At the start of June, I stopped by Target while running errands in the SoHo neighborhood of New York. The store had just set out its summer merchandise, displaying an array of clothes, accessories and sunscreens nestled within a series of red arches.

As I hurried past tank tops and patterned shorts toward the pet section, I stopped to look at the Pride collection.

There wasn’t much – a single display of generic rainbow-colored shirts and home goods rested toward the back of the store, with no signs declaring June to be LGBTQ Pride Month.

I realized at that moment that in spite of the fact that I live in New York City, and in spite of the fact that I am part of the LGBTQ community, I hadn’t seen many corporate advertisements related to this year’s celebration. I think I know why.

Companies are done using Pride Month for profits

It seems that the era of rainbow capitalism that has endured since Obergefell v. Hodges made same-sex marriage the law of the land in 2015 is no longer a guaranteed moneymaker for brands, leading them to downsize their efforts or abandon them altogether.

It’s the continuation of a troubling trend that began in 2024, with the reelection of President Donald Trump.

As conservatism rears its head across the country........

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