Pride: Beyond Just Being Proud

June is Pride Month — a time of celebration and reflection in the LGBTQ+ community rife with remembrance and deep history. More than 50 years ago, the Stonewall riots, lead by mostly by Queer women of color, fought back against decades of hurt, discrimination and fear, and ignited a movement of liberation in the community. During this pivotal month of inspiration and celebration, it’s no surprise to see brands standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. But, in this current climate, is solidarity really enough? How can brands evolve solidarity into real, active allyship? Start with consistency and authenticity.

One-and-done, solidarity posts with bearded, blued-eyed, straight passing gay men over a rainbow backdrop doesn’t provide value and only highlights one narrative of an entire community. Instead, challenge yourself to share content that educates and engages your audience with LGBTQ+ topics relevant to your brand. For example, as an agency, Etched will be highlighting important LGBTQ+ vocab, figures, and cultural insight throughout the month to aid in making communication more inclusive.

Allyship will look differently for each brand, but to be effective, it must be rooted in authentic advocacy.