Pride Month Campaigns
June marks Pride Month, a month dedicated to celebrating and commemorating the LGBTQ+, also known by the longer acronym LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, community, rights and culture. Pride Month began after the Stonewall Uprising which was a series of protests in 1969 after police raided Stonewall Inn, a bar which served as a meeting place for many gay community members and arrested the employees and customers. Whilst Pride Month is dominated by joyful celebrations, it is also a time to remember the historical and ongoing struggle and marginalisation of the LGBTQ+ community and highlight the importance of embracing an inclusive community.
Over the past 30 years, 49 UN member States have decriminalised consensual same-sex sexual acts. In the UK, 2023 marks 20 years since the repeal of Section 28, the law that aimed to suppress LGBTQ+ visibility by banning the “promotion of homosexuality”. However, it is still illegal to be LGBT in 64 UN member States with the death penalty being imposed in Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. In Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia and the United Arab Emirates, there is no legal certainty but the death penalty is a possibility.
Whilst Pride Month is a month to raise awareness and celebrate, it is also seen by companies as a marketing opportunity to enter the buying power of a group with growing financial and social influence. According to LGBT Capital, the global annual spending power of the LGBT community (LGBT-GDP) was estimated to be US$3.9 trillion in 2019.
However, this comes with its own complications for various reasons. Firstly is the perception that companies are using Pride Month as a means of company profit without contributing to the movement itself in a meaningful way. This is however a cyclical argument which could wrongly undermine the good intentions and efforts of companies. Other criticism surrounds companies which are known worldwide and their seemingly hypocritical nature of evoking the Pride flag in some of their social media profiles while refusing to employ the Pride flag in areas with limited LGBTQ+ acceptance. This brings into question the second, and more profound complication. The country’s political environment, notably around same-sex marriage and transgender issues, may clash with the companies and their products. Companies must then decide whether to maintain the company’s stance or reflect the political status and social opinions of its surroundings. This has been the case for American retail corporation Target this year who have had to reevaluate their campaign for this year after facing backlash, especially from the right.
Target faced great criticism for their Pride displays featuring rainbow-striped collared shirts and yellow hoodies reading “Not a Phase”, and for their items such as the “tuck-friendly” swimsuit, a swimsuit with extra material for the crotch area for those who want to conceal their genitalia. It is reported that some customers had confronted and screamed at employees, threatening their safety and well-being. This reaction could be traced back to the introduction of over 400 anti-LGBTQ bills in state legislatures across the United States this year. Target also faced pressure from GLAAD, the LGBTQ advocacy group which works with over 160 companies, and six other advocacy groups to restore their Pride merchandise and to release a public statement reaffirming their commitment and allyship to the LGBTQ+ community. Pride campaigns are not as straight-forward as they may seem and this issue highlights the importance of preparation in planning campaigns so that companies can respond to any criticism they may face without disrupting their efforts and show of allyship.
Levels and progress of LGBTQ+ inclusivity vary around the world. Some countries are dismissing anti-LGBTQ bills whilst others are introducing them. At Ikigai Authentic, Pride Month is an important time of the year where we celebrate the achievements of the LGBTQ+ community whilst advocating for greater LGBTQ+ inclusivity in business. How are you celebrating Pride Month 2023?
