Every June, the floodgates open: rainbow logos, Pride-themed merchandise, and flashy campaigns promising support for the LGBTQ community. For years, I welcomed it — cautiously. I believed visibility mattered. I still do. But now I’m asking a harder question: when the glitter settles and the hashtags fade, whose side are these corporations really on?

This year, the pressure is higher than ever. Conservative boycotts have rattled some of the world’s biggest brands. Executives are being warned not to “get political.” And many companies are retreating from public LGBTQ support entirely. Pride displays have been quietly removed from stores. Inclusive ads have vanished. And in too many boardrooms, silence is the new strategy.

Let me be blunt: silence is betrayal.

We’re not talking about some abstract culture war. We’re talking about people’s lives. We’re talking about kids who need to see themselves reflected in the media. We’re talking about employees who want to know if their workplace is a place they can thrive or merely survive. When companies pull back because of backlash, they’re telling us something chilling: our dignity is conditional.

I’ve been around long enough to remember when no company would touch LGBTQ advocacy. So I recognize the progress. But Pride is not a marketing season. It’s a protest. It started at Stonewall, in the middle of a police riot, led by trans women of color and queer people who had nothing left to lose.

Now, don’t get me wrong — I believe business can be a powerful force for change. Visibility in advertising matters. Inclusive workplaces save lives. Benefits that support LGBTQ families are essential. But performative allyship? That does more harm than good.

In 2023 and 2024, major corporations like Target, Anheuser-Busch, and others faced extreme backlash for LGBTQ-inclusive campaigns. In some cases, their initial bold stance collapsed under pressure. Products were pulled. Apologies were made — not to us, but to the bigots. What message does that send to LGBTQ employees and customers?

Contrast that with companies that stood their ground. Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and even tech firms like Salesforce have consistently shown that you can be profitable and principled. They didn’t cave. They doubled down. And guess what? Their brands remain strong, because people respect integrity.

This Pride, I’m calling on brands to recommit — not just to rainbows, but to real change. That means:

• Supporting LGBTQ causes year-round with funding, not just token gestures.

• Publicly defending LGBTQ rights in the face of political attacks.

• Ensuring workplace protections and benefits for LGBTQ employees.

• Listening to LGBTQ voices in leadership, not just in focus groups.

To my fellow LGBTQ consumers: we hold the power of the dollar. Let’s support brands that back up their words with action. Let’s boycott those who abandon us the moment it’s inconvenient