Let's Celebrate Pride Month

During Pride month, we acknowledge the struggles and history of those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. During this month, though, we also recognize the accomplishments within the community, their contributions to our society, and how others can help them continue to grow.

Despite the backlash some companies have faced this year with their support, others are still powering on and showing their support for those parts of the community. Let’s take a look at some of the LGBTQ+ owned and founded businesses and how other businesses help get involved within the community during this month.

1. House of Intuition is a spirituality-themed brand and shop owned by Alex Naranjo and Marlene Vargas. Many of their products center around candles, astrology, spiritual tools such as tarot cards and crystals, and intention-based kits.

2. EqualLove is a personal care brand that focuses on universal scents that don’t adhere to typical gendered stereotypes. According to the founder and CEO, “Equal Love is a brand with purpose, a genderless line of natural products. They were born out of the need to express myself and raise awareness about diversity.”

They create a wide array of personal care products, from perfumes, to shower products, and even candles. All the scents they create are genderless to promote diversity and let people express themselves without falling into specific gender stereotypes or roles.

3. Both& is a clothing brand founded by Finn after he noticed a severe lack of clothes for trans people. Upon seeing this, he set out to create a brand of clothes that could suit all body types, not just men or women. After many trials, he made a whole line of clothing dedicated to fitting all body types in and out of the binary scale.

4. Wildfang is one of the more well-known LGBTQ+ owned businesses on the internet, especially after their collaboration with Toms in 2022. This company focuses on creating clothes that break the mold when it comes to gendered fashion and aims to develop products anyone and everyone can wear and love.

Not only do they create and represent their community proudly, but they have also given back to their community in many ways, adding up to over $750k in donations to various programs and projects.

5. Kin and Kind is a LGBTQ+ owned brand focuses on providing products for pets who have sensitive skin. Their products are made with clean and simple in mind. All of their products are plant-based, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, and all their products are made in the USA.

How others have been showing support There is a plethora of companies out there that are LGBTQ+ owned, and they all help to fill gaps in the markets they work in to promote diversity.
They aren’t the only ones that reach into the community during this month, though. There are a lot of companies out there some you may even use daily, that try to do their part during this month to provide donations and awareness. Let's take a look at what some companies have been doing during this month to help the community.

1. Apple The company Apple has had a long history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community, including donating to causes such as the Trevor Project and the Human Rights Campaign.

2. Disney has been working hard to show their support to their fellow LGBTQ+ employees and the community as a whole. In this pursuit of support, they have produced two new pride-themed collections and events during Disney After Dark.

3. Spotify has shown its support this year for LGBTQ+ community members by releasing a new program called GLOW. This music program they’ve created is being used to help amplify and promote LGBTQ+ artists and creators who use their platform. In doing this, it gives those in the community an opportunity to break into the market.

4. Microsoft has a long history of showing support for those in the community, having had policies that help protect against harm to their LGBTQ+ employees since 1989 and donating over $15 million to organizations for LGBTQ+ people.

5. EA (Electronic Arts) has supported the LGBTQ+ community over the years in various ways. Throughout the years, they have teamed up with various organizations, such as ACLU, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for Transgender Equality, and Out and Equal. In March of 2022, they co-signed the HRC Business Statement to oppose discriminatory laws and policies introduced in Texas.

During this month, we here at Comprehensive Consulting Solutions for Small Businesses acknowledge the accomplishments of LGBTQ+ businesses, their owners, and the community as a whole. Even those who are not part of the community can help those who are in a variety of ways and use their businesses to promote equality, safety, and acceptance.