More than rainbows: how to educate yourself when purchasing swag for Pride

Scroll to the end to see Max’s inherently queer product picks for Pride.

by Max Akers, Creative Director

One of my favorite times of year is coming: LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. A month full of love, celebration, and feeling at home with my queer community. 

June is also a month of every corporation slapping a rainbow gradient on their logo and calling themselves supportive of the queer community, despite whatever their actions may dictate the other eleven months of the year - a phenomenon called “rainbow washing.” 

We queers? We love our rainbows. They’re colorful, they’re meaningful, and I’ve loved rainbows since I was a little kid, long before I knew what queer even was. I’m like a crow - if it’s colorful and shiny, I probably want it. However, just because we like the rainbow doesn’t mean we need everything we own to be rainbow-colored. Everyone has a favorite color, but is everything you own that color? Of course not. 

QUESTION: How do you decipher which companies are supportive and which are just hopping on the rainbow-washing train?

ANSWER: Does the organization back up their support with a LGBTQIA+ Donation or initiative?

When I was getting ready to write this blog, I started searching around, asking fellow industry professionals, and even posting in industry forums, trying to find any queer-owned or queer-supporting suppliers. I only saw one supplier that did any sort of donating, and it was specifically for their Pride rainbow seed paper collection. 

While it’s a step in the right direction, it was disappointing to find very few options in the industry that were consistently supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community.

So, we came up with a few ways you can ensure that your local queer community is represented in the products you give away or sell during Pride month. 

QUESTION: How do you make your queer audience feel seen?

ANSWER: Collaborate with a local queer artist to come up with an exclusive design for a piece of swag. You can also include a printed card with info about the artist.

Take it a step further: include information about local queer non-profits, donate to them, and include a donation certificate with the piece of swag. 

What should we give our queer clientele and employees? 

Drinkware

Hydrate or Die Straight?

We queers could never. So hook us up with a trendy tumbler or bottle and remind us that the more we drink, the healthier our skin stays.

Emotional Support Plant

We need a plant to take care of. It reminds us to take care of ourselves at least once a week. I see my plant, think, “Oh Bertha, you look a little thirsty,” and then realize I haven’t drank anything but iced matcha lattes and Diet Dr. Pepper for the last three days.

Queer Glitter

There’s just something about a snarky glitter sticker or a sassy pin that makes me act like a Pokemon Trainer because I’ve gotta collect them all. The sad part is I never actually put my stickers on anything. I just think, “One day…I’ll find something to put that on…” Good thing we have lots of things that sparkle.

To properly celebrate Pride Month, emblm will be making a donation to my favorite local queer non-profit, Out in West Texas. Out in West Texas is a project that trains medical, legal, mental health, and educational providers of the West Texas region in professional competencies associated with working with transgender clients, as well as to provide training in transgender-affirming practices.