Imagine being at a dinner party. All the attendees are close personal friends who know and understand the complexity of identity — they are people who can be trusted, even when discussing the most difficult aspects of one’s specific identity.
There is one person, though, who nobody at the party has ever heard of. This person walks around sharing facts about each of the attendees with no regard for the truth. They claim to have been there through all the difficult spells each person has faced and even wear a T-shirt with everybody’s names printed on it. That person is pinkwashing.
Now, hypotheticals aside, pinkwashing is an incredibly real and pressing concern for people of disenfranchised or at-risk demographics. While pinkwashing is not something many people agree with on a fundamental level, it is something that persists in everybody’s lives, sometimes without their knowing.
Austin Maas | Argonaut
Pinkwashing is the process of aligning with a cause or group, either to hide negative behavior previously exhibited toward that group, or to promote products and make a profit using that group as a promotional opportunity.
Common examples of this include the use of rainbow flags to attract LGBTQA folks to entities that don’t necessarily support LGBTQA rights, or the placement of pink ribbons on certain products to market them to those concerned with breast cancer research.
Each year during the month of June, which happens to be LGBTQA pride month, companies that otherwise do nothing for or with the LGBTQA population produce an influx of advertisements featuring rainbow flags and other common imagery typically associated with queer folks.
To some, this flag toting might seem like a representation of solidarity, but in all reality, these companies are often trying to improve their public perception. Why else would they market to the LGBTQA population exclusively during pride month? It’s too risky for them to align themselves with the LGBTQA movement throughout the rest of year. That might require those organizations to actually have queer peoples’ best interest at heart.
By comparing the behavior of American Airlines and Virgin Airlines, a clearer picture of pinkwashing is formed.
Both airlines have, at one time or another, toted a rainbow flag and claimed to support LGBTQA rights, but their actions in the long term demonstrate where their priorities truly lie.
American Airlines has conducted ad campaigns featuring LGBTQA subject matter. They’ve sponsored pride events, they’ve continually aligned themselves with the movement through social media and they’ve provided travel resources for queer folks. They are generally behaving as an ally to the LGBTQA movement should.
Virgin Airlines on the other hand, capitalized on pride month with its marketing in 2017, while continuing to aid in the deportation of LGBTQA asylum-seekers. They provided flights to assist the government in deporting people who fled from their countries because it was too dangerous to live as an LGBTQA person. This is the epitome of pinkwashing.
Many respond to pinkwashing by noting, regardless of intent, at least the companies are increasing representation. This is only partially true.
The increase of rainbow-clad marketing undoubtedly helps certain populations, but the positive effect of pinkwashing is overwhelmingly offset by its negative impact.
By representing certain movements or causes through advertising and marketing, companies invite themselves to be part of the conversation on those topics.
Unfortunately, though, many companies don’t actively participate when the position could be detrimental to their public image. This not only dilutes the message of a movement, it also betrays the trust of populations that may otherwise already be at risk. Claiming allyship with a certain movement cannot be limited by convenience, in fact, the areas where allyship is most inconvenient are where it is vital.
Think back to that hypothetical dinner party. Imagine that same atmosphere, but this time without the pinkwashing person. Conversation flows better. Trust is more easily given and received. The snacks last longer. And, nobody at the party feels as if they’ve been the accessory to a scheme that never truly involved them.
Austin Maas can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @austindmaas