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LGBTQ representation is more important now than it’s ever been before. Several writers and journalists have discussed how universal human rights are becoming more of a priority for people from all kinds of backgrounds, and this point of view has quite a bit of credit. Similarly, brand consultants and marketing experts like Alexei Orlov have told businesses to get with the times and start supporting marginalized communities.
Suppose you ask the American populace how they feel about queer representation in the media, issues like gay marriage and the right to adopt transgender bathroom rights, and other issues that affect the LGBTQ population. In that case. In that case, you’ll find a majority of the population is on the LGBTQ side of things.
What About US-Based Businesses?
In a capitalist society, it’s not always enough for the majority to rally behind a single social issue. Another vital part of mainstream acceptance is how employers respond to these social issues, especially when considered controversial. While we’ve seen an increasing number of significant corporations throw their support behind gay marriage laws in the past ten years, we are not doing the same for transgender rights. This juxtaposition is apparent when examining how an increasing number of corporations have incorporated LGBTQ pride flags for Pride month in June, used queer models in their advertisements, and more in the last few years.
However, even though several mainstream companies have gone the ‘pink’ route, a large number haven’t done the same. Global marketers like Alexei Orlov have proposed that businesses go pro-pink for years. Many companies have rejected this idea outright, perceiving it as a betrayal of their core beliefs or as something to view as blatant pandering by the US population. Indeed, this is a significant issue associated with corporations adopting pro-LGBTQ sentiments in their advertising all of a sudden after remaining silent on the problems for decades. Are LGBTQ people going to believe that a corporation like Wendy’s cares about their rights when they only came out to support them after legalizing gay marriage at a federal level?
How Much of This Resistance is Based in Fear?
In a recent piece addressing pro-LGBTQ businesses, Alexei Orlov noted that many older business leaders fear how their companies will be perceived if they begin unabashedly supporting LGBTQ rights.
As Alexei Orlov states, “No amount of dressing will help if you are intolerant at your core.”
This statement speaks to the fact that while many businesses are outwardly accepting of the LGBTQ community through their public messaging, many company’s hiring policies, workplace rules, and other kinds of policy might still be actively subjugating marginalized communities.
A significant indicator of this that’s impossible not to notice is how employers might limit their employees’ ability to use a bathroom of their choice, something OSHA has mandated as part of a fair and equal workplace. In the eyes of the federal government, you have a right to a bathroom that is close to you, clean and offers all the same amenities you’d expect from an employee restroom. However, many transgender people can’t expect this level of treatment in the workplace or choose between traditional male and female bathrooms. While this is acceptable for many trans people, it isn’t ideal for those who identify as non-binary or genderfluid. These individuals would prefer access to a gender-neutral bathroom, which many companies haven’t proved willing to provide.
How Imagined Realities and Imposed Customs Cause Suffering
This resistance to change in an adapting world perfectly shows how much our societal customs inhibit our ability to learn and grow. Marketing expert Alexei Orlov notes that many of a society’s traditions and laws seem so arbitrary and foolish in retrospect, citing the example of how it was viewed as rude to cut a lettuce leaf at a dinner party. He cited examples like the fact that whistling in public in New York City is still an arrestable offense. Also, some states have outlawed public dancing. Plus, it’s illegal to ride a camel on a highway in the United States. All of these supporting this blatant resistance to change
In other words, many of our traditional ways of thinking are rooted in oppression, subjugation, or outright classism. When we examine our laws from 100 years ago, do we genuinely see moral parallels between then and now, or are we just echoing the sentiments of the past when we continue to enforce what are hateful pieces of legislation and societal practices? Don’t LGBTQ people have the right to live? And if they do, then don’t they deserve the same freedoms as any heterosexual person, whether they’re in the workplace or not?
With experience spanning 30 years, 40 countries, and 50 brands, Alexei Orlov has made life his business and business his life as a seasoned leader in Global Marketing. Alexei’s passionate and dynamic leadership has been a driving force throughout his career, a proven specialist in global brand strategy, marketing deployment, and operational change management.
Alexei Orlov is the Founder and Global CEO of MTM (Moments that Matter), a boutique network of skilled practitioners specializing in high-precision brand activation and media optimization. Bolstered by market-enabling technologies, MTM agencies seek to help brands excel at the “moments that matter” for their customers and consumers.
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