A few ways a corporation can demonstrate their public commitment is by taking part in Pride events or donating to advocacy groups. The index does not measure whether a company takes a stance against harmful legislation or donates money to politicians on either side of the aisle.

In fact, seven of the eight top Fortune-ranked companies that earned 100% ratings donated money to federal candidates in the 2020 election cycle who are considered anti-LGBTQ by GLAAD’s Accountability Project.

The month of June often features corporations and consumer brands participating in the celebrations, with bright rainbow packaging and gay-themed items for sale. Instead of this salutary sign of inclusion and tolerance being welcomed, however, it routinely gets attacked.

Critics often insist that corporations’ commitment to gay pride is shallow and self-serving, or that rainbow-themed merchandise and advertising during June end up tokenizing rather than celebrating the community.

Gone are the days of rainbow-washing corporate social media accounts in June and selling a few rainbow retail items without backing up those displays with real action, advocates said.
“It is so amazing to see more and more brands celebrating Pride Month every year, but it must be done with authenticity,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD. “What we’ve seen over the past few years, especially as pride participation has grown, our community holding brands accountable has grown as well.”

But while companies are feeling increased pressure to publicly demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion, they also fear becoming the next Disney – being retaliated against by politicians if they speak out too much against specific anti-LGBTQ legislation.

Many end up sending mixed messages by declaring their commitment to their LGBTQ employees and customers, especially during June, but donating money to politicians who actively oppose gay rights, trans medical care and more.

Businesses are walking a tight rope in this moment between a real recognition of the need to advocate for LGBTQ rights, as their employees and customers increasingly demand, and the desire to protect their bottom line from political retaliation.

Businesses have said they don’t want to be the next Disney, meaning they want to avoid both the backlash Disney got for not speaking out against the Florida legislation critics called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, with employees organizing walkouts and trending hashtags against the company, and the political pressure the company is now under after finally speaking out.
Companies in highly regulated industries tend to donate across the board because of lawmakers’ ability to impact their businesses. She said HRC encourages businesses to do this in a smart way that can benefit their LGBTQ advocacy down the road.
Apple Inc. is the only Fortune Top 10 company with a 100% rating from HRC to not donate to any political candidates in the last election cycle. Apple spokesman Fred Sainz said, “Apple doesn’t make political contributions and it does not have a PAC.”
Advice for consumers during Pride
For consumers who want to support companies that are committed to LGBTQ issues year-round and in meaningful ways, it’s recommended to do some quick research.

“You have to ensure that they are supporting the community, not just by putting a rainbow on a product, but by contributing back,” Ellis said.

A quick internet search can reveal if the company is donating proceeds from Pride Month sales to LGBTQ causes. The HRC’s index shows how inclusive a company’s workplace policies are. Ellis also recommends looking at whether the company has signed any amicus briefs or released public statements about legislation.

A social media campaign called “Who Made My Pride Merch?” which looks beyond the U.S. company selling rainbow items to their supply chains. Does the company use labor from a country where being gay is illegal or LGBTQ people are persecuted?

“The point of (the campaign) was to kind of talk about the intersections between environment, labor, exploitation and culture, specifically fast fashion brands who actively exploit queer and trans garment workers,” Hernandez said. “And to kind of raise awareness of how the solidarity that brands extend … or showcase you know pro-LGBTQ, is only limited to certain amounts of demographics within the United States.”
“It really is in the consumer’s control to find some of this information out,” said Lilly Rotter, senior director of demand generation at Skai, an advertising technology platform that works with many of the nation’s top brands.

She recommended looking at the company’s social media accounts to see if they engage in LGBTQ activism outside of the month of June, and looking at the leadership and board members.

Also, during June, viewers often see an onslaught of LGBTQ-focused programming on their streaming apps as well. GLAAD maintains a Studio Responsibility Index that annually evaluates how Hollywood studios and streaming companies do or do not support LGBTQ causes and how much representation they include in their movies and shows.

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