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?

In Uganda. gay people can be executed

Rainbows over here yet they won't deal with countries like Afghanistan or China, it's the same with the environment.

One of my gay friends posted this the other day and to be honest I get his cynicism.

I remember reading something a few years back about Manchester pride being sponsored by BAE systems who design and build fighter jets 🤣

The whole pride thing is completely alien to me and don't really get it at all.

YANU - I'd feel the same about my company. I'm all for institutions supporting admirable causes however I think there should be a line drawn so that it doesn't cross over as a statement that that's what the institution is about.
I'll admit though, I'm pretty black and white with things like this. I don't, for example think BBC presenters or sportsperson should wear poppies or the Police should wear the 'thin blue line' badges. Its not that I disagree with the cause but I wouldn't be allowed to embroider a nice Amnesty Internation logo or NSPCC onto my uniform.

https://nypost.com/2023/05/23/target-partners-with-satanist-brand-for-pride-collection/

The USA is quite a Christian country so they are not going to be keen on a group or shop saying that they are aligned to being pro Satan. The vice designer for TARGET iwho employed the Satanic designer is involved in sex education in USA schools too, what a weird combination of interests.

Parents in Florida don't like their children being taught anti science about biology and conspiracy theories about their parents being Nazis for refusing to sterilise Autistic children.

I think those who don't like the law in Florida are sensible to move, they don't require visas to do so.

YABU it is for pride month and showing support to a community is not a bad thing.

The problem with the company's doing this is they don't actually care, it's just a box ticking exercise which they will do with whichever month it is.

I worked somewhere where they banged on about mental health and had all this despite they were grinding the staff down into mental health crisises I know this as I was first to go off but not the last.

Fair enough company's do it if you believe but otherwise it's just bollocks.

@senua thanks for your concern. My students are fine thank you very much.

I was going to add something similar to this to my post, actually. Our company have trained 100 MHFA and promote MH awareness week (and all the MH days) - it really ticked the box for being a positive, mental health employer. But the reality is that policies are still badly written, managers haven’t been appropriately trained in supporting their staff and the sickness policy isn’t support enough. And only 20 or so employees have even used the MHFA.

Doing easy tick box exercises doesn’t address real issues or bring about change. I find virtue signalling worse than just doing nothing actually.

They are using the rainbow as advertising, taking a symbol that should mean something and using it to virtue signal. So while I’m very supportive of LGBT rights and acceptance I’m deeply distrustful of the intentions of businesses.

Agree OP - a load of virtue signalling crap just so that other virtue signalling idiots who say "i support gay rights", (and assume that everyone who doesn't plaster themselves in rainbows is therefore homophobic), can further add to their right on street cred by saying how marvellous it is that HSBC or some other global corp has seen the light. Really are we that stupid??

I know what I believe and how I behave and I don't have to shop at logo-sporting XYZ Ltd to prove it

The question why whole institutions need to do it? - what is it exactly they want to achieve on behalf of the mentioned sexual communities? - because by any means look totally bonkers

Oh don't get me started on mental first aiders Jesus some of people I wouldn't talk to under any circumstances, some I reckon have applied so they get gossip.

I'm with you I'd prefer first who didn't care to do nothing as pretending you care draws people in.

Pride month that'll be it. Fair enough.

Unless they've all been infiltrated by the Woodcraft Folk. That was their flag way back.

It's virtue signalling bullshit for the gravy train that is EDI

Then why don’t disability charity’s band together and create a Disability Awareness month? I’m sure it would get the same level of corporate support. Pride became big because the various LGBT organisations made it happen. LGBT people aren’t stopping any other group from having an awareness week. If you don’t want to take part fine, but don’t begrudge them for their celebrations.

It reminds me of a woman at work complaining about the fuss made over St David’s Day one year. She said a fuss wasn’t made about St George’s Day. I reminded her that the banners, cakes and other decorations, company blogs etc were created by some of the Welsh people in the org and that she was free to put the effort in and do the same on St George’s Day. She did nothing.

It's pride month...

What's happened to their own identity and purpose?

And also what's happened to the rainbow's identity?

Rainbow guides etc. You can't use or draw a rainbow now without people thinking you're making a statement. On a city tour last year our guide had a long stick with a rainbow on top - others had sunflowers etc, the usual guide identifying prop. Rainbows can't just be rainbows any more.

You lost your rainbows it's the LGBTQ property now, it's rediculous rainbows have a purpose beyond that.

You lost your rainbows it's the LGBTQ property now, it's rediculous rainbows have a purpose beyond that

My childhood bedroom was decorated with rainbows because of Rainbow.
You know, Geoffrey, George, Zippy and Bungle. All very joyful and innocent.
And meaningless, iykwim.

I'm fucking sick of the rainbow mafia

All of this especially @CountZacular .

But disability awareness and change is just difficult to do isn't it? Costly, disruptive, lots of unknowns, certainly not sexy, applies to women and men, and disproportionately affects older people. Hardly a marketeer's dream.

Pride is easy. Stick a rainbow on it basically. Keep the men happy.

I love a good rainbow or two. As it’s Pride month, I really expect to see the rainbows everywhere.

Couldn't imagine being cross or annoyed by seeing them TBH.

I'm fucking sick of the rainbow mafia

I resent it being appropriated.