“Every time Pride Month rolls around, I will always feel sad to see rainbow flags at all these shopping malls because they represent inequality.”
For NúÚ P3A☭3, a music producer and fashion designer, Pride Month celebrations are often not about true inclusivity. They unfurl the profound societal struggles rooted in inequality, often stemming from the effects of capitalism.
Who is NúÚ P3A☭3?
“NúÚ P3A☭3 is my creation rather than a completely separate identity. It’s a facet of who I am, much like a drag persona. I become NúÚ P3A☭3 because in real life, there are many things I’m not quite ready to talk about openly. Using this pseudonym gives me the strength to share my thoughts without worrying about how society might react. For me, NúÚ P3A☭3 represents my sense of pride, enabling me to speak up about important issues using my own voice.”
Do you have any message for the LGBT+ community during this Pride Month?
“I always feel a twinge of sadness every Pride Month. It’s because even in societies that are all about embracing pride, the diversity isn’t always as ‘diverse’ as it seems. It’s important to go back and think about why Pride events started in the first place. It all began with the Stonewall Riots of 1969, a pivotal moment that sparked a big change in culture and got people asking, ‘Can gender really be diverse and flexible in America?’”
“That’s when Pride parades kicked off in June, slowly evolving into what we now call Pride Month. As American society started becoming more accepting of different gender identities, big companies also started jumping on board to support LGBTQ+ inclusivity. But you know, the thing is, the whole capitalist system wasn’t really designed for fairness. It's built on this unequal foundation, which is why there’s still so much inequality today.”
“I think this LGBTQ+ movement is really nudging us towards a society where gender matters less. Or maybe even heading into a ‘post-gender’ kind of world where there’s no need to label people as gay, bisexual, or transgender anymore. Instead, everyone just lives their life as a human being.”
A notable issue within capitalist support for diversity is what’s known as ‘Rainbow Capitalism.’ In this scenario, companies try to showcase their inclusivity by adopting rainbow symbolism, essentially leveraging the LGBTQ+ community for profit, all while not truly providing authentic support. Many companies go so far as to launch products during Pride month to demonstrate their backing of LGBTQ+ causes, only for that commitment to wane once the month is over. This often exacerbates the feeling of inequality even further.
“Many companies have turned this movement into a commodity, making LGBTQ+ individuals compete amongst themselves to climb the corporate ladder of different companies, just to have a voice and rights. In most cases, those within the community who are able to voice their concerns are often the ones with societal privilege. A cycle of inequaltiy persists. This is what happens during the Pride Month.”
NúÚ P3A☭3 further adds that companies discussing diversity often end up perpetuating even more inequality than before. They grant privileges and voices to the LGBTQ+ community selectively. Some companies only cater to gender diversity to sell products and establish conditional frameworks for acceptance in society.
All of this turns discussions of diversity into mere trends, without leading to collaborative efforts to genuinely tackle issues of inequality.
“These days, LGBTQ+ has become a ‘trend’ that everyone has to talk about all the time. But nobody seems to think about the fact that there are still other marginalized groups in society, like people with disabilities, individuals of color, or laborers from Isaan. That’s why every time Pride Month rolls around, I will always feel sad to see rainbow flags at all these shopping malls because they represent inequality.”
For those intrigued by an alternative perspective on Pride Month, one that uncovers the lesser-known facets of the rainbow-hued celebrations, check out the full interview with NúÚ P3A☭3 below.
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