Celebrations and Conversations
Brands Are Recognizing Pride Month and Creating Change
As a mom of two elementary-aged children and a frequent Target shopper, a display of pride-themed clothing in the girls’ section caught my eye recently. I was excited — and impressed — that parents were being given the opportunity to purchase kids’ clothing and accessories to show support for the LGBTQ community. But it’s not just about the “stuff” — it also provides parents with an opportunity to have important conversations with our kids.
Lots of brands are recognizing that I’m not alone in my desire to raise socially conscious children. Disney’s Rainbow Collection is incorporating the pride colors into many of their iconic images, including Mickey Mouse and those from Pixar and Marvel. They also pledge to give funds to organizations that support LGBTQ communities.
Toy industry fixture LEGO has created a new “Everyone is Awesome” set to celebrate diversity that not only features rainbow colors, but also has some minifigures designed to represent the transgender population. LEGO also partners with various organizations to ensure an inclusive workplace for their diverse employees and to educate children about inclusivity and empathy.
Many other brands, such as Häagan-Dazs and McDonald’s, are launching initiatives to support diversity and inclusion in their internal marketing and business programs. By investing in diverse media partners, content creators, and franchise owners, these companies are facilitating growth for diverse communities and sparking change that will have a lasting impact and create a very different future.
As a parent, it’s refreshing to see companies using their voices and policies to do good in the world — and promoting opportunities for families everywhere to reinforce their commitment to social responsibility and awareness. Of course, as a Director of Finance and HR, I also realize that these companies’ efforts likely aren’t entirely “selfless.” After all, diverse companies tend to be more profitable.¹ But, whatever their motivation, I still applaud them for endeavoring to create a more diverse and inclusive future.
