Stop Using Pride for Profit: Why We Don't Monetize Human Rights (And Never Will)
Over 64 countries still criminalize same-sex relationships. In many more, queer people are beaten, exiled, or murdered, not just by strangers, but by their own communities, governments, and families. Hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people are rising across the globe. In countries like Germany, the U.S., the UK, Canada and Russia, they have doubled in recent years. Meanwhile, 55% of queer people in Europe report experiencing harassment or violence. And in the past year alone, 41% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide. That number climbs over 50% for trans and nonbinary youth.
And yet, every June, brands roll out rainbow logos. Limited Pride drops. Queer slogans. Applause. Discounts. Algorithms love it. Sales jump. Companies make millions. Research shows that LGBTQ+ themed marketing during Pride Month can increase brand sales by 40% or more compared to non-seasonal campaigns. But come July, most of these brands go silent again. No advocacy. No donations. No policy change. Just seasonal profit off the back of queer existence.
This isn’t just about Pride Month. It’s about a recurring pattern of performance without substance. Human rights, pain and identity are being reduced to seasonal marketing tools. In March, it's pink empowerment slogans. During crises, it’s curated outrage. But rarely is it backed by sustained action. And rarely does it last.
Let’s be honest: this is exploitation dressed up as support. It's rainbow-washing. It's performative feminism. It’s brand-safe activism that vanishes when it’s no longer profitable. People are tired of it. So are we.
Just putting a rainbow on your product and offering a 10% discount with a Pride-themed promo code does not make you an ally. Being visible during Pride means nothing if your company remains silent on queer issues every other month of the year. If your business model is built around temporary inclusion, you're not supporting the community, you're monetizing them.
Let’s not forget what Pride actually stands for. Pride was not born out of celebration. It was born out of protest. It was resistance. The first Pride was a riot, the Stonewall uprising, led by trans women of color like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. The Christopher Street Day marches didn’t emerge for branding opportunities. They came from a need to survive, to fight back against brutality, to demand dignity.
To be absolutely clear, this is not a critique of LGBTQ+ artists, creators or activists. They deserve visibility, support and yes, income from their truth and work. This is about the corporations who opportunistically sell identities and resistance without living the values they pretend to support.
If your support costs you nothing, it’s not support. If you only show up when it’s easy, you’re not standing. You’re spectating.
Human rights are not a trend. Women’s rights are not a branding tool. Queer lives, Palestinian lives, Black lives, immigrant lives, none of them exist to boost your campaign metrics. These are real people. Living real risk. Facing real harm. They deserve more than visibility. They deserve protection.
So what now? We ask harder questions. Of the brands we follow. Of the products we buy. Of the content we repost. What are we endorsing when we stay quiet? What systems are we validating when we look away?
And to the brands profiting from these causes, let me ask you this: Would you release a Pride collection in November, when it’s not trending? Would you offer year-round discounts for queer customers or is your generosity exclusive to the marketing calendar? Would you step onto a stage to speak for LGBTQ+ people, for Palestinian families, for trans youth, when it doesn’t benefit you, when the cameras are off? Would you still show up when no one’s watching and there’s nothing to gain?
Would you speak up for people when it might cost you something, not just when it's convenient? Would you release a statement when it could hurt your revenue, not only when the public pressure is too big to ignore? We’ve seen how many companies found their voice only once it was financially safe to do so. Suddenly posting about Palestine, suddenly expressing support for Ukraine or Black lives matter, once the narrative had already shifted and the risk of backlash was low. That’s not courage. That’s strategy. And it makes one thing clear: It was never about standing with people. It was about protecting profit.
Because if you claim to support them, but only act when it’s profitable, what exactly do you stand for? If you say you care, then why is your care scheduled?
At Bravanna, we’ve drawn a line. We don’t profit from pain. We don’t commodify struggle. If we speak on a cause, it’s because we live by it. This is not a performance. It’s a principle. These are our core values. The foundation this Brand is built on.
We’re not here to win approval. We’re here to stand with people who shouldn’t have to fight alone. If that means losing profit, reach or image, so be it. Integrity is not seasonal. And justice is not for sale.
With love and conviction,
Team Bravanna
Further sources:
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2023/
https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/pressemitteilungen/DE/2024/12/lagebildlgbtqiplus.html#:~:text=Davon%20richteten%20sich%201.785%20Straftaten,Jahr%202022%3A%20197)%20festgestellt.
https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/new-fbi-data-anti-lgbtq-hate-crimes-continue-to-spike-even-as-overall-crime-rate-declines?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/stab-the-fts-horror-as-violent-homophobic-song-goes-viral-tops-charts-in-cameroon/news-story/55f0ce986241b8f7309efcf93c144bda?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.politico.eu/article/violence-lgbtq-rights-rise-europe-report/
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/news/new-data-rise-hate-crime-against-lgbtq-people-continues-stonewall-slams-uk-gov-
https://www.globalequality.org/component/content/article/1-in-the-news/186-the-facts-on-lgbt-rights-in-russia