Topical Talk

Pride Month: rainbow washing

Should companies profit from Pride Month?

Collage of pages from the “Pride Month: rainbow washing” teaching resource showing the cover and lesson plan

Published 29 May 2026

About this lesson

Pride Month is celebrated in June to support LGBTQ+ communities and recognise the ongoing fight for equal rights. But during Pride Month, some companies are accused of “rainbow washing” – using Pride branding to appear supportive without meaningfully helping LGBTQ+ people.

Can businesses genuinely support LGBTQ+ causes while also making money?

Use this lesson to help students:

  • Discuss the importance of Pride Month
  • Explore what “rainbow washing” means
  • Debate the responsibilities businesses have during Pride Month

Skills and knowledge

  • Speaking

    Step 6: Choosing language
    I choose appropriate language for the situation
    Did you choose appropriate words to describe Pride?

    Step 10: Communicating sensitively
    I talk about difficult or sensitive topics effectively
    Did your discussions help you to learn about rainbow washing?

    Step 13: Negotiating
     I manage discussions effectively to reach an agreement
    Did you make decisions about the cards during the maze activity?

  • Knowledge

    I know rainbow washing is when people pretend to support LGBTQ+ people just to make money or to gain popularity.
    What is an example of rainbow washing? How might people spot it?

Available downloads

Create an account or log in to access resources for this

Create account Login

Related resources

View all resources