It’s Pride Month, meaning we are somehow already halfway through 2022. And what started in the 1960s as a powerful anti-capitalist, anti-carceral riot for LGBTQ liberation has since rapidly deteriorated into a month of corporations and government entities selling LGBTQ people their own identity via gay burritos, “lesbow” t-shirts, double-bottom whoppers, and literal rainbow-colored bullets. Welcome to rainbow capitalist hell.
“Rainbow capitalism” is pretty much what it sounds like: corporations shilling rainbow merchandise and branding—all while wildly under-paying and exploiting LGBTQ workers, and donating millions to rabidly anti-LGBTQ legislators who are banning gender-affirming health care, trans youth participation in sports, and the word “gay” from being uttered in classrooms.
Twenty-two percent of LGBTQ people live in poverty compared with 16 percent of cis straight people; 20 percent of LGBTQ people living alone have annual incomes of less than $12,000; and trans people are twice as likely to be living in poverty, while trans people of color are three times as likely. But, sure, American Airlines—change that Twitter profile picture to a rainbow while donating $50,000 to Sen. Mitch McConnell’s campaign (R-KY) so he can vote against the Equality Act, against raising the federal minimum wage, and against making health care more affordable!
In the spirit of Pride Month’s celebration of authenticity and realness, please join Jezebel as we expose the worst and most cringe offenders of rainbow capitalism and drag them to hell. Because we all know what each of these corporations will be doing once Pride ends.
This slideshow will be updated as corporations continue to show their asses throughout the month.
