Has Pride been commercialised
Over the last few years, we’ve seen many big brands putting their name all over Pride festivals, slapping rainbows on their products during the summer Pride season and working LGBTQIA+ references into their ad campaigns, which all seems to be a very divisive topic among some people. Also, many UK Prides are now charging entry, which is also a big source of division in opinions. Is this commercialisation of Pride the beginning of the end? Or is it actually positive? Well, the truth is, it’s a little of both.
There is a cynical view that many companies are trying to make a quick buck out of the Pink Pound, but let’s not forget the celebration of Pride. In part, it is a party! And though that’s not the most important aspect of it by a long shot, there’s no denying that it is part of it. As Pride gets bigger and bigger across the world, it’s only right that more and more people want to join the party and get involved. Businesses have always worked on a supply and demand basis. If there’s a demand for more rainbow themed merchandise, they’re going to want to supply that merchandise. And there’s nothing actually wrong with that at all! Of course, then with increased demand, we have cheap versions of products and expensive versions of the same products – This is also absolutely fine! It allows rainbow merch to be accessible for both high end, fashion conscious markets and for budget markets, and many companies do donate part of the proceeds to charitable organisations, which is great. It’s the ones who don’t that I and many others have a slight problem with. But then, no-one technically owns the rainbow and if it’s not actually doing real harm, then is it just an unfortunate part of capitalism that people can make money out of something without benefitting it. Or is there a benefit in more rainbow things being out there. Is the illusion of support actually a form of support in itself?
For some, seeing the names of big companies and corporations sponsoring Pride and seeing their names on it is reassuring. It further sends out the message that if big companies want to put their name, and money, to our cause, we’re not ‘bad’ or ‘shameful’ or ‘alone’ or any of the other disparaging things we’re sometimes led to believe by society, but we are part of society and we have support. That message is invaluable and cannot be denied. Solidarity through simply presence alone. And let’s also not forget that many large banks and corporations have entire internal programs and groups devoted to inclusion and promoting advancement and empowerment of not just their LGBTQIA+ team members but also many others too! There are still cynical folk out there who’d like to believe this is simply a ‘box ticking’ or a ‘publicity exercise’ but I think these days, many businesses are genuinely waking up to how staff should be treated in the modern world. We’ve long been in an age where employees have been seen simply as a number but now, the focus is starting to be on the individual again and it’s obviously working, as these internal groups have been around for a good while. It’s simple, happy employees work harder, so to support causes close to their hearts is going to make them happier and feel more valued and acknowledged and thus more productive. Yes, companies get advertising out of sponsoring events, but that isn’t ‘free advertising’ – sponsorship is like a transaction really - you supply the money to stage the event and they give you advertising. It’s no different to paying an ad agency, but this comes with the added bonus of doing something good. When it’s put in terms like that, I have zero problems with it. If you were going to advertise anyway, you might as well do something good with it. Which leads onto the next point.
Companies introducing LGBT+ themes into their adverts. I’m really trying hard to see a downside to this one. Let’s completely put aside the fact that we are real members of society and if a brand is going to feature a person or a couple in their advert, why cant they be gay? Or trans? Or anything they want? That shouldn’t even be a ‘thing’ as we exist in the real world and therefore have a place on screen or in print. I’ve heard some opinions so cynical when certain companies have featured a gay person that they’ve ended up saying “Oh, they just want our money” or “They just want to look good” and that opinion baffles me as if they’d rather our erasure from view in some sort of ‘straightwashing’. No, we exist and we are valid and therefore have a place in anything that depicts or references ‘real life’. In fact, there are still some closed minded people out there (No, the battle against homophobia, transphobia and biphobia still hasn’t been won yet) who have objected to LGBTQIA+ depiction in adverts on a discriminatory level and have called for boycotts of the product or company in question, so companies actually take a risk in featuring ‘politically correct’ or inclusive content in their ads, so I think that they’re willing to take that risk and further our cause rather than pander to potential bigots is an enormous positive.
Of course, the other positive of this is that TV ads and magazine ads reach far and wide, not to mention online ads and social media. Think of yourself pre coming-out if you lived in a small town where there wasn’t a gay population or if you still hadn’t accepted or figured out your identity and were a little on the timid side or even feeling outright terrified or isolated. Then imagine seeing major companies in magazines or TV ads showing support to people like you. Letting you know that you’re not alone. Sometimes that one piece of representation can have such a positive effect on someone. That’s not to be sniffed at.
Then we come to the actual negative side of commercialisation. Charging entry to Pride. This one bugs me, even if I can see some reasoning behind it. If it was just a party or a concert, then fine, charge an entrance fee, but it’s not just a party. Yes it may be a festival for revelling in safely and freedom, flying your flag, displaying fabulous costumes and art, parading, dancing and all sorts, but let’s not forget why it all started. Pride’s roots are in protest and demonstration, something that many of the revellers seem to think takes a backseat on the main day of festivities in any given city, but it’s so vitally important that this part not be forgotten. Yes, I’m all for celebrating and enjoying it, of course, but it should be for everyone, not just a first come, first served basis or who can afford it – it should be open to all.
Now, I completely understand that any large event must have an infrastructure such as organisation, first aid, extra toilets, security, health and safety, marshals and all manner of other staffing to make it possible (and of course to make the cleanup possible afterwards), but sponsorship and fundraising and recruiting of volunteers are ways to achieve this without resorting to charging expensive fees that would keep people excluded. Excluding people in order to make more money may actually end up choking the whole endeavour and causing it to collapse on itself or, in a questionably better case scenario, turning it into just another party devoid of its original purpose. With the bigger size of Prides comes the promise of bigger acts with A-List singers now a regular fixture, but many of these don’t come cheap, so there’s another cost that’s added onto tickets. One of the great things about moderately sized prides that don’t charge is the exposure for local talent and smaller acts who would supply entertainment, often for minimal fees (sometimes even free). Local, more accessible acts also increase the feeling of community and keep it about the people it’s meant for, though it is brilliant that some of the bigger acts want to be involved. I can see it from both sides. Who knows where Pride will be and what it will become years from now. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
One thing’s for sure, the bigger and better prides get, the more visibility they have, which is also good for the cause. We just have to make sure that’s for the right reasons and that we make sure we hang on to the core values of Pride, how it started, why it started and not lose our way. We MUST remain passionate about the WHY of Pride. If we make sure we all remain mindful of that, I think we just might be OK.
Stay Safe, Stay Sane, Stay Vidalicious
