June is always full of rainbow-filled brand collabs and content. From makeup and skincare to shoes and socks, many brands showed support and gave back to the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

This week, we are looking back on a few of our fave brands who went above and beyond (looking at you, The North Face) as well as highlighting those putting in the "Werq" to keep the Pride spirit year-long.

Summer of Pride

For the month of June and beyond, The North Face partnered with environmentalist and drag queen Patti Gonia to invite everyone to "come out…. into nature." The campaign not only included a line of colorful gear, but a multi-state tour planned for the next several months to encourage one and all to experience the wonder of the outdoors. With "hiking, community, art, lesbians, lesbians making art," it is no wonder many of the events are already sold out.

Drag is Divine

For Them, a company that sells wellness products designed for the needs of the trans community, used Pride month to expand their mission to advocating for LGBTQIA2S+ rights as a whole. The brand targeted "ally cities" with their "Drag is Divine" campaign. Billboards went up in New York, Los Angeles, and London encouraging people to stand against anti-drag legislation, which has currently passed in 13 American states. Funds raised through campaign sales and events will go to Drag Story Hour and the ACLU Drag Defense.

Beauty and Pride in the Robo-verse

Several beauty brands directed their campaigns at Gen Z and Gen Alpha by highlighting Pride in the Metaverse. Essence Cosmetics, Nyx Professional Makeup, and Urban Decay all launched interactive campaigns in Roblox, a popular online game platform and creation system. With games, events, virtual achievements, and more, there were plenty of ways for brands to interact with large audiences of young people.

Money Talks + Gender Neutrality

We're quite used to brands using Pride as a time to rainbow-ify their logos with vague promises of donating a portion of their profits. We wanted to highlight some brands who stood out by expanding their product offerings beyond the gender binary AND pledged concrete amounts to advocacy organizations.

Dr. Martens and Abercrombie and Fitch both donated significant amounts to the Trevor Foundation as part of their gender-neutral product line campaigns. And Reebok released its first gender-neutral clothing line with future plans to expand. The line launched with a $15,000 donation to the Whittier Street Health Center's LGBTQ Youth Wellness Program.

You can find more brand examples (and the donation receipts) here.

Make Space at the Table

To wrap things up, we're shining a spotlight on Do the WeRQ. The grassroots organization amplifies queer creativity in the advertising and marketing industry—a cause that hits close to home.

Recently, Adweek highlighted the work still needed to be done by brands and agencies alike. They reminded us that "marketing brilliance lives on the other side of the discomfort" and discussed how allies can check their privilege and allow space for LGBTQ+ in the industry. The publication also called out brands for "rainbow-washing" and disingenuous Pride campaigns that ultimately abandoned LGBTQIA2S+ consumers (*cough* Bud Light).

Do the WeRQ's recent campaign "Love That, But" addresses the lack of support the community faces outside the month of June when it comes to inclusivity and support from brands. From requesting that a queer influencer promote a product for free, to shooting down an idea because it's too polarizing, the campaign shows very real scenarios that limit progress during the rest of the year.

A recent Gallup poll places LGBTQIA2S+ people at roughly 7% of today's population, with roughly 20% of Gen Z identifying as part of the community. As the public continues to acknowledge the community as a mass market, rather than a misunderstood and stereotyped niche, it is key for the industry to continue questioning biases and assumptions around gender, and think carefully about who opportunities are given to, from creatives to talent.

(PSSST — We at space150 are huge fans of Do the WeRQ and encourage you to give them a follow or attend one of their virtual events!)