The rainbow flag has been the symbol of the LGBTQ+ movement for many decades and stands for diversity, acceptance and equality. In recent years, the visibility of rainbow flags has increased during Pride Month June, both in public and in advertising. However, while some companies use this as a sign of solidarity and support, there is also an increase in companies engaging in so-called “rainbow washing” also known as “pink washing”. Rainbow washing describes the misuse of LGBTQ+ symbols and values for marketing and PR purposes, while discriminatory practices against the LGBTQ+ community persist.

What is Rainbow Washing?

Rainbow washing refers to the attempt by companies to use the rainbow and other LGBTQ+ symbols to portray themselves as tolerant, inclusive and progressive, despite the fact that they may do little to nothing to actually improve the rights and living conditions of queer people. It is essentially a type of image-building where commitment to LGBTQ+ causes remains superficial and is used as a marketing tool to attract customers or burnish one’s image.

The dangers of rainbow washing are that the rainbow can quickly be understood as a pure marketing tool. As a result, there is a danger that queer people and their efforts for equality will be instrumentalised. In particular, the rapid rise of superficial advertising, products with rainbow designs or sponsorship of Pride events to position oneself as a company LGBTQ+ friendly is hugely noticeable during Pride Month.

Dangers of Rainbow Washing

Because of this, it is difficult to distinguish between being an authentic supporter and rainbow washing. However, companies are increasingly using the LGBTQ+ community for their own gain. This dilutes the real meaning of the rainbow and distorts the message of equality and acceptance. The lack of substance behind a company’s whole facade can also become problematic, because rainbow washing can lead to real LGBTQ+ concerns becoming secondary. By drawing attention to superficial symbolism, there is a risk of missing out on much-needed support for political and social change that benefits queer people.

Conclusion

As an outside person, we should not blindly accept every Pride action by companies. However, it is important to note that not every company that uses LGBTQ+ symbols is automatically Rainbow Washing. Some companies are genuinely committed to LGBTQ+ rights and issues, even outside of June. It takes critical questioning and thorough research, to identify those who are Rainbow Washing and whether their intentions, when using LGBTQ+-friendly representations, are serious. Transparency and authenticity from companies are essential in this context. Only if a liberal and diverse culture is lived in the company can rainbow-washing accusations and shitstorms be avoided – and the company can rightly claim: “My true colour is a rainbow”!

About the author

Elena Sauter

Communication Advisor at HBI Communication Helga Bailey GmbH

Elena Sauter has been supporting HBI in the areas of PR and marketing since 2022.
As a Communication Advisor, her responsibilities include the creation of professional articles & the conceptualization of social media postings. Furthermore, Elena is involved in directly assisting our client work.