Brands Who Went Woke
A Look into Youth lgbtqia+ Indoctrination
Photo taken from the It Gets Better Project 2020 Annual Report
Photo taken from the It Gets Better Project 2022 Annual Report
I want to start by saying that I don’t consider myself a homophobe or transphobic. Gay people have been a part of my life since I was born. I’ve had family friends, best friends, and college friends who are gay, and I’ve always treated them no differently than anyone else. I’ve also had people in my life transition during college, and yet, I still treat them with respect because I believe kindness is crucial in our interactions to educate others.
The issue I find is with the indoctrination of children, the media targeting of youth, companies creating products aimed at young people, donations going to LGBTQIA+ youth, the push for children to hide this information from their parents, schools forming secret clubs, and students transitioning secretly. This is where I draw the line. So, this article serves as a magnifying glass highlighting the brands creating products that target LGBTQIA+ youth or donate to LGBTQIA+ youth care.
The primary website I used as my source is It Gets Better. So, I thought I would first share my opinion about the website before diving into corporations supporting LGBTQIA+ youth. It appears to target youth specifically to inform them about LGBTQIA+ ideologies. There’s a glossary area of the site that teaches terms you probably don’t know and never needed to. You’ve grown up using two gender pronouns, and now your kids are being pushed to learn over 10 of them. It feels like we’ve landed on a new planet and have to learn an entirely new language, or else we face criticism in real life. The website includes explanations about Gender Expression (GE), Gender Identity (GI), Sex (S), and Sexual Orientation (SO). Its design with bright colors and imagery seems to attract children and the younger generation. There are over two hundred videos categorized under topics like trans, coming out, chosen family, pronouns or neopronouns, school, high school, youth, youth voices, and gender dysphoria. It looks more suitable for college-age students than elementary and high school students. Interestingly, there’s no section on this website giving advice for kids who want to come out to their parents. Instead, they’re redirected to blog posts like “Time to THRIVE in the Deep South,” and “Get $10K for your school!” There’s no room for parental guidance on this website. In fact, the site provides a “SAFE EXIT” button, which redirects the user to an unrelated website like Google. Typically, a safe exit button is used for victims of abuse needing to quickly exit a website when their abusers walk in the room. I’ll let you read between the lines on who It Gets Better believes may be the abuser in this scenario.
It Gets Better has also started a grant foundation called “50 States, 50 Grants, 5000 Voices,” which has raised over $3.9 million for LGBTQIA+ youth. Their website, www.50states50grants.com, offers schools $10,000 to use however they wish for LGBTQ+ students. Examples include “installing a mural highlighting all identities within the LGBTQ+ community, expanding the library’s range of literature from LGBTQ+ authors, or funding the school’s first-ever pride week. We want to help you do it!”
This push to implement this education into our school systems continues to blur the boundary between what education should be at school and what education should be at home. These organizations aren’t even giving parents any sort of recognition in these kids’ lives. Now, school isn’t a place where we go to educate ourselves in history, math, science, english, art, or music. It’s a place where we go to learn about sex education and what gender we feel we are on the inside. I’m thankful I don’t have kids just so I don’t have to worry about them stepping foot into a school. And this is coming from someone who absolutely adored school. I loved to learn. And maybe this is why I’m so hell-bent on researching what is happening in our country and in our youth’s lives. Because I mourn for the childhood that I was lucky enough to have before the proverbial shit hit the fan.
So now onto the reason we came here, what popular companies were supporting LGTBQIA+ YOUTH in 2023? Here they are!
– F.W
American Eagle & Aerie
7 years partnered with It Gets Better and a created pride collection with proceeds funding the “50 States, 50 Grants, 5000 Voices” grant. Considered a Legacy Partner (highest tier of donations)
Bath & Body Works
Bath & Body Works has supported the It Gets Better Project with a $100,000 donation to “uplift empower and connect LGBTQ+ youth around the globe.”
ChapStick
ChapStick made a “love-wins” limited-edition cotton candy lip balm with 100% of the proceeds donated to It Gets Better.
Converse
A longtime partner of the It Gets Better Project with a 2023 Pride Collection.
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Long-time partner of It Gets Better and for Pride Give OUT Day, e.l.f. Cosmetics matched donations dollar for dollar up to $50,000 until the end of June 2023.
Funko
Supported LGBTQIA+ youth through a Pops! With Purpose Pride Collection. A portion of sales from eachPop! from the collection was donated to It Gets Better.
Funko, Loungefly & Disney
It Gets Better Project partnered with Loungefly to release a Pops! Limited Edition Star Wars™ BB-8™ Pride Bobble-Head Pop! with a portion of proceeds to going to the It Gets Better Project
GT’s Living Foods (kombucha)
Pledged a portion of their SYNERGY Trilogy raw kombucha to the It Gets Better Prpject in June.
#LubeLife
Donated proceeds of their flavored lubricant to help support “uplifting and empowering youth across the globe.”
*I want to point out that this lubricant company is linked on this It Gets Better website – a website that they know youth are using to reference for information.*
Nars Cosmetics
Their Face Anything Campaign celebrating resilience of the pride community and supporter of the It Gets Better Project.
Planet Fitness
Supporting the It Gets Better Project through proceeds from their pride line.
Redkin
Redkin is working with It Gets Better to “make salons are a safe space for all.” They released an It Gets Better special edition One World Toner.
See’s Candies
Partner of It Gets Better and a limited-run Pride sleeve for their candy boxes.
TikTok
Considered a Legacy Partner (highest tier of donations)
Toddland x Bob’s Burgers
50% of Bob’s Burgers Pride Collection going to support the It Gets Better Project.
Ugg
Ugg has made a donation to support the It Gets Better project
Ulta
Supported It Gets Better mural activations at LA Pride, Capital Pride, and NYC Youth Pride.
Voodoo Doughnuts
Created Paradise doughnut and Pride Bar doughnut with proceeds going to the It Gets Better Project in June.
Zynga
Supports It Gets Better and has created in-game pride content within 15 of their gaming studios.
Other notable brands that It Gets Better has partnered with :
- Experian (* Yep the Credit Bureau)
- Netflix
- Hulu
- YouTube
- Visa
- PBS
- Chewy.com
- Toyota
- Lexus
- Coors Family Foundation
- State Farm Insurance
- Disney Worldwide Services Inc.
- Buena Vista Theatrical Group (Disney Theatrical Group)
- Universal Music
- Schwab Charitable
- AriZona Beverages
- Mattel Inc.
- MeUndies Inc.
- Reebok
- Fabletics
- Fossil
- Teva
- Clorox Scentiva
- Crate & Barrel
- Lily Pulitzer
- Popsocket
- Morphe
- Taco Bell Foundation
- 7 For All Mankind
- MAC
- Tarte Cosmetics
- Freeform
- Casetify
- Visible Wireless
- Screwball Spirit
- Colorproof
- FitOn
- Zumba
I Also found comprehensive Lists in their Annual Financial Reports with links
2022
2021
2020
Read the 2014-2020 Financial Reports for the It Gets Better Project
Sources
It Gets Better Project:
Empowering LGBTQ+ youth to define their own journey.
These Are the Brands Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth
50 States 50 Grants 5000 Voices
It Gets Better 2022 Annual Report
It Gets Better 2021 Annual Report
It Gets Better 2020 Annual Report
It Gets Better Financials
Bath & Body Works Committed to Supporting LGBTQ+ Community
It Gets Better Partners List
The fine print I have to include for my own protection:
The following text presents the author’s opinions and interpretations of events without intending to cause harm or defame any individuals, organizations, or entities mentioned. While the author has provided sources to support their claims, readers are encouraged to conduct their research and employ critical thinking to form their own conclusions.
