We’ve marked those companies with the universal sign of mystery: the shruggie. In many cases, companies actively decline to share how much they contribute. To help you be a more informed consumer, Mic has compiled a guide to companies that have aligned themselves with pride in one way or another, with detailed information on whether a brand is donating any proceeds to LGBTQ organizations - and if so, how much. A number of companies take things a step further for Pride Month, forging more meaningful partnerships with LGBTQ charities and organizations dedicated to addressing homelessness, mental health and other issues plaguing queer communities. Luckily, that’s not the case universally. In other words, companies often use the iconography of pride to foster goodwill with their consumers, but don’t actually do anything substantive to affect change.
However, more and more brands in recent years have fallen prey to honoring Pride Month thoughtlessly, simply slapping a rainbow on a T-shirt, tweeting “love is love” and calling it a day. These often limited-edition collections offer a great opportunity for companies to make meaningful monetary contributions to LGBTQ organizations and help the most vulnerable people in those communities. June marks the beginning of Pride Month, a time when brands ‘round the world jump on the rainbow bandwagon and unleash their pride-themed merchandise.
