White Rivers Media in collaboration with The Quint, hosted a panel discussion on 25 June to tackle the issue of pinkwashing in marketing and content creation. 

This event aimed to move beyond tokenism during Pride Month by exploring the superficiality of pinkwashing, emphasising the importance of intersectionality and authenticity. 

The panel comprised Nakshatra Bagwe, pride influencer and activist; Naman Gupta, director, writer and producer, No Good Studios; Aruna Desai, co-founder, Sweekar Foundation; Ghazal Khanna, queer performance artist, writer and actor; and Praful Baweja, co-founder, 6 Degrees, delved into the delicate balance between capitalism and cultural sensitivity in content creation, addressing the need to monetise content while maintaining cultural relevance. 

The session was moderated by Swati Chopra, principal correspondent, The Quint.

The speakers also examined the dual nature of visibility and representation within the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting both positive representation and the pitfalls of tokenistic diversity approaches. 

Pinkwashing in marketing 

Kicking off the session, Baweja described pinkwashing as 'lip service largely focused on optics'. He explained that it lacks depth in terms of commitment to gender or sexuality conversations. 

"Pinkwashing becomes evident if someone only wants to talk about queer lives without addressing women and intersectionality. These various little knickknacks expose organisations whose commitment is merely seasonal. If they don't engage regularly and their cultural visibility is superficial rather than driven by core values, it’s clear they’re not genuinely committed," Baweja expressed. 

Desai expressed that pinkwashing for her is just organisations ticking a box. She shared, "Many organisations wake up only in June. However, queer people are queer every day, not only during pride month. These organisations are doing things because they have a CSR formed and they want to show that they care for the community. Even in June, they do it because they have to, not out of genuine commitment."

LGBTQ+ representation and visibility in India

Desai highlighted a common issue with corporate involvement during Pride Month, stating that many times when brands and corporates invite people from the queer community, it's clear they're doing it just to check a box. 

She explained, "These organisations often lack genuine commitment, but still proceed because of the queer community, especially trans individuals. We have to acknowledge the complexity of this situation, while it feels like the queer community is being used by these corporations, there is a positive side. At least they're doing something, even if it's minimal. Some people appreciate these efforts as a starting point, within the community, some will say no, but others will see it as an initiation to talk. Speaking from personal experience, last year, many corporations approached us, admitting it was their first time engaging with the community, and they wanted to include both parents and community members to start the conversation which is a good move."

Gupta discussed the evolving acceptance of LGBTQ+ representation, noting that like most things, it starts with something being on the edge. He explained that exposure plays a key role and said, "Even if people don't understand it, just seeing a billboard with a queer person helps them get used to it."

"Initial resistance often stems from unfamiliarity, pointing out that a lot of people are against it simply because they haven't interacted with LGBTQ+ individuals. Drawing a parallel to the USA, as I work there a lot, I have observed that people often oppose immigrants because they’ve never had any interaction with them. Human nature tends to fear the unfamiliar. Despite potential ulterior motives, major companies like Netflix and Jio Cinema should be applauded for their positive stance on diversity. These OTT platforms might be doing it for the bottom line but the fact that they're doing this is good for the long term," added Gupta.

Khanna underscored the importance of visibility for the LGBTQ+ community, stating that visibility is very important for the community. Reflecting on personal experiences, Khanna recalled moments from five years ago when seeing LGBTQ+ representation, such as flags, made a significant impact, making them feel represented. 

However, Khanna cautioned against tokenism, she said, "If a brand is making a Pride Month sale but hasn't hired queer people or supported queer causes or NGOs, it feels like they're just using consumerism. There are only a select few that do support inclusivity efforts genuinely."

Speaking from personal experience as a diversity hire in rooms dominated by older men, Khanna acknowledged both positives and negatives. "One positive is that I did get hired," Khanna acknowledged.

However, she also noted the challenges of acceptance in such environments. "People are not very accustomed to a person like me," Khanna explained, describing subtle instances of exclusion. "I have left those jobs because I couldn't survive with their subtle homophobic jokes," Khanna shared, highlighting the need for genuine acceptance beyond mere representation.

Baweja urged for meaningful action beyond symbolic gestures, criticising corporations for spotlighting marginalised communities only during specific months, noting the lack of readiness to address real issues like disability and trans accommodations. 

He also called for comprehensive policy reviews and adaptations.

"Many corporations treat diversity initiatives as mere photo ops. There should be an importance of tangible benefits such as year-round job opportunities, inclusive insurance, and financial support," he said. 

Bagwe reflected on the limited attention given to influencers like themselves, he stated, "Hardly anybody wants to focus on influencers like us. So, thank you for that one-month attention that we get. Before 2018, before 377 was decriminalised, brands when approached for barter collaborations wouldn't even provide products for free promotion or consider them as a consumer base. However, a shift occurred when companies suddenly wanted to run campaigns targeting their demographic, viewing them as a new and profitable segment."

Bagwe expressed frustration with how companies often prioritise superficial representation over addressing real issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community. "They do not want our worries and struggles shown in real life; they just want to portray it superficially," Bagwe lamented. Despite these challenges, Bagwe commended LGBTQ+ influencers for their growing awareness of exploitation and the community's collective ownership of pride symbols. 

"In the past Pride Months, I used to sign 10-15 projects," Bagwe reflected, "but now we vet companies, verifying their actions for the community." They emphasised that while they may earn less now, there is greater satisfaction in aligning with companies that genuinely support LGBTQ+ causes. 

"I've only accepted two projects this year, rejecting many. LGBTQ+ influencers are not getting sold off for money, that's a new statement I'd like to deliver from the community," Bagwe emphasised, highlighting the assertion that their pride and integrity are not for sale.

How can consumers distinguish between tokenism and genuine support?

Baweja noted that a cursory glance at LinkedIn can reveal a lot about a company's approach to diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), moving beyond occasional gestures like International Women's Day or Pride Month.

He highlighted, "This superficiality, permeates into hiring practices, Glassdoor reviews, and the allocation of responsibilities in DE&I roles within HR departments. The litmus test for genuine DE&I efforts lies in whether these initiatives are integrated into procurement, client relationships, and employee representation, distinguishing between sincere efforts and mere tokenism."

Khanna recounted instances where she felt hired primarily as the token queer or female writer. She shared, "When companies hire without providing the necessary support and quietly phase out employees, it illustrates tokenism."

Desai expressed a strong stance on tokenism within organisations, emphasising the importance of effectively implementing anti-discrimination policies beyond mere existence. Reflecting on her son's experiences (who is from the community), highlighted how crucial it is for companies to provide a supportive environment.

Desai shared, "The prevalence of superficial diversity practices in some organisations, where hiring token individuals for diversity statistics fails to create genuine support or inclusivity. Instances where individuals hired for their identities faced hostility and adversity, and ultimately left due to an unsupportive workplace culture. These companies, often flaunt their diversity credentials without addressing the deeper issues at hand. In contrast, organisations that exemplify true inclusivity by going beyond symbolic gestures should be looked into. These companies consistently invite diverse speakers throughout the year and foster an environment where diverse teams collaborate harmoniously. This approach embodies genuine inclusivity—a supportive environment where everyone can thrive, not just during designated months like Pride Month, but every day."

Why is brand support lagging?

Bagwe shared the initial reluctance to invest in queer arts as a discouraging reality. "I have personally faced excuses for the lack of support, and this mindset must change," he asserted.

He noted that while mainstream media occasionally addresses LGBTQ+ topics superficially, independent artists like himself often rely solely on community support. "Thankfully, there's a rise in LGBTQ+ brands that truly empower us, especially evident during Pride events," Bagwe acknowledged. He highlighted the importance of avoiding exploitation within capitalist structures and called for brands to transcend stereotypes in their representations. "Capitalism is fine but exploitation of the queer community isn’t. Many emerging influencers receive hollow praise without real backing," he concluded, urging brands to demonstrate genuine commitment.