Economy: How companies can avoid the accusation of “pinkwashing”

In Europe, the gay movement has already achieved a lot and celebrates this with CSD parades. But in many countries around the world, queer people are still threatened with prison and death. Companies could do something about this. A simple declaration would be a first step.

Just seventy years ago, in the autumn of 1954, the British government set up a commission to examine the continued criminalisation of homosexual acts. Its final report, “Wolfenden reportLink opens in a new tab“ stated, among other things, that homosexuality is not a disease. Nevertheless, it was not until 1990 that the World Health Organization (WHO) removed homosexuality from its “International Classification of Diseases”.

Homosexual acts have not been punishable in Great Britain since 1967, and in Germany since 1994. And it was not until 2003 that homosexual acts were no longer punishable in the last US states following a Supreme Court ruling – 34 years after the riots in New York’s Christopher Street. In 1969, queer people there made a conscious decision to use violence to defend their freedom and values ​​against ever-increasing arbitrariness and discrimination by the police.

Much has been achieved in the past decades – and in many places Christopher Street Day parades (CSD) are held to commemorate this conscious and world-changing decision. They celebrate what has been achieved and promote better, but above all honest, acceptance of non-heteronormative models of life. At most parades, international companies also compete for the best visibility of their advocacy for the normalization of queer life.

It is actually a matter of course that millions of people come together on German streets every year to stand up for basic rights – the Basic Law protects people of all sexual preferences equally. It is actually a matter of course that companies clearly show their non-heteronormative workforce – often from a wide variety of countries and cultures – that they do not tolerate discrimination and that they stand for the values ​​of Western enlightenment in the 21st century. It is actually a matter of course that companies consider events when sponsoring events that focus on the 7-10 percent of non-heteronormative people in the country. If you include their relatives and friends, these companies reach the sympathy of at least a third of the population. And that is precisely where the seductive potential for companies lies – and the danger of getting caught up in contradictions.

An overwhelming majority of people live in the firm belief that they know what the norm of human sexual behavior is. However, these beliefs are shaped by archaic traditions, religious influences and ideologically motivated expediency – and they are very different. In almost a third of the countries in the world, homosexuality is punishable, and in 12 of them it is even punishable by death.

But what follows from this? And how should the bearers of Western values ​​deal with it? Should they impose Western values ​​using all available means of power, as they did in colonial times? After the Vatican, for example, recommended blessing same-sex couples, the Pan-African Bishops’ Council responded: “We, the African bishops, do not consider it appropriate to bless homosexual unions or same-sex couples. This would cause confusion and would be in direct contradiction to the cultural norms of African societies.”

When Putin’s tanks invaded Ukraine in 2022, they were not actually waging war against “Nazis in Kyiv” – but against the possibility of a Christopher Street Day in Moscow. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the destruction of Israel has been as much a part of Iranian raison d’état as the death penalty for gays – while since 1979 the only Christopher Street Day Pride Parade in the entire Middle East has taken place in Israel.

It is less about homophobia among old heterosexual men in positions of power – but simply about the rejection of the Western way of life. This central concern on the international stage also unites all those states that are often idealized in the West as the Global South. Most of these states have little in common politically and culturally – from Indonesia to South Africa to Pakistan. One common element is the rejection of the Western way of life. And in many of these states, the rainbow flag is synonymous with the values ​​associated with it.

At this point, companies have to decide: Either they stand up for the values ​​of the Western way of life that they celebrate on their floats at Christopher Street Day demonstrations all over the world – even if this means they suffer losses in some markets. Or they take the – entirely legitimate – position that profit-oriented companies should concentrate on commercial success instead of pushing for social and political change. But then it would be hypocrisy to allow themselves to be celebrated by millions at parades for standing up for queer rights.

“Pinkwashing” and “Homonationalism”

A transparency statement from these companies would therefore be a good step. How do they prevent discrimination against queer people in the countries in which they operate? In this way, they could underline the seriousness of their commitment – because they are not only able to convey values ​​all over the world, but also to protect queer employees where necessary or to transfer them to safer countries.

Above all, they avoided the accusation of so-called “pinkwashing”. This term is ostensibly based on the established concept of “greenwashing”, i.e. presenting an environmentally friendly image, even if there is no sufficient basis for it. In fact, it was created as a political battle cry to criticize so-called “homonationalism”, i.e. the alleged instrumentalization of LGBTQ* rights for nationalist purposes.

It was coined primarily by activists of the anti-Israel BDS movement, as well as organizations such as “Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism” and “Electronic Intifada”. They use this term to accuse Israel of using the democratic rights there for everyone, including queer people, to make those Arab states look bad in a derogatory way, where queers are persecuted and gays are often sentenced to death. Most companies would certainly want to avoid being labeled with a term of this kind.

The Christopher Street Day events throughout Germany should be a place of joy, but also of reflection: Much has been achieved in recent decades to anchor equality for all people more firmly in the values ​​of the West. But it is precisely these values ​​that give many enemies of freedom around the world a common enemy. Those who celebrate these values ​​must also stand by them and make appropriate decisions despite the impending consequences – just like the people in Christopher Street in 1969.

Julien Reitzenstein is a historian and took part in this year’s CSD Berlin part.