Have you spotted any Pride ad campaigns lately? Yep, it’s that time of the year. The beginning of June marks the start of Pride Month—and consequentially, the release of rainbow-riddled “limited-edition” products from huge companies (with a high mark-up, of course).
In the wake of major global movements like landmark same-sex marriage legalization, the World Health Organization removing gender dysphoria and transgenderism from mental illnesses, and shows like Rupaul’s Drag Race to Queer Eye to Pose becoming pop culture phenomena, the LGBTQ+ movement has vaulted its way to the forefront of the public eye.
Read more: 7 relatable Filipino coming-of-age films for young LGBTQ+ people
The attention has created big wins for the community, but “going mainstream” can also attract some sharks in the water, like capitalist institutions. To companies, queer-themed media topping charts proves one major fact: They have a viable market. Corporations have targeted the community as a profitable demographic, and they can piggyback on Pride like a fad.
Okay yes, we can acknowledge that brands create huge visibility, but it’s a double-edged sword. The company’s motivations mustn’t be purely mercenary. What happens to the rest of the year, after Pride month? Will they help address the LGBTQ+ wage gap? Or will they go back to ignoring, or worse, alienating the community?
Read more: Loving Gay Humor, Hating Gay Rights
TL;DR: Shame on corporations capitalizing on Pride. Now we can still get our rainbow merch without the Rainbow capitalism, of course. How? By being considerate consumers. Instead of giving our hard-earned cash to multinational businesses, we can patronize independent entrepreneurs. Direct money into marginalized communities instead.
TEEN IDLE
Your local girl gang Teen Idle has been challenging heteronormative standards since its inception. They create gender neutral apparel and are not afraid to stick it to the man. Teen Idle is all about inclusivity, but make it punk.
The Gay Agenda PH
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The Gay Agenda is a queer-owned independent business dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. Aside from selling a wide variety of cute and colorful merch, the shop also makes sure to join rallies and raise awareness about pressing social issues directly concerning the community. How’s that for furthering the gay agenda?
LOVECLUB
LOVECLUB is an independent brand that was built on the foundation of inclusivity for all genders. Their Pride collection is all about creating an “an unconventional space” where we can detach from labels, and that’s something we can get behind.
The Mosh Potato
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The Mosh Potato is a passion project of its two owners, one of who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Who better to support than independent queer creators? They decided to sell pins and stickers reflecting their stance on issues, and to contribute to LGBTQ+ empowerment. Their pins come in an assortment of gender flags, so you can wear your pride loud and proud.
Mikai Makes
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Dick pics? Pass. But dick pins? Yes, please. The shop has been creating Pride merch since last year, and they’re not slowing down anytime soon. Each item from Mikai is handmade with TLC and created with recycled materials. Inclusivity and environmental awareness? Count us in.
Banquetta
Banquetta’s lookbooks are iconic for mixing moody New Wave Cinema aesthetic with cheeky beki slang-infused dialogue (“Shems footlong [hot dog]. Naalala ko tuloy ex ko.“). Yes to highbrow humor, sustainable clothing, and looking like a Wong Kar-Wai muse.
Metro Manila Pride
Okay, we’re cheating with Metro Manila Pride because they’re not a shop. But they are, however, the organization responsible for one of the largest Pride Marches that happen in the country annually, and it’s a self-funded operation. That’s why they can use all the help we can get to make the March happen. For every donation reaching a certain amount, Metro Manila Pride will send over a colorful token of appreciation, so we can all #ResistTogether!
Photo from The Mosh Potato
