Earlier this year, my childhood friend came out as bisexual to her friends and family. This was of course a tough revelation not only for her but for her very conservative family as well. Growing up in a catholic household myself, I understand the repercussions and mentally draining consequences this kind of announcement may have to the life of a member of the LGTBQ community. Therefore, when she asked me to join her and her girlfriend at this year’s pride celebration I ecstatically agreed.
I have to admit that I am fairly new to this whole celebration and movement and as a fashion enthusiast, the first thought that crossed my mind was, “what am I going to wear?” (as if my outfit would somehow resemble the support and advocate I have for the LGBT community). Needless to say, I took a trip to the mall and was quickly overwhelmed with the amount of rainbow flags clothing each retailer offered. Stores like Bloomingdales, Nike, H&M, and even Mac Cosmetics had a whole section dedicated to pride.
The symbolic support of the LGBTQ community through name-brand retailers is prevalent, most notably as we enter pride celebration. But what exactly are these store promoting? And most importantly, what issues are they supporting? Where does the money consumers spend on ‘pride gear’ go to? Do our dollars actually support LGBTQ rights or is it all just part of a marketing scheme? How much percentage of the merchandise sold is appropriate for retailers to pocket for them to have the ability to call themselves true activists?
As we reflect on these questions, it is important to understand the history of the LGBTQ community and what pride months really celebrates.
“Major corporations have turned LGBT struggles into marketing moments to make themselves look good,” said Bill Dobbs, a longtime New York gay activist. “The modern movement for gay rights was jump-started by Stonewall, and it’s still a battle for the lives of LGBT people — not about selling trinkets and clothes with rainbow colors. They’re a distraction.”
It is easy to lose track of what it means to be proudful and a supporter of equal rights when you have retailers trying to sell you rainbow-themed gear right and left that would make for a cute outfit for that Instagram post, however it is important to remember the history and the continuous effort this community has gradually overcome. At the end, I can guarantee your friend or colleague will appreciate you for simply showing up and not praise you for what you are wearing.
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