The Dark Side of Rainbow-Marketing: Adversity in Queer Business
Photo courtesy of The Lexington Line
As we enter July and leave the celebration-filled days of Pride Month behind us, many large corporations will begin to remove the rainbow logos and merchandise advertised throughout the prolonged holiday. Unfortunately, queer marketing during the month of June is a performative trend embraced by most modern-day businesses as a way to inflate profits over the summer, but, while most people in protest of this practice concern themselves with the actual corporations responsible for such acts, almost everyone fails to see the real issue with LGBTQIA+ presence in the business world: despite the hailstorm of rainbow-themed products and accepting slogans, there are actually very few queer-owned businesses. Many small, LGBTQIA+ business owners are overshadowed by their mainstream counterparts, meaning their struggles often go unnoticed.
On average, queer business owners tend to bring in less annual revenue than their straight competitors, and traditionally have a more difficult time maintaining financial stability within their companies. Seeing as the majority of businesses in existence are qualified as small businesses, this reveals the single factor which ultimately defines queer adversity in the business world; investment discrimination. Very few business owners are capable of launching a new business without the financial aid of others, which is why many new entrepreneurs initially turn to banks/private investors in order to get their idea off the ground. Of course, investors choose to support businesses of their own free will, meaning personal beliefs, positive or otherwise, often influence their investment decisions. Thus, with so many members of the LGBTQIA+ community physically presenting as non-heterosexual/cisgender, potential investors may choose to reject queer business owners because of their sexuality. Whether these investors view queer businesses as a risk, defend their decisions due to personal beliefs, or vehemently reject the union of the queer world with our more heteronormative society, one thing remains true: queer business owners are far less likely to succeed when compared to other corporations.
Thankfully, certain organizations have been able to recognize this financial gap and are actively working to close it, with the NGLCC (National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce) being the most prominent figure in this effort. Organizations like the NGLCC engage with small, queer-owned businesses, granting them certifications which allow them access to large-scale networking events, business seminars, and opportunities to market their brands towards investors who are specifically looking to do business with members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Working in tandem with the national business associations for women, people of color, and other minority groups, organizations like the NGLCC work to provide their members with the opportunities they’ve lost due to discrimination, and help countless entrepreneurs to overcome the barrier of adversity experienced by so many within the queer community. So, the next time you think about purchasing a tacky rainbow mug from a mainstream brand, take a moment to consider the real LGBTQIA+ companies out there, as well as how you can contribute to eradicating adversity in queer business.