Pride month is currently happening around the world. Major cities across the Northern Hemisphere are currently celebrating their Pride Weeks – San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, Dublin… it’s a big week for our Northern Hemisphere brothers and lovers. It’s also a big week for every major corporation that has finally realised gays have money to burn and are worth keeping on side.
The commercialisation of Pride isn’t new, or really that surprising, but it is expanding. I was in San Francisco for Pride in 2013. The gay capital of the world’s close proximity to Silicon Valley meant the entire festival was essentially corporate logos on rainbow flags – from Facebook to Dropbox, HP to supermarket giant Safeway; slap a rainbow flag on it, call it ‘inclusive’ (for one month of the year), and watch the money roll in.
It’s becoming ‘cool’ to be LGBT-friendly. I recently attended an event held by Westpac’s diversity unit (I came for the free booze, stayed for the free booze, et cetera). Corporations are increasingly co-opting identities and identity politics to prove they’re inclusive. And while I appreciate the shiny GayTMs ANZ lets me use, or the free booze Westpac gives me to say thanks for being a homo, or the rainbow editions of Nando’s, I can’t help but think that where capitalism is involved, there’s always an ulterior motive: my money.
It’s complex. These corporations make a stale gesture for a brief time during the year to prove they’re inclusive, in order to keep my business. At the same time, the visibility of these campaigns raises awareness around my existence, contributing in some small way to easing my existence in this money-grabbing world. The commie in me sees right through to the corporate greed at the heart of inclusivity, while the diva in me gravitates toward the diamantes of the GayTM like a Christian to The Light.
This month also saw the launch of Miley Cyrus and Instagram’s campaign #InstaPride. The campaign is a series of photos, released on Instagram, showcasing the faces and experiences of a bunch of people all across the gender spectrum.
The campaign has a joyful energy to it, with all these wonderful images of happy, smiling people who have spent the majority of their life having their gender identity severely marginalised. #InstaPride does a wonderful job of raising awareness around gender fluidity, and bringing terms like ‘agender’ and the use of gender-neutral pronouns to a huge group of people that may have never come across this before.
However, at the same time, there’s a certain ickiness to it being co-opted by the likes of Instagram. I have less of an issue with the campaign being spearheaded by Cyrus – especially since her recent admission of her own gender and sexual fluidity – because I love her, and it’s just really hard being a cynical queer all of the time. But Instagram is a corporation – one that spends a lot of time censoring people’s bodies, telling us what is and isn’t acceptable for public viewing. And now it’s trying to show that it’s inclusive and protective of marginalised identities? I call bullshit.
These corporations pretend to love us during Pride, or during Mardi Gras. But what are they doing for the rest of the year? Censoring nipples? Forcing employees to list themselves as ‘male’ or ‘female’? Trying to sell me gendered products that tell me how to live as a woman, how to make myself attractive for men? Producing commercials with happy, nuclear, hetero families?
It’s not enough to slap a rainbow over your logo and claim that you like me. Because for the rest of the year, I just don’t see it.
This Week…
Sydney is running its own little Pride Festival, for those of us unable to jet off north. Wednesday June 24 sees Stonewall hosting a night with the original Mardi Gras parade participants – the 78ers. The Pride Art Exhibition is also opening at Tap Gallery. There’s a range of events happening all through the week, mostly in and around Darlinghurst.
Also on Wednesday June 24, Goodgod is putting on Orange Is The New Black trivia. Folks, it’s your chance to show off how well you paid attention to Season 3 (or how much you let Ruby Rose distract you).
On Thursday June 25, the original home of Homosocial, Secret Garden Bar, is celebrating its first birthday. Featuring sets from Adi Toohey and Marcus Whale, the small bar is set to fill up fast, so get down early – from 6pm.
Tokyo Sing Songis set to host an extra special party on Saturday June 27. Catlyf’s Drag Race will showcase the best and worst of the Sydney drag scene, as well as featuring music from the likes of Cunningpants and Wyldstyle (full disclaimer: that’s me).
Pictured: #InstaPride photo courtesy Instagram @mileycyrus
