Queer liberation isn’t an aesthetic: celebrating pride through advocacy, not aesthetic purposes
Pride month represents the upliftment and celebration of the self-affirmation, equality and increased visibility of the queer community. Equally, this period is meant to reflect and honor the lives of Black and Brown transgender women who have risked their reputations for gay liberation during the Stonewall Riots of 1969. We owe it to those women to continue honoring their legacy, as well as fighting for all queer liberation beyond social media activism and the month of June.
Black and Brown trans women are murdered at alarming rates.
They have a short life expectancy between 35 and 37 years old, according to Julian K. Glover, an African American Studies doctoral student at Northwestern University. Over 27 trans people have been killed less than halfway through the year, and 2021 remains on track to surpass 2020’s record of anti-trans fatal violence.
Since last summer, the rise of social media and its presence in social movements has heightened the amount of performative activism that is disguised as “wokeness” or advocacy. Queer people’s trauma is not an aesthetic to post on social media.
As June comes and goes — like clockwork — brands unveil rainbow logos and capitalize Pride with trending Instagram hashtags and captions of “YAASS QUEEN.” Suddenly, every block you pass by features bright, decorated storefronts with multi-colored displays and clothes with the message “Love Is Love.” Brands that once turned away trans workers and dismissed donating to LGBTQ+ charities during the Pulse nightclub shooting, are now considered “woke” because of one, shallow post stating, “We stand in full support of the LGBTQ+ community.”
What does that support really look like?
Where were those same brands, influencers and major CEOs after the blast of homophobic and transphobic Trump-era administration policies that put millions at risk to homphobic attacks? Corporations can pay their way into Pride marches by slapping their logo across a rainbow, all while whitewashing the history of Pride and the community they supposedly represent.
The phenomenon, rainbow capitalism or rainbow-washing (also called pink capitalism, homocapitalism or gay capitalism) are terms used to describe the whitewashing, commercialization and commodification of LGBTQ+ movements, most notably Pride.
Examples include changing logos on social media to be rainbow-colored only during June, brands highlighting queer employees only during June, stores hanging rainbow flags or merch only during June, and straight people posting hashtags and going to marches for aesthetically pleasing Instagram pictures.
This type of performative activism exploits marginalized communities by commodifying years of trauma, homophobia and police brutality into markets and products that white, cisgendered people can access without consequences. Rainbow capitalism dismisses queer struggles, and is one of the many reasons why many are unaware of the roles Black and Brown trans women play in creating Pride.
Speaking from personal experience, I underwent many jobs where my homophobic bosses would misgender employees and make fun of queer culture, while capitalizing on queer slang and ordering Pride flags to sell a week later. Is there a line between allyship and marketing that shouldn’t be crossed?
Rainbow capitalism is one of the many reasons Pride is one of the alcohol industry’s biggest promotional seasons, despite the disproportionately high rates of substance abuse among the LGBTQ+ community. According to the Addiction Center, an estimated 20 to 30 percent of the LGBTQ+ community abuses substances, compared to about 9 percent of the population as a whole.
Once again the question arises, “Where are the same brands that preach support and allyship when the community really needs their help?” Heavy discrimination, hate crimes, emotional abuse, public humiliation, rejection or shame from family or friends after coming out, loss of employment and internalized homophobia are just some of the few issues queer people face daily.
Rainbow-washing allows governments and corporations that don’t do tangible work to support queer communities to slap a rainbow and call it allyship. True allyship stems from activism, education and charity. It is rooted in seeking justice, visibility and liberation for all people in the community. For those of us in the community, the rainbow flag is a symbol of perseverance and the struggles we faced in the past and will continue to do so. For companies, it’s nothing more than an advertisement as they actively contribute to anti-LGBTQ+ causes and politicians.
2019 marked 50 years since the historic New York Stonewall Riots that changed the course of the LGBTQ+ legacy forever, and paved the way for years of activism and victories that led to the Pride we are familiar with. Queer slang, years of struggle and sexual diversity shouldn’t fall victim to capitalism, consumerism, gentrification and the market economy.
Advice for those to not fall into the rainbow marketing trap include: paying attention to marketing, checking out company policies, notice how they handle controversies and calling out brands who only “support” the gay community during June.
Although the history of LGBTQ+ rights is one filled with trauma and unjust laws, it’s also full of passion and beautiful culture that is unique to the community.
Besides avoiding rainbow marketing and performative activism, honor Black and Brown LGBTQ+ pioneers, fight for gender liberation, shop at LGBTQ+ owned small businesses, donate to LGBTQ+ causes and nonprofits, confront your homophobic family members, defund the police and support the community by voting for political candidates who recognize and act on the needs of the community in their platforms and pushes for legislation and uplift queer voices and demands for change.
If you’re an ally who’s coming to Pride for the aesthetic, make sure you’re also correcting your friends when they something homophobic or transphobic. Continue to educate and uplift voices and issues the community faces. Be vocal about support for everyone in the community — all queer, trans, gender non-conforming people, queer sex workers, HIV-positive queer people and queer people still in the closet.
If you aren’t supporting queer people of color, trans women and queer sex workers, you aren’t celebrating the history and legacy of Pride, you are celebrating rainbow capitalism and police brutality.
“No pride for some of us without liberation for all of us.” – Marsha P Johnson
Instead of supporting major corporations that whitewash queer history, here is an informative resource list of LGBTQ+ organizations of all sizes to support:
House of GG: Creating safe and transformative spaces for communities to heal, and nurturing them into tomorrow’s leaders, focusing on trans women of color in the South. houseofgg.org
Trans Justice Funding Project: Community-led funding initiative to support grassroots trans justice groups run by and for trans people. transjusticefundingproject.org
The Okra Project: Collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black trans people by bringing home-cooked meals and resources to the community. theokraproject.com
Youth Breakout: Works to end the criminalization of LGBTQ+ youth in New Orleans to build a safer and more just community. youthbreakout.org
SNaPCo: Also known as Solutions not Punishment Collaborative; a Black trans and queer led collaborative that builds power of Black trans and queer people to force systemic divestment from the prison industrial complex and invest in community support. snap4freedom.org
Black AIDS Institute: Working to end the Black HIV epidemic through policy, advocacy and high-quality direct HIV services. blackaids.org
Trans Cultural District: The world’s first ever legally recognized trans district which aims to stabilize and economically empower the trans community. transgenderdistrictsf.com
LGBTQ+ Freedom Fund: Posts bail for LGBTQ+ people held in jail or immigrant detention and raises awareness of the epidemic of LGBTQ+ over incarceration. lgbtqfund.org
TGI Justice: TGI Justice Project is a group of trans, gender varient and intersex people — inside and outside of prisons, jails and detention centers —creating a united family in the struggle for survival and freedom. tgijp.org
Breakout!: Seeks to end the criminalization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth to build a safer and more just New Orleans. youthbreakout.org
Princess Janae Place: Provides referrals to housing for chronically homeless LGBTQ+ adults in the New York tri-state area, with direct emphasis on Trans/GNC people of color. princessjanaeplace.org
Transgender Law Center: Changes law, policy and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically and free from discrimination regardless of their gender identity or expression. transgenderlawcenter.org
Trans Women of Color Collective: TWOCC exists to create a revolutionary change by uplifting the narratives, leadership and lived experience of trans people of color. twocc.us
No Matter What Recovery: NMWR recognizes that trauma within the LGBTQ community is a serious issue and needs to be more appreciated. They’ve created a resource page to educate families, schools, and communities on mental health issues they’re faced with and ways in which they can support them here: https://nomatterwhatrecovery.com/trauma-and-the-lgbt-community/
Enhance Health Group has created a resource page on the pandemic’s effect on teen and adolescent mental health which provides insight to parents, educators, and concerned peers on how the pandemic is affecting teens, signs to look for if a teen is struggling, and ways to help, which you can see here: The Pandemic's Effect on Teen & Adolescent Mental Health
Addiction Group help to give back and aid individuals & families who are struggling to overcome mental health battles. They have created a guide to help families better understand addiction and how to help family members in need: https://www.addictiongroup.org/treatment/
