For the past few years, the beginning of June has been signalled by the arrival of the rainbows. Popping up on Ikea sofas, fluffy Uggs and eyeshadow palettes, on the logos of corporate banks, baseball teams and fast food chains, they were there to mark Pride month, a time dedicated to remembering the Stonewall Riots and for celebrating and standing in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. They were also there – within the case of lots of the brands who adopted the symbol for the month – to capitalise on queer identities for money. For a time, it gave the impression of corporations believed aligning with LGBTQ+ folks was a solution to positively impact each their profit margin and brand image.

This 12 months, things have been a bit different. There have been noticeably fewer rainbow logos and vague slogans about love and identity. Queer influencers and content creators have spoken out about receiving less work than they typically do for Pride month, work which has previously kept them going for the remainder of the 12 months. Meanwhile, Pride events across the US are struggling to secure sponsorship. Rainbow capitalism, it seems, is waning. The timing of this quiet withdrawal of support is just not random – it coincides with what has been months of attacks on the queer and trans community in Western countries. In America, nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced this 12 months, while within the UK “equalities minister” Kemi Badenoch is considering a reform that will rob the trans community of important rights and protections.

This anti-LGBTQ+ wave has also translated right into a industrial boycott on brands that align themselves with the community. Even before June, far-right supporters boycotted Bud Light over a collaboration with influencer Dylan Mulvaney causing sales to drop significantly. Meanwhile, Goal removed Pride-theme products after protestors confronted employees and destroyed displays in stores. A customer at a Goal in Florida threatened to shoot an employee for wearing a company-issued pride shirt, while several other locations received bomb threats.

Pride collections haven’t been without criticism, often coming under fire for capitalising on and commodifying queer identities for profit and offering little or no in return. Sometimes the optics of a rainbow logo would hide the ugly truth of corporations who’ve donated to anti-LGBTQ+ causes and politicians like Walmart and Amazon, or who had no queer employees behind the scenes.

“The fear with brands releasing Pride collections is that when Pride month passes, and the eye moves off of the cause, LGBTQ+ people will proceed suffering discrimination and violence,” Amelia Abraham wrote for Dazed in 2019. This was actually true of Bud Light, who Mulvaney says largely abandoned her through the backlash and threats of violence she received due to their partnership. “For a corporation to rent a trans person after which not publicly stand by them is worse, in my view, than not hiring a trans person in any respect,” said Mulvaney.

Criticism of pride collections often stemmed from the people wanting brands to do more – commit to being an ally all 12 months around, hiring LGBTQ+ people behind the scenes in addition to in front of the camera, and so forth – not less. Because, for all of the criticisms of pandering or ugly designs, it stays essential for many individuals to see that there’s mainstream support for them. “As a queer kid who grew up in a Muslim country, seeing the rainbow flag championed in any capability – regardless of how tacky – all the time sparks joy,” Shaf Shajahan told Dazed last 12 months. “For each privileged white gay that complains about Primark’s ‘disgusting pride sock collection’, there’s a POC queer person on this planet who would do anything to have a pair, or worse, be persecuted for wearing one.”

If there’s one industry that should stand by the LGBTQ+ people, it’s beauty. Beauty is an industry that can’t be separated from the community, so entwined are the 2 – from the drag make-up that has influenced so many beauty trends, to the pioneering gay men who shaped the industry like Kevyn Aucoin, to the way in which make-up is utilized by many queer people to specific their identities. In terms of pride collections, it’s beauty that feels most relevant and organic in its engagement.

So, for this Pride month and ahead of London Pride tomorrow, here’s a roundup of the wonder brands who’re supporting the LGBTQ+ community, in big and small ways. Corporate support and rainbow capitalism will only get us to this point, and, ultimately, is just not the solution to queer liberation. But corporations giving into the violence of a small but vocal minority by abandoning the LGBTQ+ community will only further empower and embolden these homophobic and transphobic supporters to escalate their hate.

To all of the brands which have used Pride and the LGBTQ+ community to sell products and profit off of prior to now, now could be the time to do your part and show up for us. In case you were waiting for a possibility to prove that the support was real, that is it. Put your money where your mouth is and get up alongside the community. Solidarity means standing with us through the tough times in addition to the prosperous. 

Aesop

For the past few years, Aesop has been focusing its Pride campaign on the written word, emptying out the products from just a few key locations world wide and filling them as a substitute with books from the LGBTQ+ community which visitors can pick up totally free. This 12 months, London’s Queer Library is concentrated on texts once forgotten amid cultural shifts and evolving prejudices.

Byoma

Skincare brand Byoma might be donating $20,000 to GLSEN in support of LGBTQ+ youth.

Cocofloss

Sustainable dental floss brand Cocofloss partnered with Callen-Lorde, the one primary care centre in NYC created specifically to serve LGBTQ+ people. The brand pledged to donate $5 for each purchase of the Rainbow Sampler, Cocobrush Rainbow Set and the Happiness Set in mixed fragrances between June 1–7.

Garnier

Garnier has teamed up with Just Like Us, an initiative that works to support schools and empower young people inside the LGBTQ+ community nationwide to support School Diversity Week, the UK-wide celebration of LGBTQ+ equality for young people. In 2023, Garnier might be donating £50,000* through sales of their limited edition Micellar Water.

Glow Recipe

Glow Recipe’s limited rainbow edition of its Watermelon Pore-Tight Toner raises money for the It Gets Better Project, an LGBTQ+ non-profit. The brand has committed to donating $15k in monetary donations and $15k in product donations in support of its mission.

Good Dye Young

Hayley Williams’ brand that she arrange with longtime hairstyle Brian O’Connor supported the Tennessee Equality Project, which advocates for the equal rights of LGBTQ+ people in Tennessee this 12 months. The brand donated a percentage of sales from its Rainbow Kit.

Goodparts and Taimi

Taimi, an inclusive LGBTQ+ dating app, partnered with Goodparts, a queer-owned sexual wellness and private care brand, to create a line-up of limited edition lubricants, with artwork from LGBTQ+ artists. A portion of the proceeds might be donated to Ali Forney Center: LGBTQ+ Youth Shelter and Services.

Got2b

got2b might be attending the London Pride parade on July 1 with a stall in Soho Square. Two hairstylists might be there to provide proud attendees hair braids and styling using a choice of their products.

Harry’s

Author and poet Saeed Jones partnered with personal-care brand Harry’s on a limited-edition Shave Set, for which Jones has crafted an exclusive poem, titled “Repeat After Me”. For every set sold, Harry’s is donating £5 to their longtime partner Albert Kennedy Trust, with a further £10k donation to support AKT’s Rainbow Starter Packs (helping young people into independent living).

Human Beauty

Inclusive beauty brand Human Beauty champions accessible design and features real disability representation in its campaigns. In the course of the months of June and July, the brand is donating 10 per cent of all sales from the Make-up Therapy palette to ParaPride, an organisation dedicated to creating protected and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ disabled individuals.

indē wild 

indē wild might be donating ten per cent of world sales from their PM Sunset Restore Serum to The Naz Foundation, an organisation dedicated to LGBTQ+ advocacy and equality in India.

Inked by Dani

Inked by Dani is constant their ongoing partnership with The Trevor Project again this 12 months. Five per cent of total proceeds from sales of the Rainbow Temporary Tattoo Pack might be donated to directly support the work of the organisation.

JVN Hair

In honour of Pride, ten per cent of profits (as much as $10,000) from the JVN x GLSEN Pride Hair Set during June will go towards GLSEN, a nonprofit working to create a protected and inclusive K-12 learning environment for LGBTQ+ youth within the US.

Kérastase

For Pride this 12 months, haircare brand Kérastase has pledged a $25,000 donation to The Trevor Project alongside a limited-edition rainbow version of its Elixir Ultime Original Hair Oil.

Kiehl’s

For the fourth 12 months running, Kiehl’s has joined forces with Just Like Us, the charity that works to support and empower young people within the LGTBQ+ community. So far, Kiehl’s has donated £80,000 to support the charity’s efforts.

KimChi Chic Beauty

KimChi Chic Beauty is one other brand that supports the LGBTQ+ community all 12 months around. Two percent of all sales of the brand’s products are donated to The Trevor Project. In addition they have a Pride month sale with as much as 25 per cent off.

Lottie London

Lottie London has partnered with the Kaleidoscope Trust, a charity working with governments and civil society organisations within the UK and abroad to effect change within the lives of LGBTQ+ people. Lottie London might be donating ten per cent of sales from the Pride collection, including the eyeshadow palettes and gems, throughout June.

MAC Cosmetics

MAC supports the LGBTQ+ community year-round with its VIVA Glam range which raises money for the MAC AIDS Fund. On top of that, earlier this month the brand had a 24-hour fundraiser that saw 100 per cent of sales from all lipstick shades donated to the cause.

Milk Makeup

Milk Makeup donates one percent of all sales to The Center, a resource that uplifts the LGBTQIA+ community in NYC, all 12 months around and in June they doubled its donation. So far, the brand has donated over $200,000 to The Center.

Moo & Yoo

Moo & Yoo are donating five per cent of sales in June to MindOut, a LGBTQ+ mental health charity.

NYX Cosmetics

The Proud Allies for All program from NYX Cosmetics works with the Los Angeles LGBT Center all 12 months around to supply resources to LGBTQ+ youth and allyship training to over 10,000 people.

OUAI

This 12 months, OUAI pledged to donate $200,000 throughout June to LGBTQ+ organisations that create protected spaces for the LGBTQ+ community, including Ali Forney Center, Los Angeles LGBT Center and Strands For Trans.

Paula’s Alternative

Paula’s Choice has pledged $10,000 to ILGA World, a worldwide federation of over 1,700 organisations in 160 countries dedicated to achieving equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people across the globe. The brand can also be spotlighting various creators within the LGBTQIA+ community via their website and upcoming activity on social.

Peace Out

For each package of Peace Out’s rainbow acne spots sold, a $5 donation might be made to The Trevor Project.

Starface

Starface supports the LGBTQ+ community all 12 months around with its everlasting Rainbow Stars. All net proceeds of the Rainbow Stars are allocated to the Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBTQ+ youth and the Black-led Movement Fund within the US, Black Thrive within the UK, and Black Women in Motion in Canada.

Self Space

Self Space is hosting a free post-pride event to support the community, hosted by queer-affirming psychosexual therapist, Ryan Camphino Valadas. On Thursday 11 July, the net session might be a workshop where participants can share their experiences of Pride month, rejoice moments of joy and meaningfulness and decompress and chill out from any sort of overwhelm they might need experienced.

Thread beauty

Thread beauty might be donating 15 per cent of each purchase in June. The brand gives customers their alternative of organisation to donate to upon trying out, with options including LGBTQ Freedom Fund, Black AIDS Institute, The Trevor Projectand Joshua Home: An LGBTQ Safe Haven. Since launching in 2021, the brand has donated over $40k.

Unilever and Superdrug

To rejoice Pride, Unilever and Superdrug have once more teamed up with LGBTQIA+ helpline Switchboard. Products from brands including Vaseline, Lynx and Easy will sport rainbow packaging and the phone number for Switchboard. Unilever are set to donate £40,000 to support Switchboard’s helpline, while Superdrug are committing an additional £10,000.

3INA

3INA is donating all profits from the All The Colours Palette to It Gets Better as a part of its ‘Our Right To Be Vibrant’ campaign to rejoice Pride this 12 months.