Rainbow washing and virtue signalling

TIC Group
Jun 19
5 min read

Updated: Jul 8

Businesses roll out rainbow logos, limited-edition merchandise, and hashtags every June to show their "support" for Pride Month. At first glance, it might seem like a win, giving more visibility, celebration, and colour. Look a little closer, and you might notice something's missing: substance.

This is where the term rainbow washing comes in.

Rainbow washing and virtue signalling not only hurt the LGBTQ+ community but also strip away the acknowledgement of the ongoing threats and increasing fear within the queer community. These actions, often perceived as support, actually serve to undermine the real struggles and challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

What is 'Rainbow Washing'?

Rainbow washing, a term that has gained prominence, refers to the superficial use of LGBTQ+ symbols by brands, companies, or institutions, particularly the rainbow flag. Instead of being a genuine show of allyship or support, it is often used as a marketing tool. It's like a corporate version of the phrase, 'Love is love,' without any substantial action to back it up. In essence, it's a branding strategy, not a business value.

Some companies change their logo to rainbow colours in June but have no internal LGBTQ+ policies. They support politicians who vote against LGBTQ+ rights and have stayed silent when the community is under attack. Their employees might be experiencing homophobic or biphobic bullying, which isn't addressed. Some still donate to anti-LGBTQ+ organisations and have business relationships with countries where it is illegal to be LGBTQ+, and people are murdered in the name of the law.

Virtue signalling is used to express opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate good character, moral correctness, or alignment with specific values primarily to gain approval or social status rather than genuine belief or commitment.

Pride is deeply rooted in protest, and demonstrates the courage and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and allies.

For the LGBTQ+ community, Pride is not about profit but about protest. Pride began as a response to police brutality and systemic oppression. It's has always been a fight for equal rights, visibility, and safety, not a platform for selling rainbow-themed products without any meaningful impact. This history of protest is often overlooked in the face of commercialisation, but it's crucial to remember that Pride has always been a protest.

When companies rainbow-wash, they co-opt the language and symbols of a marginalised group without doing the actual work to support them. This dilutes the message and risks turning a vital social movement into a seasonal marketing trend.

How to spot 'Rainbow Washing'

PRIDE was formed as a protest. A final 'NO' to a world where gay and lesbian folk were beaten, murdered and regularly harassed by people, the government and the police. The police frequently raided gay spaces, and the queer community went out onto the streets to protest. We must remember that this is where PRIDE started and that today it is still a protest and a campaign to raise awareness of how queer people are still experiencing violence, prejudice and hate.

So, using it as a marketing exercise is not only disrespectful but also can give people a false sense that the world is less prejudiced. And can also discredit the real meaning of protecting to make a change to protect our queer friends, colleagues, family and colleagues. At a time when legal protections are being stripped away, performative allyship doesn't just miss the mark—it actively obstructs progress.

So, how can you spot rainbow washing? Here are some questions to ask:

Does the company have inclusive policies year-round (e.g., for LGBTQ+ employees)?
Are they donating a portion of Pride-themed product sales to LGBTQ+ charities or causes?
Have they historically supported (or harmed) LGBTQ+ rights through lobbying or partnerships?
Do they amplify LGBTQ+ voices, creators, or employees beyond just the month of June?

If the answer is no, their rainbow might be all surface and no substance.

How companies can improve

Jason Okundaye shared in an article in the Guardian, "It should surprise no one that the UK has dropped to its lowest ever position on the annual "rainbow map" of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA), which ranks the best and worst European countries based on laws and policies that affect LGBTQ+ people. The map assesses each country through seven categories: equality and non-discrimination, legal gender recognition and asylum.

The Supreme Court's ruling last month that a person's sex in the Equality Act 2010 refers only to "biological sex" – a redefining of trans people's rights to their detriment and a political and cultural victory for the gender critical movement – will have played a key role in the downgrading."

If businesses want to celebrate Pride, they should:

Implement inclusive policies: Create a safe, respectful, and affirming workplace for LGBTQ+ employees.
Support LGBTQ+ organisations: Donate to or partner with grassroots initiatives and charities doing real work in the community.
Listen and elevate voices: Share stories from LGBTQ+ people, pay them for their contributions, and take on feedback.
Show up year-round: Pride doesn't end on July 1st. Real allyship is visible every day of the year.

The new Equality Act

This new Act has legitimised hate and misunderstanding. The UK Supreme Court's recent ruling defining "sex" under the Equality Act 2010 strictly as biological sex is causing real pain, confusion and hate for our transgender brothers and sisters. Here are some thoughts on this -

No one is policing who can go into a toilet, so the general public may feel they can try to stop someone from going into a bathroom.
What happens when that person is a hairy transgender man walking into a female bathroom because of the court ruling? How does that protect women?
Telling trans women they must go into male toilets puts them even more at risk of physical violence.

This is a challenging situation for employers as it can legitimise discrimination from employees who don't understand and don't want to.

Other significant concerns are -

Where do trans women go if they experience domestic abuse when they aren't welcome in female spaces?
The campaigners for the ruling have legitimised even more hate talk publicly.

We're going backwards! It's taking away the rights we've all worked so hard for.

What we can all do

As consumers, we have power. We can: