How to Avoid Pink-Washing by Corporations Capitalizing off of 2SLGBTQ+ Pride Celebrations this June
Everything you value, you’ve been taught to value. It’s time to question what you may have never questioned and re-direct where you spend your money.
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Flying the Pride flag during Pride month (June in Canada) and then taking it down is a sure sign a business doesn’t value human dignity and 2SLGBTQ+ lives — they only value capitalizing on Pride to increase profits.
You have the power to demand inclusion, dignity, and respect 365 days a year because you can take your purchasing power elsewhere.
But don’t sit in silence with your decision to support 2SLGBTQ+ businesses or allies. Could you tell people you know about those businesses, service providers, and the companies you support who support you every day? These businesses should support you so much that they don’t need to fly the pride flag in their window or on their website, but they do it anyway.
Businesses that care about 2SLGBTQ+ lives do so every single day of the year, and proudly.
Buck the corporate trend and support local businesses.
Consider supporting your independent bookseller, hairstylist, craft shop, restaurant, small-batch brewery, furniture shop, or the fruit and vegetable shops that exist in your neighbourhood.
Take a stroll around where you live. What shops and businesses have you never gone into? Which ones have a Pride or some form of inclusive flag decal in their window? If you live in the suburbs, go to the nearest town and become acquainted with your local options.
Screw the chains! Chains keep you bound to someone else’s control.
Small businesses might charge a little more because they can’t sell by volume. They also stock items the big box stores don’t carry. Often a small store might stock another local supplier or artist who wouldn’t get paid if it wasn’t for the…
