To think they’re just “cashing in”?

[Mandy63l]

Social media feeds are filled with companies releasing rainbow themed products in support of pride month, which have nothing whatsoever to do with the LGBTQ+ community, with none of the proceeds going to related good causes, and it just smacks of a shallow marketing ploy to cash in on pride.

Surely if you’re an ally, you’re an ally 24/7 365 days a year, not just when it’s commercially beneficial to fly the rainbow flag?

Of course businesses want to ‘cash in’ on Pride month. In exactly the same way they want to cash in on Halloween or Valentine’s Day. The purpose of a business is to make profit for its shareholders and such annual events are an opportunity to increase sales & market share. That’s why businesses have marketing departments.

If you don’t want to buy the Pride themed stuff, fine. It isn’t compulsory to buy whatever seasonal tat Tesco happens to be flogging this week.

I know it's a business and that's what they do but it feels quite depressing doesn't it for some reason.

@PlanetNormal Pride month is quite different to Valentine’s Day or halloween though, is it not. It’s about peoples rights, peoples lives. We’d be horrified if a retailer tried to cash in on Holocaust remembrance, for instance.

@GreenNewDealNow it really does. :(

It's clearly just cashing in. I remember when Pride was a joyous celebration of diversity and it genuinely helped LGB people.

Now Pride is just a way for businesses to look 'inclusive' when in fact they couldn't care less about genuinely vulnerable people.

There are nine protected characteristics. Big businesses who are only focussing on one of these characteristics are going to get a rude awakening once they realise we're onto them.

Pride has become a commercial festival of nonsense that none of my gay or lesbian family members or friends want anything to do with.