By Andrew Bidwell
COVID-19 is plaguing the world, affecting those in the most vulnerable circumstances - and while the LGBTQ community remains prideful this season without its usual festivities, it lacks the support from big businesses from years past.
Many corporations love to slap rainbow stickers on their company cars while driving down the parade route, spending hundreds (if not thousands of dollars) on parade placement, decorations, and marketing strategies targeting the LGBTQ community. Let’s call it what it is — a walking advertisement; a live action billboard to help promote their brand, their station, their business, etc.
According to some Prides, the minimum sponsorship fee to enter the parade is roughly $5,000 per organization, and varies according to business size — a standard “pay to play” system; in which the more you contribute, the more you get. In 2017, San Diego had nearly 250 parade contingents — again not all were 5k+ sponsors, but given the projections, the amount would be well in the high thousands; charity money that possibly won’t be seen this year.
Now with most Prides canceled in 2020, the topic of concern is where those big company funds are now going, if not back into the community they “once supported.”
Like many Pride parades, the fundraising efforts play a critical role for those working year round to make the event an all inclusive success, as well as a safe space for those still living in torment. This year however, many corporations don’t seem to be waving that rainbow flag as high and as mighty, as in years prior, which lead many to assume they aren’t as invested in the cause if there's no real return on investment or exposure.
Below is a list of what company allies could be doing this year, to help empower the socio-economic and political advancements of the queer community.
A company’s allocated parade money could be reciprocal to:
- A charitable donation to an LGBTQ center of your choice
- Medical supplies and testing kits for those living with HIV/AIDS
- Helping fund The Trevor Project; A national 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth
- Support The Human Rights Campaign; America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer equality.
- Assisting The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) with its global nonprofit work providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to over a million people in 43 countries.
So we challenge you, the ally, to be the driving force - the accelerant - in the fight for the issues still plaguing the LGBTQ community this season. Lead the charge at your company by advocating pride over profits.
This season start thinking about us; the queer community. We are much more than our wounds from hate crimes and sexual assaults. We are the community helping underage youth off the streets, we are the medical staff working tireless hours in testing centers across the country, we are your brothers and sisters longing for your support. We are more than a label -- and so much more than a profit.
#PrideOverProfits
[Disclaimer: I, Andrew Bidwell, am not affiliated with any parade, or organization related to Pride.. This is an opinion piece solely based on my observations and experiences, as well as statements from multiple Pride websites]