Rainbow capitalism during Pride is a meaningless selling tactic on the companies' part, but it is also a pretty red flag when it is completely missing
I went to a Pride parade last week where not a single shop on the way had so much as one rainbow item on sale. Not a flag on sight. The windows on the path were all closed and we saw not a single person waving from the balconies. It means something, and it's something bad, and we all felt it by the time we made it to the square.
Italy has not made any significant progress in LGBTQ+ rights since 2016, back when we finally won civil unions. Lately, the rise of extremist right has been clearer and more blatant than ever. Vannacci, a soldier turned politician, has been making all sorts of statements leading up to this month.
I know there are greater problems than this, but walking into a Flying Tiger Copenhagen and finding not a single Pride themed item honestly scared me. Ten years ago, when I first came out and went to my first march, I remember the store being transformed during June. You couldn't walk a single aisle without seeing something rainbow. The difference is stark and it has its meaning.
