Rainbow-Washing And How To Hold Corporations And Governments Responsible
WTF is Rainbow-Washing?
Rainbow-washing is one of those words we hear all the time, but we'll be the first to admit, didn't exactly understand.
Rainbow-washing is when corporations (or politicians) slap rainbows on everything for a grand total of 30 days to show how "progressive" and "supportive" of the 2SLGBTTQIA+ community they are, without actually doing the work and putting in the effort, and in some cases, actively working against the community.
Think of how pretty much every brand- from toothpaste to pasta to beer- puts a rainbow in their logo for the month of June and you've got a good idea of what rainbow-washing is. And yet, we rarely hear about what their internal policies and external advocacy looks like.
Why is This Problematic?
After a long, long history of being erased and marginalized (which still continues to this day tbh), we get why it might feel like good news that companies are visibly signalling their support of queer folk. And it can be! But let us be perfectly clear: visibility is NOT the same as liberation, and performative activism is lip service unless backed by policy.
Corporate marketing strategies without policy, resource allocation, and advocacy don't actually benefit 2SLGBTTQIA+ people — rainbow logos alone don't address the critical inequities that intersect the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, like anti-trans legislation, homelessness, access to (culturally competent) mental health services, equitable hiring processes and pay equity.
Performative Activism
If you think this feels sticky or weirdly similar you aren't wrong. Government and Corporations love to signal progress and do nothing to walk the talk.
The 49ers posted a black square after the murder of George Floyd (via police brutality) - this was the same team that screwed over Colin Kaepernick who famously took a knee to protest police brutality. This one still boils our blood.
Justin Trudeau takes a knee at the Black Lives Matter demonstration on Parliament Hill (June 6, 2020). In theory, this is awesome, but Trudeau is in a position to enact change and we aren't seeing him using his influence and power to create change.
Why is This Problematic?
Is renaming subway stations to #Qween or #Welleslay really the best the TTC can do for 2SLGBTQIA+ Torontonians?
In Toronto, over 20% of homeless youth identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. This winter, viral photos showed homeless Torontonians desperately seeking shelter in the TTC during record-breaking temperatures and a collapsed and overrun shelter system—not to mention that the city of Toronto continues to take down encampments violently.
TTC, are you looking for suggestions on where those resources could have been better allocated? Because we have a long list of potential ideas, so hit us up.
Not only that, but often these corporations are at the same time actively supporting and funding anti-2SLGBTQIA+ politicians and businesses. This isn't just performative activism: it's intentional and insidious focus-shifting from incredibly harmful practices.
Long Story Short: Don't Trust Corporate Pride
We could go on and on listing different mega corporations and how they deck themselves in rainbow and claim to be inclusive once a year while at the same time supporting anti-2SLGBTQIA+ legislation and politicians.
We get it; corporations like to stretch the truth and hide their business dealings to seem 'woke' and get our business. What else is new?
The challenge is to be critical of the merch and content we consume and buy during pride. Questioning where things come from and who they were made by can help us celebrate pride as ethically as possible while putting money in the pockets of 2SLGBTQIA+ businesses!
When you see a corporation (or gov) rainbow washing here are some questions to ask:
Does this company support 2SLGBTQIA+ communities all year long, or just during pride?
Do this company's business practices actively harm the 2SLGBTQIA+ community?
Besides slapping a rainbow on their product, what commitments are they making, when will they happen, and who is going to ensure they happen?
Do they support pro-2SLGBTQIA+ legislation or organizations?
How do they treat 2SLGBTQIA+ employees? Do employees feel like they belong?
Do the proceeds from this product benefit anti-2SLGBTQIA+ groups or politicians?
Is this company contributing to fast fashion? Are their pride products cheaply made and likely to end up in a landfill in July?
Source: This Is Gendered, Popular Information, the519, Rolling Stone, The Independent, McAdam, 2022, PIVOT Legal Society & VANDU, 2021.
