands and a new Pride Watch for the users in celebration of the LGBTQ community this year. This brand also supports several LGBTQ advocacy organizations, including Encircle, the National Center for Transgender Equality (the organization provides safe areas for LGBTQ young people, young adults, and families), and others.

Reebok’s pride makeover

Just in time for Pride 2021, a lively range of Pride-inspired footwear and gear is featured in Reebok's latest collection honoring the LGBTQ community. These goods were developed by the LGBTQ brand Colorful Soles, who also teamed with the famed House of Ninja (the renowned documentary, Paris is Burning). Moreover, Reebok gives $75,000 to the Law Project Sylvia Rivera to promote access for people of all gender and expression to social, health and legal services.

Pride Takeaway

While Pride is held every year for a month, the LGBTQ+ community is struggled for equality and acceptance every day. With brands still playing an ever greater and even intimate role in our lives, they can no longer remain silent on crucial public problems like these. As years go by, it is refreshing that more and more firms are incorporating their communication, goods and actions into diversity and acceptance.

In honor of pride month, “stop disagreeing with sexuality of people”. Its not a disagreement. It’s discrimination, hate, and homophobia. Stop saying faith isn’t a choice- faith is a choice every day & you can choose to be tolerant & accepting or use faith to justify hate & homophobia. We believe we, all of us here right now, are the change we’ve been waiting for.