With Pride Month just around the corner, this upcoming June is a time of celebration, encouraging everyone to express their sexuality and gender loudly and proudly while also promoting equality and increased visibility of the LGBTQ+ community as a whole.
However, with all of the love and festivity associated with Pride Month comes the corporate mass production of rainbow Pride merch and products, many of which don’t actually support LGBTQ+ individuals or foundations.
Not only is it important to be certain that the Pride-themed brands you buy from have a direct impact on the LGBTQ+ community, but there are also countless queer-owned brands selling a variety of quality products at affordable prices.
With that being said, here are four LGBTQ+-owned businesses that you need to check out for Pride Month and all year round!
Equator Coffees
Equator Coffees is a coffee roaster, coffee farm owner, and retail operator with a mission to make people’s lives better through coffee. Not only does the homepage of their website state in bright letters, “LGBTQ+ since ‘95, and proud of it,” but founders and life partners Helen Russel and Brooke McDonnell have been in the coffee business for over 25 years together. According to Russel, “Since 1995, we’ve believed that better coffee could create a better world.” This realization led to the founders initially roasting and selling their own coffee from their garage, which ultimately transformed into the largely successful Equator Coffees of today. Not only does Equator Coffees have a variety of top-quality blends, but seven different cafes as well. Even more importantly, their “The Chain of Well-Being” philosophy centers around connecting global coffee farming communities and coffee lovers around the United States and ensuring that each step in the supply chain is equitable, sustainable, and beneficial for all involved in the process. With great products and a powerful message, Equator Coffees uses its brand to advocate for social justice and connect individuals across the globe.
Style is Freedom
Toni Branson’s Style is Freedom is a clothing brand that manufactures premium streetwear garments. Since its creation in 2008, Style is Freedom centers around providing a safe space for masculine-identifying women while liberating and celebrating TOMBOI culture and the genderless fashion movement. Branson defines a TOMBOI as a “TALENTED ORIGINAL MOTIVATED BRILLIANT OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL,” and her brand’s motto is “YOUR STYLE IS YOUR FREEDOM.” Along with an impactful mission, the clothing itself is made with high-quality fabrics meant to last a lifetime. Furthermore, according to the website, “From our garments to our hats and accessories, we aim to always give you the best quality product available with a satisfaction guarantee.” Offering luxury fashion for masculine-identifying women, Style is Freedom is making immense progress towards inclusivity and freedom within the fashion industry.
Non Gender Specific
After realizing just how severe the divide is between skincare products marketed for men and women, Andrew Glass, a beauty industry professional, decided to create his own skincare line with the goal of eliminating gender boundaries in the beauty industry. As the brand’s name implies, Non Gender Specific is skincare “For all humans, regardless of gender, skin tone or skin type.”With only seven different products, Non Gender Specific reduces consumer waste while simplifying the oftentimes complex skincare regime. Along with this, all products are vegan and cruelty-free. Reshaping the beauty world through his genderless products, Non Gender Specific is “the brand for all humans.”
Automic Gold
Jewelry brand, automic Gold, promises “radically wearable fine jewelry for everyone.” Founded by Al Sanirimova, Automic Gold is jewelry that is diverse, size-inclusive, and for every gender. In terms of products, the brand offers a variety of rings, bracelets, anklets, earrings, piercings, and charms, along with different collections. Furthermore, not only are the products fairly priced and made with high-quality materials, but each piece is made with reclaimed gold and shipped in recyclable packaging. Along with this, Automic Gold is self-funded, hires non-cis, non-white size-inclusive models, does not photoshop any of its photos, and is the only retailer with sizes 2-16 available. With a vast array of sustainable, premier products and a powerful mission, automic Gold is a jewelry brand that is truly for every individual.
In summary, each of these businesses features amazing, unique, and quality products. Moreover, Equator Coffees, Style is Freedom, Non Gender Specific, and Automic Gold are all focused on inclusivity and providing a safe space for every customer. Through the promotion and support of LGBT-owned businesses, LGBT people can gain more confidence about being themselves in business.
Moreover, by ensuring that you are buying from LGBTQ+-owned businesses instead of mass-produced products, you are playing a part in helping queer businesses expand to broader audiences.
Most importantly, you are also showing strong, tangible support to the LGBTQ+ community while providing a reminder that their impact matters during Pride and every other month.
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