Here we are PRIDE MONTH! I have always enjoyed Pride Month. I use to absolutely love the feeling of the parade and going to the festivals, and while they are still fun, I do think they have lost some of their true luster for the true meaning. Pride parades and festivals are meant to commemorate the gay struggle, and our on going fight for rights, and make sure the ones we got, stay in place, and show how we no longer need to hide ourselves with which ever freak flag we fly. But the young must remember the true meaning. It's not there for a see and be seen event, another sex party, or another circuit party. What annoys me most is it's kind of turned into a money-grubbing and capitalist month. As most things end up. And I'm calling us gays out for giving into the pandering. While Pride is supposed to be about changing social consciousness and moving human rights forward, it bothers me that we have floats sponsored by Sprint and Red Bull. And we buy Pride items from huge retails. It seems more of marketing things then a march. They televise the parade, and the broadcast mainly includes the big corporate floats...not the civic minded groups. Is this parade a march for our rights, or is it a parade with balloons and confetti? Let's be real, this Pride stuff has become to corporate. Which is kind of ironic if you think about it, back when gay marriage was still not legal, and we were fighting for equal rights, when we needed support in the AIDS epidemic, and could be jailed for having same sex, these companies were nowhere to be found. But now that being gay had become more socially acceptable and more mainstream, and us gays have more disposable income, all of a sudden these companies have come out to support the LGBTQ.
Welcome to American Capitalism, where everything has a price tag. The only really good thing about the money grabbing is that it pisses the Hell out of Conservative to see so many variations of the rainbow.
ReplyDeleteA rainbow that won't diminish hopefully.
DeleteCorporate America sat up and paid attention when some Gay-Friendly places around the globe attracted huge crowds and made bank. I remember reading articles then about the huge disposable incomes of the LGBT crowd. Well, whaddya know...all of a sudden companies started jumping on board the gravy train. Now we see representation expanding. Pay attention to which corporations pay lip service and then donate to the GQP...shop accordingly.
ReplyDeleteThats just it. Many of them talk from both sides of their mouth. Save your support till your really ready to support us and mean it.
DeleteGreat post! Yes, it's lost its original meaning and we need to be aware of that.
ReplyDeletePreah it sista!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree...WHERE WERE THEY THEN?!?!?!?!?!? I still go and get my freak on..but when is mine not on? But the event has become nothing more then a corporate filled, pretty cotton candy feel, Instagram pretty boy filled event while us few freaks are at the back of the bus. Where is the signs of support and interests for our gay charities? Our protest groups? or community health service sources? Why are we there to see the big headliner and not the gays men's chorus? Why are we not loud and protesting the polictians still dragging their feet and we should be louder then ever about TRANS RIGHTS!!!! Buy pride provisions at gay owned shops and not chains? I mean, we ourselves have just about put Lambda shops extinct because it's more convenient to buy big box or online. FUCK THAT! Chains and corporate need to stay the fuck out. I remember when we raised funds for the parade and festivals. I still go and get my freak on, but just because we see Dykes on Bikes with titties out, and outlandish drag queens, don't confuse that with we did something that day and called it a protest. We need to go big and loud, and just WALK with our music and chants.
See yawl at the Amazon Pride Fest! GODDess forbid. I would for sure never go then!!!!!!!!!!!
Amazon Pride Fest!!!!!!!!! Good one! But bite your tongue!!!!!
DeleteYou make an excellent point, extremely well. Corporates jump on anything when they know they can make a fast buck - they destroy the true meaning of everything they touch.
ReplyDeleteSx
Yep. While I thought it was nice when I worked at Bloomies they recognized pride, I didn't like they sold pride merch and then would donate like $1 of every sale to a gay cause. Why not donate the whole fucking sale of the item to a gay cause? Would be much more commendable and do even far more good.
DeleteLove it all! Especially that last one!
ReplyDeleteCompanies have become very aware nowadays of the pink pound/dollar and the grey pound/dollar and court the people with money to spend - no money? Then companies show no interest. The whole world is far too focussed on dosh rather than looking after one another.
ReplyDeleteEXCELLENT Monday post! I agree to all you said. The first pride I went to and saw a corporate sponsored booth and float, I though...oh no...we're in trouble. It's gone downhill since. I don't even recognize the new gay generation. It just feels like they have no idea. Life is just about what can I get, selfies and partying. Our community is divided more then ever I feel.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! I noticed this the last couple years especially. Many go and then fill the bars first instead of viewing the parade and festival itself. And if us gays keep rewarding corporate shallow behaviors with our money, these companies will never change. If you reward the ones that actually fight the good fight to end inequality, you’re sending a message to the world and to other businesses.
ReplyDeleteWe just need the old fashioned pride with walks, and network of gay services and networks and less of the pomp and circumstance and flash.
We don’t have to be mindless consumers, we don’t need to be fooled by marketing or fake rhetoric. Let's us wake up and have the grass roots events we use too. and remember to have a Happy Pride!
ReplyDeleteI stopped going to Prides a few years ago and now support things outside of the pride itself which I too think is a former shell of itself. But not new in history that companies will rally around events they think can benefit them financially. But we have power as a consumer, to pick between the companies that actually talk the talk and walk the walk.
ReplyDeleteOh darling, it's not just America! I have been railing against all this sanitised commoditisation of gays for years. Behave yourself, act "straight" or else do "pantomime drag"; don't spoil the photo-opportunities. Look at all those lovely-huggy-well-groomed-family-values-type gay models they get slap bang in front of their brand of insurance, social media, bank, law firm, or whatever. Sponsors couldn't give a shit about real people - it's all about the marketing these days!
ReplyDeleteThe organisers of these things should be ashamed of themselves. But they're not even aware of what they're doing. They've moved our Pride (thanks to he pandemic) to - wouldya believe? - the 20th anniversary of the Twin Towers terrorism atrocity. Yes, if we march at all, it will be on 9th September... And since we're already hated by Muslims, that will go down really well, I'm sure!
Jx
Very well said Jon.!!!! And how cryptic to move it to September 11...I agree. Our Pride is too on hiatus for another year, but small things will take place during the week. Like you, I enjoy Pride, but like you said we need to remember the true meaning and "keep it in the family"
Delete11th September is what I meant... I have "fat fingers" today.
DeleteI adore Pride - after all, I have been going since 1985! It's markedly changed over the decades, to its detriment. It's "pre-book only" nowadays to get onto the actual "parade" (that used to be "the march") if you are an individual gayer rather than part of an organised group, and inevitably that means right at the back - yet the corporations and sponsors always get their glitzy floats and walking groups in the prime slots at the front. And I can't believe half the staff they reserve places for are LGBT, either; merely Instagram addicts. Jx
Of course corporations waited until LGBTQ+ acceptance was more mainstream before jumping in to appeal to our rainbow dollars. Their participation is self-serving but isn't it the same for everything that corporations support? I too remember when corporations (and government) wouldn't give us a goddamn dime to help support our issues and organizations. So I regard corporate/government involvement in Pride Parades now as a measure of how far we've come, even if their involvement is self-serving. I don't know about USA Pride organizations, but in Canada it's common to shake down corporations who want to march in the Parade for contributions to the cost of putting on the Pride Parade and Festival. It costs a lot of money to put on Pride these days. Even just the cost of event insurance alone is an arm and a leg. Why shouldn't corporations help pay for it? Pony up, I say!
ReplyDeleteThat's my issue with the chains and corporations... they want to be involved to make the money, but don't want to do any of the work, or show up in person and truly walk with us and show genuine support. One bank here, lent support for the month, but then turned right around and gave to the conservative polictians running for office. They can leave... and take the knife in my back with them. If they want to participate, I think they have to do more then just foot the bill and get a float...
DeleteHere Here! I love Prides... I can't help myself. But I do miss the feeling of Prides of yore, when it was just loud and walks and we chanted and carried the flags. It does seem so high maintenance now. Its sad when you even see the bars floats that say... and now here comes the AT&T (insert bar name) float! It's sad when even the bars are being sponsored.
ReplyDeleteThat annoys the hell out of me also when a corporation donated big sums and then has the venue renamed...for Verizon Hall! Why can't we just keep it real traditional name?
DeletePREACH!
ReplyDeleteI can't with the idea that Pride needs to be 'palatable'. The first Pride was a revolt, and that's something the Banana Republic gays (c) conveniently forget. Pride is political, Pride is rebellious and Pride needs to stay, well, Queer.
XOXO
Agreed cutie!
DeleteAdore. Your comments and the pics. GAY-men, honey. Okay, I have to talk retail companies. They have survived for centuries thanks to the creativity of gay folk and I can see why they end up making a show at Pride Festivals - but it always feels a little wrong - because while they profit from our creativity - they sure do treat us like crap. True? Just based on my personal experience and those I know... you can't really be yourself with them... They only want you to be a certain kind of gay. I always saw the type as brown-nosers. I get that they were A-Gays and, on my best day, I was a C minus Gay and maybe retail was never a good fit for who I am... but I still don't like them at Pride. Or any corporate entity. Pride should be all about celebrating ourselves and flying our freek flags - not free swag from Target. Kizzes.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with all you said Upton! Your right, I don't even like retail companies there either.
DeleteCapitalism and altruism have never been true bedfellows! Big retailers have "green washed" their products to curry favour with consumers too. A large Pharmacy retailer here in Canada used to run almost never-ending campaigns of "Donate A Dollar to this or that" until consumers realized that the retailer was getting huge tax credits for it's "corporate" donations. That's why I try to support small, local businesses whenever possible because it's easier to discover how they treat customers and staff.
ReplyDeleteTundra Bunny:
DeleteI always knew those "donate a dollar" for this or that was not all it was cracked up to be. Thanks for confirming exactly what I suspected. We give our money, the corporation gets a tax break!
I agree Tundra about that too. I am the same way and shop small business for anything I can first. Plus the service is often better. The greed of today is getting just disgusting.
DeleteThe multiple faces of capitalism. The face and body painting in this point are excellent -- every one of them.
ReplyDeleteI adore those face painted messages also.
DeleteWe have come so far, so far left to go.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the almighty dollar rules the world. As you said, where are these organizations the other eleven months of the year? They spend their money where they think the can buy influence. Some of the same corporations jumped on the BLM bandwagon when it was advantageous. If they are true allies they need to support queer organizations and candidates that advocate for our causes.
ReplyDeleteSome days I think I should go and join a monastery.
DeleteI agree that we need to be conscious of empty corporate gestures courting gay money, but I also think it deserves noting that this pandering in a way is a measure of progress. Twenty years ago, plenty of these Pride boot lickers would have been horrified to even consider acknowledging their queer customers. It's important not to take that for granted.
ReplyDeleteI see that point too Peenee...it's like a double edged sword I guess. If they want to pay for parts of the parade and festival, then let's bleed them for all it's worth. I wonder if the San Fran Pride is heavily sponsored, with so many gay local owned business there? I surmise it is.
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