A month of Pinkwashing

News: Recently, corporations like Walmart and Meta have announced their pride “campaigns,” in the June Month for queer movement. These corporations have also been ranked high on the US’ Human Rights Centre’s Corporate Equality Index.

About Pride Month

June, recognised as Pride month, is a political movement for and by the queer and transgender / LGBTQ+ community.

What are the problems being faced by the Queer community?

There has been passing of the regressive Trans Act 2019 in India, and rejection of the Equality Act in the US, among other measures.

Around 375 deaths were registered in the form of murders of transgender people across the world.

What are the issues with celebration of the pride month by the corporations?

The corporations are practicing the pinkwashing concept. On the one side, the corporations see that the LGBTQ+ community has emerged as their unique consumer base. Therefore, they claim to be the allies in the bid for queer liberation. Whereas, on the other side, the corporations also fund politicians who pass legislations that shrink spaces for LGBTQ+ people.

(1) In 2021 alone, Walmart donated a million dollars to politicians who have worked actively to roll back LGBTQ+ protections.

(2) Similarly, AT&T has funded anti-LGBTQ+ legislators with over a million dollars in the last year.

The Corporation like Netflix fired 150 employees in North America, the majority of which were LGBTQ+ individuals or people of colour.

As per some reports, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter their algorithms tilt the balance in favour of conservative accounts which indicates promotion of the queerphobia on their platforms.

Corporations, instead of working for the queer rights, are attempting to maximise profits and capitalising on an expanding consumer base.

India’s Case

In India, the LGBTQ+ or queer movement doesn’t have the influence it enjoys in the West.

However, corporations have been witnessing the expanding consumer base in India. This can lead to Corporate pinkwashing in India also. For example, Companies with a presence here, like Amul, have also started announcing campaigns.

Way Forward

The companies should be held accountable. Any corporation claiming to support LGBTQ+ people must prove it through the policies which are non-discriminatory.

The political engagement and investments of the corporation must be properly assessed as LGBTQ+ people agitation for queer liberation is rooted in civil rights.

Source: The post is based on an article “A month of Pinkwashing” published in the Indian Express on 18^th June 2022.