The meaning of Pride Month and the pitfalls of Rainbow Capitalism
Posted on Jun. 27, 2022 / Research / Subscribe 0
By Heather Vana, PRSA Phoenix President-Elect
I had a groundbreaking moment with my transgender partner last week: they told me that, for the first time ever, they felt like they really understood the meaning of Pride Month. To them, it was about feeling pride in their identity, about feeling comfortable enough to proudly exist in their own body.
It was a remarkable realization, all the more so because we live in a state where LGBTQ+ individuals do not enjoy full legal protection against discrimination. According to Andy Blye’s recent article in the Phoenix Business Journal, Arizona is one of 27 states that does not have explicit statewide nondiscrimination protections for sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodation. Nevermind the near constant harassment that members of our LGBTQ+ community face (speaking from experience, it happens about once each week), as well as the increase in hate crimes and the fear of losing access to gender-affirming healthcare.
Many organizations and businesses in Arizona have done important work to make our state a more welcoming one, whether they’re focused on making their own workplace more inclusive or lobbying for legislative change. Still, there are concerns that Pride has lost some of its political focus and that important issues are not being addressed. Some view efforts to show support for the LGBTQ+ community as “Rainbow Capitalism,” or the disingenuous effort to tap into the purchasing power of these communities.
Regardless of where your company’s position or your personal views stand, Pride is here to stay. And its up to us to determine what we make of it. Organizations should not put out vague statements of support without backing them up with concrete action, and we certainly cannot settle for status quo on these issues for the safety of those we love. But as a genderqueer person myself, representation matters. The more we see those who look like us and those who support us in our world, the more change we will make. But clearly, we need to push harder for the rights of those we love.
At PRSA Phoenix, we proudly support our LGBTQ+ members and aim to create an inclusive environment where their ideas are welcomed. We’ve recently signed the Equality and Fairness for All Americans Pledge and are proud to have partnered with several Valley organizations to bring educational programming to our members over the years.
We know we can do more, though. As your chapters incoming 2023 president, I welcome your ideas and input on how we can better serve our community. If you would like to talk or volunteer your time with our chapter and do your part to make Phoenix a more welcoming and inclusive city for public relations professionals of all kinds, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
We might not be able to address every challenge, but together we can do our part.
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