Rainbows everywhere 🌈

[FlipFlopsInMyCar]

Maybe I am being unreasonable. Not sure.

But I clicked on my linkedIn profile today and two massive rainbows stuck out at me! Looks like two of my previous workplaces have changed their logos to the rainbow flag.

Now, I'm in support of individuals wearing rainbow badges if they want to publically show they are allies of LGBTQ+ Even a few colleagues have put the rainbow on their email signature. That's cool with me.

But I don't know how I feel about whole workplaces replacing their company logo with a rainbow? Seems like rainbows are taking over the world.

I guess maybe it doesn't matter but I can't help but think it's a bit weird that whole institutions are now becoming activists and replacing their identity with rainbows which to me, makes a statement?

Not sure whether and what I'm being unreasonable about, but just wondered other people's thoughts really?

Mmm..so I don't know how l feel, but you do know how I feel!!? 🤣 would you care to tell me how I feel as if like to know!

It's not that, it's that companies are now trying to appeal to a new younger market (Gen Z), it really isn't because they're scared people will think they're bigoted 😂Generational divide

I know where you are trying to with this and I know it’s said in bad faith, but there are several reasons.

1. It’s meaningless virtual signalling. Companies like this are more than happy to invest, sell or otherwise engage with deeply homophobic countries for profits but then present this cheery flag. They could make real, meaningful changes - they could even just donate to charities over the month but instead the ‘show’ is more important than the action.

2. They only jump on the bandwagon because it’s a popular, cool cause. Where were they when they LGB really needed support, for example during the AIDS crisis? And because of this, the neglect less ‘sexy’ causes. Nearly 20% of the population experience some form of disability, discrimination is still high and so many companies are lacking with meaningful adjustments and they do absolutely fuck all for that.

3. There’s a feeling of enforced celebration. Companies who don’t ‘proudly’ display the flag are at risk of being called out for not being inclusive. I find it similar to wearing a poppy for Remembrance Day. People and companies should be able to support causes in whichever way they feel fit of course, but actually if it’s not on show then people are going to notice. When a cause moves into this, it becomes political rather than any well meaning support.

4. The conflict in LGBTQ and Pride in and of itself. You’d have to be living under a rock to not realise that there are many, many LGB people who feel displaced because of the TQ. And that’s without the divide to women’s rights on top.

5. It’s not just ‘one month’. Feb is LGBTQ history month. Nov is trans awareness month. March has international trans day of visibility (and trans women being celebrated on IWD), a couple of weeks ago it was IDAHOTB. In fact there’s at least 2-3 days per month. And yes, some companies (mine, for example) celebrate the lot. It just becomes tiresome after a while.

I do support LGBTQ to live how they wish but in terms of real harms in the UK, I think poverty, disabilities, VAWG (amongst other things) need more discussion, more support and help. Yet they’ve been pushed to the bottom of the heap whilst we spend half a year celebrating with a shiny rainbow and actually not making any progress for anybody.

The purpose? To show their LGBT+ employees and students that they support them, they are their allies, they are safe. I don't understand why you think there is anything "activist" about that. Bring gay is not a political statement fgs

YABU it's about showing acceptance which every institution should be doing as they are protected by law, yes including trans people oh mumsnet hive

Thank you! I think that's pretty much everything I've been feeling, and nicely and clearly broken down! Thank you

The pride flag does not have a colour representing MAP.

Might have been what you felt but wasn't what you said.

And yes maybe some of it is jumping on a bandwagon and virtual signalling, same can be said for things like International women's day but if it raises awareness and demonstrates that a particular institution/ company is supportive of the LGBT + community where's the harm? Or was it better when they were all in the closet out of sight out of mind?

It is extremely important that pride month is celebrated and visible because many across the world are still not safe to come out. Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has signed one of the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ laws this week, with punishments up to and including the death penalty! The world needs pride month visible more than ever

It’s pride month ! Off course it will be and should be everywhere

The Progress Pride flag does NOT represent MAPs. The additional colours are black and brown for people of colour, and the pink, white and light blue are the trans flag colours. Please don't spread misinformation, especially when it's so potentially dangerous.

The pride flag does not represent MAPs [Reuters]

I just assume that the company is full of conspiracy theories about middle aged mum's being Nazis trying to murder transvestites, that they are Eugenicists who hate autistic children they try to sterilize via Queer theory advocating policy, that they have dodgy morals - making their employees tell lies about someone's sex, have poor safeguarding and that they are science deniers who hate women.

Not trendy enough though , is it.

Companies are sharing their space for something positive. It's fine and YABU

You are trying to be awfully nice about it but IP you e clearly got a bit of homophobia going on there.

As do all the others joining in with their whataboutery

So let's just tear down all effort for positive change then shall we? Better everyone just stays being ostracised?

So naive.

Lots of things are protected in law, why is only sexuality important for corporations to signal their acceptance of?

To be honest I'd like a whole lot less of this. I don't mean just the rainbows but the tokenistic temporary adoption of a cause that has little relevance to their actual work. I'd be much more interested if they picked a cause or two relevant to their work and embedded.

@Naunet - there are other 'months' and they are being appreciated more and more. My school has done work around disability and neurodiversity as well as the race, sexuality and gender celebrations. Also moving to ensure embedded throughout the curriculum all year. It's a process though.
Green washing and rainbow washing are of course a thing. Representation (all representation) matters however. And when we have things happening as in Florida it's clear there is work to be done still.

It’s pride month. You could have googled it

YANBU, its ridiculous. I can't understand the need to advertise that you support gay people, shouldn't that be a given in this day and age? What's ridiculous is it becomes an assumption that by not displaying a particular logo then you are not supporting a community of people, and can lead to external pressures, even bullying. Companies that use child labour, don't support fair trade, don't have equal gender pay, don't employ wheelchair users seem to tick an equality box by a rainbow on a website. Wrecks my head.

On another point, I don't like that this is the logo that LBTQ+ have chosen, I hate that a picture of rainbow by a child or whatever has become a socially loaded image. Why couldn't they just make up a logo?

It should be a given but it isn't.

I hearted something on vinted and instead of going red it was a rainbow 🙄 what does that really achieve for anyone. I don't understand why we have a full month dedicated to sexual preferences- but generally it didn't used to bother me. I don't like it when companies get involved in virtue signalling as others have said

Out of curiosity, did you teach them about same SEX attraction, or the homophobic notion of same GENDER attraction?

Florida is irrelevant, it’s in another country, we don’t make the laws there, no matter how many flags we fly.

In parts of the USA, Pride events have been cancelled due to the increased risk towards the LGBT community. Ron De Santis has increased hate towards the LGBT community and people are fleeing Florida for safe states.

Companies are being targeted such as Target and Kohls because they support Pride. They are being boycotted.

In Uganda. gay people can be executed. In many countries, being LGBT can end up with a lengthy jail sentence.

This is why Pride exists. To show people that LGBT people won't be cowed.

The existence of trans people isn't homophobic.