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rainbow washing

 


MATTXIV

This is one of my main beefs with the convenient way in which corporations are suddenly, very 'gay friendly'. Corporations that sell weapons (BAE Systems), corporations that donate to Repugs (AT&T donated to Mitch McConnell), corporations that used to market to nazis (BMW) or for a more clear example, the Police. And it's to allow those corporations in Pride that some Gay men (especially cisgender white gay men) insist that Kink and Leather should be kept away from Pride. In order to make it more palatable for corporations, so they can sell Pride to the straights and the straights in turn, 'accept' teh gheyz. Fuck that, as Anne Marie would say.




There is nothing worse than being talked down to by these corporate brands, and their selling and "support" for the one month. But then turn right around donating money to conservative causes. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for having a good time at  Pride, as long as I remember the real reason I'm, and we are all there for. But I personally don't think these corporations and brands should be there, and I don't buy they give a single fuck about any of this and only care about their financial bottom line. If corporate America really possessed a genuine commitment to the LGBTQ acceptance, they'd be engaging in more activism, and marching with us, unbranded... where homosexuality in some cases is a death sentence. We shouldn't allow ourselves to be fooled, and make sure our goods come from truly honest gay owned companies when it comes to Pride. And if you do attend a Pride, lets make our fore queens proud...and be there to support each other and continue the fight, and protest,  and be in this for the right reasons.



The colors of this flag is what helps me find the Queers in the suburbs, in the 'urban' neighborhoods, in the Lily white and the affluent closed communities. This flag and Pride are the ways we have to celebrate collectively our Queer identity and our Queer elders, who saw their friends die by the dozen and the Police brutalize and exploit them.  Erasing Kink and allowing Pinkwashing to occur is an affront to the people who fought so hard to give us the rights we have today. It's plain gross. Remember: the first Pride march was a riot.

MATTXIV

MATTXIV

That is why I insist that I trust and celebrate the seventy-year old leather daddies. I celebrate them,  covered in tattoos and wearing knee-high black boots and carrying a rainbow flag under the relentless summer sun, more than I celebrate any corporation for which I'm told to tame it down to please the straights and the assimilationist gays. Their kink kept them together during a plague and the leather community was the only family they had when everybody was dying of AIDS. 

Fuck assimilation. I don't want assimilation. I don't want to have to to bend over backwards to gain the straight's blessing or respect. That is not respect. That's submission. The straights are gonna point and laugh at you once June ends, anyway. If they don't respect you now, they won't respect you after that bank's float has passed by. No matter how 'respectable' you look or act. I don't want the corporations' June rainbows. I want those assimilationist gays to take several seats and shut their traps. The corporations do not care about my Pride, the corporations care about the money I can give them. And they're not seeing one red cent unless they put their money where their rainbows are. 



It freaks me out, sometimes, to see how much in synch Maddie and I are on some issues. I was thinking about this post last week and yesterday, she read my mind. As Symone says, never let the smooth taste fool you.


XOXO

P.S. while you're here, let me remind you to support your local gay bar, your local drag queens, your local LGBTQ center, your local high school's GSA chapter, your local GLAAD chapter, and the local gay businesses in your community (I see you, Jimmy!). Now, that's Pride. And it lasts all year.

Comments

  1. I think it's up to us to do our due diligence and find out about these companies before we celebrate their alleged Pride.
    If they wanna celebrate Pride do it all year long, not just for 30 days of faux-visibility.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely.
      That's what I do: I check their HRC rating and do a quick search to see how 'gay friendly' they are. A guide is also what the Xtianists consider 'godly'. Then it's a no.

      XOXO

      Delete
  2. Bravo!!!!!! I would swear you are either hiding in my apartment or have my place bugged?!?!?! Either way I... 1-I hope you got a eye or ear full and 2 You know I adore you!

    You know I feel about the whole thing. While it's cool to see the support, like that insane Capital One Bank above...you wouldn't have seen that years ago...and I t does make awareness we're here...that said....... SAVE IT!!!! I would rather they do work and support and donate huge to charities and help fight the good fight, like rejecting conservatives support and polictians, and supporting help and swaying of hate bills. They can do that all year and don't need to be recognize for it with a fucking float. So much more good. Is the float pretty and festive? Sure...but it's not helping with our rights, fighting off right wing wackos, or saving lives in the LGBTQ. Unless your going to support and fight the fight with us genuinely ALL YEAR....watch the parade from your porch sugar pies

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahahahaha
      Honey, you know I do too! And being a fly on one of those walls would probably give me a heart attack! LOL
      And I think the support is fantastic. And they do add visibility and contribute to the idea that they are inclusive, but when it's just for show, it's infuriating.
      The floats are nice and all, but if they're contributing to homophobes they can keep their 'support'.

      XOXO

      Delete
  3. Hey, those Leather Daddies and Slaves should let their freak flags fly. Why not? Here's the best thing I've seen thus far, while watching the Trans in Hollywood special last night: PRIDE is for everyone. Be your authentic self.
    We do all of those things you mention in your P.S.. We are members of HRC - have been for many years - and avoid spending with corporations who have a low HRC score. Their Corporate Equality Index can help anyone figure out which major companies pay lip service during Pride and which actually give a fuck. 😊 XOXO


    Should anyone care to look at it: https://www.hrc.org/resources/corporate-equality-index?utm_source=GS&utm_medium=AD&utm_campaign=BPI-HRC-Grant&utm_content=276004501182&utm_term=lgbt+friendly+companies&gclid=CjwKCAjwqvyFBhB7EiwAER786WVRmWWHxQLDGOoMzd7oI0D6HHDtiy1VzeOain9PH5-foXLVVWIHyBoCEAcQAvD_BwE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes!
      HRC is also my guide. Especially if it's a company I would be using on a regular basis. And everybody should let their freak flag fly. Pride is about being yourself, so if you're a furry and want to come if full furry attire in the the middle of the summer, more power to you, right? Same with the asexuals, or the bisesexuals. They should be able to bring their flags to Pride. No shame.
      HRC is not perfect, mind you. But I do give them money and buy their swag. They do a good job and keep the good fight up.

      XOXO

      Delete
  4. I DON'T support any organization that preaches "Love".

    I DO support organizations that preaches "FIGHT"!

    (Motherfuckers!)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Capitalism always co-opts movements once they become popular and mainstream and uses them to sell merchandise. It happens to every single movement. I'm not saying it's right, but it's inevitable in the economic system in which we live.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's such a shame.
      They will sell their soul to the devil. Anything for money.
      I am careful, though. I would never support companies that openly support homophobes or repugnant causes.

      XOXO

      Delete
  6. Celebrate all our freeky selves... let our freek flags fly. SAY NO to conformity. We live this life. We earned this time. We, and only we, get to define PRIDE... and it MUST be inclusive. As my beloved Melissa Manchester once wrote and sang. "We need gardens to grow in. And there must always be room enough... for ALL of US.

    GAY-MEN!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pride IS about non comformity.
      That's how it was intended from the beginning. And all should be welcome at the table.

      XOXO

      Delete
  7. Why do you have leather daddys and slaves? I don't understand.
    That is something from television? Is it something that christians believe?
    Did you learn it from the Fox News weather person?
    It is really difficult to understand.
    Do not give up. They copy us all the time. They want our money.
    We don't even have an "our". They have decided that we are a target population for marketing. We don't even have a "we".
    Go ahead, burn me at the stake. It has been done before.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sadly, all they want is the money.
      It's all about the almighty dollar for some of these companies.

      XOXO

      Delete

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