In the words of Kendrick: “Sometimes you gotta pop out and show fellas” 😎 Thank you so much to everyone’s who’s watched and commented so far! This topic is so important to me, and my heart is so full reading what y’all have to say. I don’t have Cam’s dedication to respond to each comment, but know I saw it! Shout out to Cam, who gave me the encouraging nudge to share this with y’all. These hands are still rated E for Errbody, but I only have hugs for our UA-cam fam. Cheers to 80k! 🫶🏾 - NS✨
This was the perfect way to handle this Cam, thank you for throwing it to a member of our community. Thank you Naomi, Happy Pride Month to you 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
As someone who is also nonbinary, “do hot perceive me” is what I think in my head whenever someone perceives me as a woman. No matter how hard I try to not to present that way.
As a amab non binary person who is femme/ androgynous presenting I feel that the mental gymnastics some cis people go thru to put me in a masculine box is truly absurd especially when i correct them and then the next time i talk to them back to misgendering me like wtf they put more energy into incorrectly gendering me then it would take to just use my pronouns which are they/ them or she/ her
I've felt that way so many times and I can honestly say it ruined my life. I became a very angry person and wished all my friends would disappear and stop talking about me.
Thank you for the video, Cam and Naomi. A lot of media takes advantage of the rage over this issue. It's nice to hear a down to earth talk from a member of the LGBTQ+ community about their experience with this topic. Happy Pride Month!
Aye. Shout out to Naomi! Their work is very much appreciated and you're a Real One for giving them their time to shine. Also, I deeply understand what Naomi went through with their parents growing up because I'm currently dealing with it with my Mom. I'm openly Bi (to the point of getting a BI-SON tattoo on my right forearm and having 2 massive flags in my room) and the internalized homophobia is Real. She's doing her best to understand my true self but she grew up in the 60s-70s with conservative leaning Baptist parents so some things are rooted deep. Plus, the JWs got a hold to both of my parents in their early 20s at their most vulnerable and being a part of The Alphabet is a HUGE no-no in that Cult! At the end of the day, she loves me and I love her. Most of my siblings are part of The Alphabet (thankfully including my big sister/best friend for life) so it's been okay. As for Rainbow Capitalism, 98% of companies don't give a damn about us until they want to make a Bag and the hypocrisy is REAL because they say Happy Pride to our faces while donating to the same people and groups who want us Gone by any means necessary. And I LOVE the nuance you showed about businesses who stay neutral, especially in the age of Twitter and TikTok crashing out at the drop of a hat. And I also loved what you said at the end. Yeah, the companies are on their BS but if someone sees a rainbow logo or buys the rainbow merch, it could be a step forward for them on the path to embracing their full selves and I can't be mad at that. Anyway, once again, shoutout to Naomi. Y'all have that Shaq and Kobe at their peak energy and I love it. Thanks for spitting facts as usual and Happy Pride to both of you. Have a good one! 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
Happy Pride! Naomi is the goat, i was excited to yield the spotlight this time. really glad this made you feel seen and i appreciate you sharing your story!
"Do not perceive me" is a whole vibe, and I'm going to yoink this for personal use. Thanks for tagging Nao in for Pride. This is really important stuff, and much appreciated.
I used to be torn on the whole pride thing with stores. On the one hand, it seemed awesome that it was becoming more widespread, but it's so damn disheartening when instead of standing behind the community, the moment these companies realize they can't be profitable, they scurry away from offering their "support" like roaches. This is exactly what the pride community has been facing their whole lives, this same persecution. Some unfortunately might hide their real selves behind another identity but the whole point of pride is to be unapologetically PROUD of who you are. When the mobs arrive, they're fighting back and not being intimidated and they have much more on the line than appeasing some damn shareholders (as this video pointed out, the first pride parade started from police descrimination and we've all heard of other attacks and shootings on the community). When they stand in pride, it is literally with their lives on the line. So, I say that any company that can't stand the heat, get your ass out of the kitchen. I'd rather see zero pride merch than a company blatantly abandon people like this. And yes, I know they're a corporation and money is all that matters, but it still doesn't make me less angry at the lack of integrity.
I work at Target, so I saw this first hand. In my opinion, pride month just seems like a money grab for retail, similar to how black history month seems like a money grab. Personally, I am black myself, and I never buy black history merchandise. I do not really see the point. I am black year round. Buying black history merch will not make me blacker or give me more pride in being black.
Nao!! In the wisdom of “step up/step back,” thank you for being willing to step up, share, and give us what you had. And thanks for the work you’re doing behind the scenes for Cam, which is really for all of us. Be blessed!
When I was a child there was a PSA trying to explain racism through favorite colors. One part was "and no one likes orange and no one likes why" and I decided orange would be my favorite color god damn it
I saw a post saying that corporate pride is the canary in the coal mine, this year there has been a distinct /lack/ of pride logos (Tumblr, twitter for example).... It is very scary when the canary stops singing
I honestly always felt annoyed by the floats at the pride parade being sponsored by these companies. It feels yuck. Thank you so much for talking about this Naomi!!!
Dropping another awesome video quick. Love it. You keep turning up your quality too. You've really developed and original style and perspective. It's very refreshing to hear with thought out well spoken opinions.
As someone who is also nonbinary, “do hot perceive me” is what I think in my head whenever someone perceives me as a woman. No matter how hard I try to not to present that way. Also, I actually brought some pride themed mouse toys for my cats. I was surprised I found them, they were buried under a bunch of other things.
“as a queer non-binary fem who still very unfortunately attracted to cisgender men” Cis-het men: "What they say fuck me for?" It's jokes ya'll, let's take a deep breath. I highly doubt they're firing shots like that.
I like Nancy voice and Cam's! I also enjoy that she is from the diaspora and not just your neighbor! I have a show thanks for motivating me Cam because I'm not in to my face 😭😭😭😭
Great video Naomi. I'm seeing more LGBTIQ+ folk speaking out about this. There was a time when chasing the "pink dollar" was about capturing that potential market but now it's more about signalling to non-LBGTIQ+ people that the business is a good corporate citizen...as long as you don't look too deep. Perhaps our problem is we expect corporations to be unbiased whereas they have to balance expectations of a number of audiences?
So much more to say about places that put up a rainbow flag then abandon LGBTQ+ folk at any hint of conflict. Thanks for stepping out from behind the curtain Naomi, thanks Cam, LOVE you
I just found you and I'm loving the content. Lots of social injustice happening and it's good to have another voice out there telling the story. Keep on keeping on
I appreciate the criticism of capitalism, but I will disagree that our only way to make a difference is to vote with our money. This is a neoliberal position that disempowers us. Absolutely, do not support the companies that oppress us. But we have so many more ways to build people's power outside of shopping habits (mutual aid, community defense, building dual power, etc.). And always remember: corporate pride isn't support, it's marketing. Even philanthropy is marketing. Someone in those companies may have had good intentions donating that money to LGBT charities, but at the end of the day, it's still marketing. They will drop it the second it becomes unprofitable (and these corporations are still making money when they donate to charity through tax breaks--otherwise, they wouldn't do it at all). Philanthropy is a drop in the bucket compared to the vast oceans of stolen wealth that these companies have taken from us. Capitalism is the enemy, and we will never be liberated through capitalism.
If anyone wants to complain about "GAY RIGHTS GOING TOO FAR", just know that it's still a "brave move" for Cam to give voice to LGBT voices on his channel. And I have no doubt that he's going to experience backlash because of it.
I may never understand what the LGBT community goes through but what most of us can see through is corporate pandering from most of these corporations. This video broke it down further.
Wha d ass is dis! 🇹🇹 Great choice of topic. I have worked for a few of these companies that throw up the flag, and I have been annoyed each time. I kept my mouth shut though because I’m not a member of the community, and my LGBTQ colleagues seemed to like the representation. It always screamed opportunistic to me. Great video. Hope you chime in again in the future.
Mostly gay cis dude here. Love this content. Cam, thanks for shining the spotlight on Nao. Nao, thanks for knocking this out of the park and keeping Cam's channel on track. I, too, share your frustration about attraction to cis guys 🙃 To comment on the content: although the duplicity demonstrated is disgusting and shameful, part of me can't help but to be grateful for the crumbs they feed us? I do not disagree with the harms presented, but I can't help but to feel that I'd rather have rainbow c(r)apitalism than nothing at all. Very good point on not calling out those who are rainbow-less this time of year. Guilty as charged...thank you for pointing out that I should mind my own business!
thanks for the support and for watching! happy to shine a light, they've more than earned it. definitely get the balance between being acknowledged and not being acknowledged, even if that acknowledgement is as a walking piggy bank.
I really liked this video, and it was a great idea to have Nao talk. I think it works as a good intro for people who may not be familiar with the concept of rainbow capitalism. Also really liked the highlight on companies that are actually comitted to making a difference in queer lives. The only issue i had was the loud and audible smacking sound when speaking (like a lip smacking sound when starting after a pause) I tried to ignore it and i did finish the whole video but ngl it was hard because of the noise. I dont see many others mentioning so its obviously not a big deal but just thought id point it out. I think its just the mic being too close so its picking it up. Nao did a great job with talking so please i hope you dont take this comment the wrong way. Aside from that, thank you both very much for this video! And happy Pride!
The first amendment does not let you say what you want within reason. The first amendment expressly lets you say quite a bit of which is unreasonable. There are few limits on what you can say. Obviously incitement, Slander, true threats, are notable exceptions. Frustratingly, lighting is protected. For example, stolen valor laws routinely get struck down. All I am saying is the first amendment is more expansive than you suggested.
Omg. Nao. This was incredible, but when you described your first trip into Target like being on the magic carpet? Thank you for articulating a feeling I didn't even realize I HAD!
Yo. "Never Talk". (... listening is worth while, tho.) I bought THAT song Wednesday... plus the full album. No regrets. It was the chill that CLE needed. **Cheers to all** & respected family!
I grew up in a gay neighborhood and went to the pride parade pretty much every year as a kid. as I got older I noticed less and less local politicians, social organizations, and other local groups and more and more big corporations parading their LGBTQ employees around in their logos. the energy company, banks, jewelers, retailers... like sure it's great when a business recognizes that some of their employees and customers are LGBTQ people, and they deserve to be seen, but seeing the parade, which was a march to be proud of the neighborhood's history and to celebrate the progress in LGBTQ rights over the years slowly become a bigger and bigger assortment of large brands advertising how LGBTQ friendly they allegedly are just made me feel jaded. every time I see corporate pride ad parodies on instagram or tiktok they're always hilariously spot on, like the Trixie and Katya "HI GAY!!" moment lmao
I appreciate the educational bent of this video, but I have to take issue with hand waving a 5% reduction of sales. That is not missing sales projections. Missing sales projection would be if the rainbow merchandise didn't reach its sales projections. But when you're able to drag down the total revenue by 5% because of consumer backlash, that is a big deal.
i've also always found that pride merch sold by actual queer people represents me better than big box merch. it's rare to see even lesbian stuff, let alone with the orange and pink flag that most of us use today (i have seen it exactly two times: in target's 2023 pride collection and at spencer's). don't even get me started on my more "obscure" labels. i'm also big into gaming to the point where it's more integral to who i am than any of my queerness, so i'd take something like pride-colored pokemon over a boring minimalist rainbow designed to appease my cishet ally mother anyday. (sidenote: i mean that with affection, i love her but the things she shows me sometimes are beyond corny)
Corporations need to stop with the pride logos and just donate the money. Of course, that's if they actually support you. Pride washing, Green washing etc is a thing.
Thank you so much Naomi and Cam!! I'm so glad this topic was covered!🌈 Happy Pride! Also forgive me if it's been done, but have yall covered the minimum wage vs how much it actually takes to live kinda gap? Cause in that same vein is a lot to say about government benifits like SNAP a d EBT. I feel like a lot of people don't actually understand why/how those programs work and why they're around, as they've become a punching bag for certain politicians. Hella misinformation abounds. Thanks for sharing knowledge!! Thanks for uploading videos!
only 5 mins into the video but already love it. perfect approach to a very sensitive and VERY important topic. thankyou for having the confidence to take the wheel Naomi and thankyou Cam for giving them the platform!
Props to Naomi for not wanting to be perceived and still putting themselves out there! Hopefully Cam did some research for them to flip the script. :-)
this one's all them, volunteered to do it. that being said, I'm more than willing to go back to research when it calls for it (we both research every episode)
I think there's a separate but parallel problem with hyper-consumerism in the queer community. In Arizona at least there's a huge problem with capitalism and consumerism taking precedent over even other people in the community. And intersectionalism may as well not exist so many queer people in my city are racist and ableist. They only care about themselves and the rest of us that don't fit in that circle are excluded and attacked. No community whatsoever. Target is a *huge* funder of Cop City. Even if they turned around and supported us in earnest are we going to just ignore the major damage they've done to Black people or the environment? Many, many queer people in my city seem to think that they shouldn't be responsible for ensuring they aren't harming the people at home and abroad. They think they should be able to spend indiscriminately or do whatever they want and it should be the government's job to force them to stop. I don't feel any pride or community toward people who think like that. Yes, businesses *should* do better, and yes, the government *should* step in; but, they aren't. So it becomes our responsibility to not treat our comfort like it's more important than people's well being and step up where they won't.
@@tape-6 Exactly what I meant. No one's about to stop eating at Chic fil a just because gay people don't like that it's a Christian company that isn't supportive of LGBTQ. If they aren't doing anything that's actually harmful or discrimination. People will continue to eat there.
loved that you made this video. great arguments. enjoyed how you brought up companies not creating a “new” temporary logo for pride month. as an asian, I thought that kylie cheung quote was highly disingenuous though
I appreciate the suggestion! This was a bit of trial by fire, as we wanted to make sure to get this out before the month was over, and I’d never done any voiceover work before. Next one will definitely have improvements! - NS ✨
This warms my heart to hear. Hey Nao!! I also identify as both queer and non binary. Similarly to you I grew up a strict traditional household (I come from a family of preachers). But I grew up a basically living my life as tomboy/soft stud so I definitely understand to sideways comments and looks from family. Thanks for sharing your story! And thanks Cam for being an allay and taking the time to platform your friend.
critiques of donation amounts never really make sense to me. i've been in budget conversations and that's a year of a high-ranking employee's salary; nothing to sneeze at.
@@CamJamesCrumbs can have an impact, but they do not merit accolades. It's a "just look at me petting this puppy" pittance (The Lorax, 'How Bad Can I Be?'), a rainbow-washing tax write-off. At best, it is self-serving, and at worst, it is contemptuous. It's the implication that we should be grateful they gave us any thought at all. It's the back-in-the-day $4.00 settlement after the police murdered your loved one. See you next time.
@@TinaMcCall. I’m totally with you. It’s less the criticism of a donation amount, and more a criticism of the inherent nature of companies? Like, yeah of course I’d rather Levi’s donate 100k to a pro-LGBTQ cause than to a politician who pushes anti-trans legislation, and yeah of course I’d rather support a business who is doing the former rather than the latter, but Levi’s and Converse and a lot of the companies that seem to escape the ire of rainbow capitalism criticisms are still absolutely participating in rainbow capitalism by using queer imagery to sell products. Making a small donation is absolutely not affecting their bottom line, and in fact is almost surely a net good for profit when it comes to many of these brands. I think the important thing to remember is that the entire idea of using queerness as an advertising aesthetic is toothless and is NOT allyship regardless of whether or not they’re doing anti-LGBTQ things on the other end. Because if ‘supporting’ the community started being noticeably bad for business, amoral entities like Levi’s and Converse would absolutely pull those campaigns.
@@PL_SL great point, but I think we have to see how they react under pressure before assuming that they will back off (though I know most buckle very quickly lol). While I do hope to see big companies actually take a stand, I also feel like public and visible allyship from any corporate entity is meaningless. I really just hope they treat their lgbtq employees and customers right.
This was an awesome episode, I just wish Naomi’s voice had gotten some editing to minimize mouth clicks and the sounds of breath! Their voice is great, just distracting sounds!
Thank you for your perspectives and experiences. Naomi, is there anywhere we can read/listen to your lived experiences? I think the community at large could benefit from CIS-gendered men listening to more anecdotes and PoVs of queer women we date - thanks for all you do
wish Target's move had been to staff plain-clothes LP/security, who'd bounce the nutty bigots harassing customers & employees. but that'd been taking an actual stand, & droppin merch or hiding it in the back speaks volumes on what their actual concern is... $$$ profit margins $$$. if i ever get a biz up & goin, to the point of having donation funds, def want to put money where it'll help. this cishet white atheist dude is glad Naomi spoke out, & proud of Cam for being supportive. seem like great peoples!
I'm so glad this video was made, I get so mad when corporations claim to support the LGBTQ+ community as long as it is in a western country, not going to harm profits, and as a slacktavist (not donating to any worthy LGBTQ+ causes)
Just wanted to pop in and say that I watch the channel for you more than the information so I didn’t care for this video in particular. That being said video in itself is still well made and well informed! Keep it up guys!
round of applause for Nao (pronouns: they/them). from both of us, thank you for 80k. it's tough to quantify that many people but know we love you all.
Not here to start anything, this is a genuine question: is the last shot of b-roll from an Israeli Pride event?
In the words of Kendrick: “Sometimes you gotta pop out and show fellas” 😎
Thank you so much to everyone’s who’s watched and commented so far! This topic is so important to me, and my heart is so full reading what y’all have to say. I don’t have Cam’s dedication to respond to each comment, but know I saw it! Shout out to Cam, who gave me the encouraging nudge to share this with y’all. These hands are still rated E for Errbody, but I only have hugs for our UA-cam fam. Cheers to 80k! 🫶🏾 - NS✨
Ya'll both becoming my favorites.
Cam your B-roll in target was hilarious especially with the thumbs down had me laughing
Yaaaaaaaaaaaay Nao!!!!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾💃🏾🌞☀️🎉🥰🌺 Thank you so much. This was informative, entertaining, HILARIOUS and just lovely. Excellent job. Thank you 🥹🌻🌺🥰
« do not perceive me » lol I feel the same as an introvert 😂
Real
We inside, fam ✊🏾 - NS✨
Same!
This was the perfect way to handle this Cam, thank you for throwing it to a member of our community. Thank you Naomi, Happy Pride Month to you 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
As someone who is also nonbinary, “do hot perceive me” is what I think in my head whenever someone perceives me as a woman. No matter how hard I try to not to present that way.
it's something i can't directly relate to but I'm learning as much as i can 💙
As a amab non binary person who is femme/ androgynous presenting I feel that the mental gymnastics some cis people go thru to put me in a masculine box is truly absurd especially when i correct them and then the next time i talk to them back to misgendering me like wtf they put more energy into incorrectly gendering me then it would take to just use my pronouns which are they/ them or she/ her
This is something I am trying to learn to deal with. When I see someone, I naturally feel like perceiving them as a man or a woman.
I've felt that way so many times and I can honestly say it ruined my life. I became a very angry person and wished all my friends would disappear and stop talking about me.
yeah i definitely feel the same. im sick of being constantly being misread so im like.. im done. goodbye.
Thank you for the video, Cam and Naomi.
A lot of media takes advantage of the rage over this issue. It's nice to hear a down to earth talk from a member of the LGBTQ+ community about their experience with this topic.
Happy Pride Month!
Aye. Shout out to Naomi! Their work is very much appreciated and you're a Real One for giving them their time to shine. Also, I deeply understand what Naomi went through with their parents growing up because I'm currently dealing with it with my Mom. I'm openly Bi (to the point of getting a BI-SON tattoo on my right forearm and having 2 massive flags in my room) and the internalized homophobia is Real. She's doing her best to understand my true self but she grew up in the 60s-70s with conservative leaning Baptist parents so some things are rooted deep. Plus, the JWs got a hold to both of my parents in their early 20s at their most vulnerable and being a part of The Alphabet is a HUGE no-no in that Cult! At the end of the day, she loves me and I love her. Most of my siblings are part of The Alphabet (thankfully including my big sister/best friend for life) so it's been okay. As for Rainbow Capitalism, 98% of companies don't give a damn about us until they want to make a Bag and the hypocrisy is REAL because they say Happy Pride to our faces while donating to the same people and groups who want us Gone by any means necessary. And I LOVE the nuance you showed about businesses who stay neutral, especially in the age of Twitter and TikTok crashing out at the drop of a hat. And I also loved what you said at the end. Yeah, the companies are on their BS but if someone sees a rainbow logo or buys the rainbow merch, it could be a step forward for them on the path to embracing their full selves and I can't be mad at that. Anyway, once again, shoutout to Naomi. Y'all have that Shaq and Kobe at their peak energy and I love it. Thanks for spitting facts as usual and Happy Pride to both of you. Have a good one! 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
Shout out to you, my lovely fellow queer human 🫶🏾 that tattoo sounds sick! Happy pride! 🏳️🌈 - NS ✨
Happy Pride! Naomi is the goat, i was excited to yield the spotlight this time. really glad this made you feel seen and i appreciate you sharing your story!
I remember first seeing Naomi's profile pic of ages ago and my initial thought was "so how many Akira motorbike slides have they attempted?".
"Do not perceive me" is a whole vibe, and I'm going to yoink this for personal use. Thanks for tagging Nao in for Pride. This is really important stuff, and much appreciated.
Yoink away, compadre 🔥 - NS ✨
"Still, unfortunately very attracted to cisgender men" that rings so true for a so many of us 😭
Sounds like we need a support group 🥹 - NS ✨
I go by the old adage, "the fact that I am still attracted to cishet men is proof that sexuality is absolutely not a choice"
Me too, unfortunately 😩😂
Why is this a bad thing?
as a cisgender man myself, we kinda suck sometimes my guy. like, statistically.
I used to be torn on the whole pride thing with stores. On the one hand, it seemed awesome that it was becoming more widespread, but it's so damn disheartening when instead of standing behind the community, the moment these companies realize they can't be profitable, they scurry away from offering their "support" like roaches. This is exactly what the pride community has been facing their whole lives, this same persecution. Some unfortunately might hide their real selves behind another identity but the whole point of pride is to be unapologetically PROUD of who you are.
When the mobs arrive, they're fighting back and not being intimidated and they have much more on the line than appeasing some damn shareholders (as this video pointed out, the first pride parade started from police descrimination and we've all heard of other attacks and shootings on the community). When they stand in pride, it is literally with their lives on the line. So, I say that any company that can't stand the heat, get your ass out of the kitchen. I'd rather see zero pride merch than a company blatantly abandon people like this.
And yes, I know they're a corporation and money is all that matters, but it still doesn't make me less angry at the lack of integrity.
I work at Target, so I saw this first hand. In my opinion, pride month just seems like a money grab for retail, similar to how black history month seems like a money grab. Personally, I am black myself, and I never buy black history merchandise. I do not really see the point. I am black year round. Buying black history merch will not make me blacker or give me more pride in being black.
Nao!! In the wisdom of “step up/step back,” thank you for being willing to step up, share, and give us what you had. And thanks for the work you’re doing behind the scenes for Cam, which is really for all of us. Be blessed!
When I was a child there was a PSA trying to explain racism through favorite colors. One part was "and no one likes orange and no one likes why" and I decided orange would be my favorite color god damn it
As a Trinidadian i got jump scared by the "what d ass is dis?" 😂
Nothing wrong just didn't expect it.
🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹🇹 - NS ✨
I saw a post saying that corporate pride is the canary in the coal mine, this year there has been a distinct /lack/ of pride logos (Tumblr, twitter for example).... It is very scary when the canary stops singing
i can empathize with that perspective for sure
I hear that sentiment from gen x queer people a lot too. as annoying as it feels to me I do get why they feel that way.
The collab we didn't know we needed! Appreciate you tagging Naomi in for this. They're debut was 🔥, the people want more!
Congrats on 80k!
"editor's note: this collection is ass" had me on my sides
I honestly always felt annoyed by the floats at the pride parade being sponsored by these companies. It feels yuck. Thank you so much for talking about this Naomi!!!
You both are lovely people, and I'm very lucky I found this channel.
Thanks Cam and Naomi.
🫶🏾 - NS ✨
Dropping another awesome video quick. Love it. You keep turning up your quality too. You've really developed and original style and perspective. It's very refreshing to hear with thought out well spoken opinions.
thank you for this feedback! hustlin' hard
Really solid, informative & funny video. Please let Naomi know I'll look forward to any videos they decide to do in the future.
Thank you! I’ll have to pop out again 😎 - NS ✨
consider the message passed along, 'preciate you
As someone who is also nonbinary, “do hot perceive me” is what I think in my head whenever someone perceives me as a woman. No matter how hard I try to not to present that way. Also, I actually brought some pride themed mouse toys for my cats. I was surprised I found them, they were buried under a bunch of other things.
Team Don’t Perceive Me! It’s lovely over here. I hope your furry friends enjoyed their pride toys! 🫶🏾 - NS✨
“as a queer non-binary fem who still very unfortunately attracted to cisgender men”
Cis-het men: "What they say fuck me for?"
It's jokes ya'll, let's take a deep breath. I highly doubt they're firing shots like that.
considering I'm cis-het myself, I concur
I feel so seen 😭😭😭
I like Nancy voice and Cam's! I also enjoy that she is from the diaspora and not just your neighbor! I have a show thanks for motivating me Cam because I'm not in to my face 😭😭😭😭
*Naomi, thank you for watching fam!
Great video Naomi. I'm seeing more LGBTIQ+ folk speaking out about this. There was a time when chasing the "pink dollar" was about capturing that potential market but now it's more about signalling to non-LBGTIQ+ people that the business is a good corporate citizen...as long as you don't look too deep. Perhaps our problem is we expect corporations to be unbiased whereas they have to balance expectations of a number of audiences?
fair point. i don't personally look to corporations to be paragons of virtue, but they can't be evil either.
So much more to say about places that put up a rainbow flag then abandon LGBTQ+ folk at any hint of conflict. Thanks for stepping out from behind the curtain Naomi, thanks Cam, LOVE you
I just found you and I'm loving the content. Lots of social injustice happening and it's good to have another voice out there telling the story. Keep on keeping on
I appreciate the criticism of capitalism, but I will disagree that our only way to make a difference is to vote with our money. This is a neoliberal position that disempowers us. Absolutely, do not support the companies that oppress us. But we have so many more ways to build people's power outside of shopping habits (mutual aid, community defense, building dual power, etc.).
And always remember: corporate pride isn't support, it's marketing. Even philanthropy is marketing. Someone in those companies may have had good intentions donating that money to LGBT charities, but at the end of the day, it's still marketing. They will drop it the second it becomes unprofitable (and these corporations are still making money when they donate to charity through tax breaks--otherwise, they wouldn't do it at all). Philanthropy is a drop in the bucket compared to the vast oceans of stolen wealth that these companies have taken from us. Capitalism is the enemy, and we will never be liberated through capitalism.
Great work as usual, amazing to see good hearted people platform things that matter.
thank you fam!
As a 57 year old gay Black male I miss the old days of anonymity, shady places and adult bookstores with gloryholes! 🥳
Late to the party but a little love.
Thanks Nao & Cam- great video and message.
If anyone wants to complain about "GAY RIGHTS GOING TOO FAR", just know that it's still a "brave move" for Cam to give voice to LGBT voices on his channel. And I have no doubt that he's going to experience backlash because of it.
already experiencing it. thanks for being here bro
Nao killed it.
They should have their own spinoff fr
My pronouns are they/them, but thank you! I’ll be sure to pop out from time to time. - NS✨
@@CamJames my bad! It’s fixed 😎, I can’t wait to watch what y’all cook up
Everything about this is perfect and yes, give your money to an actual queer person instead of these corporations
Always a great day when Cam blesses us with another great video, loved Naomi's commentary as well🙏
glad you enjoyed it!
IMO rainbow capitalism is a symptom of good developments in our society. Corporations can't be moral, so I don't really expect them to be.
I may never understand what the LGBT community goes through but what most of us can see through is corporate pandering from most of these corporations. This video broke it down further.
Definitely wouldn’t mind to hear Naomi’s voice more often! Did a fantastic job!
Wha d ass is dis! 🇹🇹
Great choice of topic. I have worked for a few of these companies that throw up the flag, and I have been annoyed each time. I kept my mouth shut though because I’m not a member of the community, and my LGBTQ colleagues seemed to like the representation. It always screamed opportunistic to me.
Great video. Hope you chime in again in the future.
Aye! 🇹🇹 thank you so much. I’ll chime in again soon! - NS ✨
Likewise; it isn't for me to make the call so we need to know when to let others speak.
Ayeeeee
yuhhh
Hell yeah. Day 1 subscriber here, keep up the killer work.
Yes Naomi! Same on the introvert front, but would love to hear more from them in the future 🫶🏾
Appreciate you! If I had an invisibility cloak with built in AC, I’d be at every function 👯 - NS✨
Mostly gay cis dude here. Love this content. Cam, thanks for shining the spotlight on Nao. Nao, thanks for knocking this out of the park and keeping Cam's channel on track. I, too, share your frustration about attraction to cis guys 🙃
To comment on the content: although the duplicity demonstrated is disgusting and shameful, part of me can't help but to be grateful for the crumbs they feed us? I do not disagree with the harms presented, but I can't help but to feel that I'd rather have rainbow c(r)apitalism than nothing at all.
Very good point on not calling out those who are rainbow-less this time of year. Guilty as charged...thank you for pointing out that I should mind my own business!
Also, I volunteered for the Trevor project. Amazing organization. Happy to throw some money their way...money that my employer will be matching 🤑
thanks for the support and for watching! happy to shine a light, they've more than earned it. definitely get the balance between being acknowledged and not being acknowledged, even if that acknowledgement is as a walking piggy bank.
Love that you not only covered this topic but platformed an actual queer person. You are, as always, ON IT 👏
"... probably not in Arkansas... " 😂💛💛💛💛💛
I really liked this video, and it was a great idea to have Nao talk. I think it works as a good intro for people who may not be familiar with the concept of rainbow capitalism. Also really liked the highlight on companies that are actually comitted to making a difference in queer lives.
The only issue i had was the loud and audible smacking sound when speaking (like a lip smacking sound when starting after a pause) I tried to ignore it and i did finish the whole video but ngl it was hard because of the noise. I dont see many others mentioning so its obviously not a big deal but just thought id point it out. I think its just the mic being too close so its picking it up. Nao did a great job with talking so please i hope you dont take this comment the wrong way.
Aside from that, thank you both very much for this video! And happy Pride!
Babe wake up cam dropped consistent heat again (he’s never dropped anything else)
Nope! The rainbow 🌈 was a sign from God after the flood. A sign from the most High, not a representation of anything else. Sorry
The first amendment does not let you say what you want within reason. The first amendment expressly lets you say quite a bit of which is unreasonable. There are few limits on what you can say. Obviously incitement, Slander, true threats, are notable exceptions. Frustratingly, lighting is protected. For example, stolen valor laws routinely get struck down.
All I am saying is the first amendment is more expansive than you suggested.
Omg. Nao. This was incredible, but when you described your first trip into Target like being on the magic carpet? Thank you for articulating a feeling I didn't even realize I HAD!
Yo. "Never Talk". (... listening is worth while, tho.) I bought THAT song Wednesday... plus the full album. No regrets. It was the chill that CLE needed. **Cheers to all** & respected family!
aye, thank you for the love boss! I really appreciate it.
definitely in arkansas in the right places like fayetteville! there’s so many queer small businesses here!
regarding lack of pride flags in shops, it is like, the MOST queer thing to not have energy to get something done by a deadline
C.R.E.A.M.
If they can make money, ethics and identity are for sale.
I grew up in a gay neighborhood and went to the pride parade pretty much every year as a kid. as I got older I noticed less and less local politicians, social organizations, and other local groups and more and more big corporations parading their LGBTQ employees around in their logos. the energy company, banks, jewelers, retailers... like sure it's great when a business recognizes that some of their employees and customers are LGBTQ people, and they deserve to be seen, but seeing the parade, which was a march to be proud of the neighborhood's history and to celebrate the progress in LGBTQ rights over the years slowly become a bigger and bigger assortment of large brands advertising how LGBTQ friendly they allegedly are just made me feel jaded.
every time I see corporate pride ad parodies on instagram or tiktok they're always hilariously spot on, like the Trixie and Katya "HI GAY!!" moment lmao
Having read that you grew up in a gay neighborhood and went to pride “pretty much every year as a kid.” I have to ask, are you queer?
I appreciate the educational bent of this video, but I have to take issue with hand waving a 5% reduction of sales.
That is not missing sales projections. Missing sales projection would be if the rainbow merchandise didn't reach its sales projections. But when you're able to drag down the total revenue by 5% because of consumer backlash, that is a big deal.
This was extremely mature, well articulated, and did not preach to any sides. I wish everyone could be like this.
we appreciate that!
i've also always found that pride merch sold by actual queer people represents me better than big box merch. it's rare to see even lesbian stuff, let alone with the orange and pink flag that most of us use today (i have seen it exactly two times: in target's 2023 pride collection and at spencer's). don't even get me started on my more "obscure" labels. i'm also big into gaming to the point where it's more integral to who i am than any of my queerness, so i'd take something like pride-colored pokemon over a boring minimalist rainbow designed to appease my cishet ally mother anyday. (sidenote: i mean that with affection, i love her but the things she shows me sometimes are beyond corny)
Im not apart of community, but i hate going to store seeing those cheesy pride merchandise. They out no effort into it.
Corporations need to stop with the pride logos and just donate the money.
Of course, that's if they actually support you. Pride washing, Green washing etc is a thing.
God's bless you both. As a father, the rainbow answer is so beautiful.
Thank you so much Naomi and Cam!! I'm so glad this topic was covered!🌈 Happy Pride!
Also forgive me if it's been done, but have yall covered the minimum wage vs how much it actually takes to live kinda gap? Cause in that same vein is a lot to say about government benifits like SNAP a d EBT. I feel like a lot of people don't actually understand why/how those programs work and why they're around, as they've become a punching bag for certain politicians. Hella misinformation abounds.
Thanks for sharing knowledge!! Thanks for uploading videos!
excellent suggestion, thank you! and Happy Pride to you too!
Let's put on an LGBT+ cricket tournament to honor both your parents heritage and your own identity
only 5 mins into the video but already love it. perfect approach to a very sensitive and VERY important topic. thankyou for having the confidence to take the wheel Naomi and thankyou Cam for giving them the platform!
shoutout to Nao, the best skipper this ship could have
me in the description box looking for Naomis YT or substack only to find "(Naomi does not want to be followed)"
Props to Naomi for not wanting to be perceived and still putting themselves out there! Hopefully Cam did some research for them to flip the script. :-)
this one's all them, volunteered to do it. that being said, I'm more than willing to go back to research when it calls for it (we both research every episode)
Informative as always
American capitalism has grown because people are filling their empty life.
technology has accelerated it
Without your narration changes everything tho.
thanks for the feedback, we'll be experimenting in future to find the right approach!
I think there's a separate but parallel problem with hyper-consumerism in the queer community. In Arizona at least there's a huge problem with capitalism and consumerism taking precedent over even other people in the community. And intersectionalism may as well not exist so many queer people in my city are racist and ableist. They only care about themselves and the rest of us that don't fit in that circle are excluded and attacked. No community whatsoever. Target is a *huge* funder of Cop City. Even if they turned around and supported us in earnest are we going to just ignore the major damage they've done to Black people or the environment?
Many, many queer people in my city seem to think that they shouldn't be responsible for ensuring they aren't harming the people at home and abroad. They think they should be able to spend indiscriminately or do whatever they want and it should be the government's job to force them to stop. I don't feel any pride or community toward people who think like that.
Yes, businesses *should* do better, and yes, the government *should* step in; but, they aren't. So it becomes our responsibility to not treat our comfort like it's more important than people's well being and step up where they won't.
Can we at least boycott chick fil a?
Ya tried that already. And Chick-fil-A is still killing it.
@@bronxishomenomatterwhereig3149
literally nobody tried that thats the problem shdkshxm people suggested the idea and were roundly ignored
@@tape-6 Exactly what I meant. No one's about to stop eating at Chic fil a just because gay people don't like that it's a Christian company that isn't supportive of LGBTQ.
If they aren't doing anything that's actually harmful or discrimination. People will continue to eat there.
I used the same logic that you used for the favorite color part of the vid with love languages
I love them all and want them all.
Yes, give me all of them! 🫶🏾 - NS ✨
Loved this!
Great video everyone.
loved that you made this video. great arguments. enjoyed how you brought up companies not creating a “new” temporary logo for pride month. as an asian, I thought that kylie cheung quote was highly disingenuous though
interesting take on that quote, it didn't strike me as disingenuous since it spoke to a specific person's perspective
The quality of the audio on this episode honestly makes it hard to watch.
noted, we'll improve!
Seconded. I don't know too much about audio, but my first suggestion is for Naomi to move back from the mic an inch or two
I appreciate the suggestion! This was a bit of trial by fire, as we wanted to make sure to get this out before the month was over, and I’d never done any voiceover work before. Next one will definitely have improvements! - NS ✨
Love the channel though my bro, you’re doing great work. Big things coming🔝
This warms my heart to hear. Hey Nao!! I also identify as both queer and non binary. Similarly to you I grew up a strict traditional household (I come from a family of preachers). But I grew up a basically living my life as tomboy/soft stud so I definitely understand to sideways comments and looks from family. Thanks for sharing your story!
And thanks Cam for being an allay and taking the time to platform your friend.
always, thank you for supporting us ☀️
Showin’ up for the algorithm. As promised.
❤ great video
Thanks Cam
sharing the credit this time 🫡
Not supporting sex changes for children that will make those kids infertile as adults is not "anti lgbtq"
???
💛💛💛💛💛
Wow Naomi is awesome. Their icon was scary to me like creeping around about to beat me up with that look on their face. But they're cool.
I’m going for a scary femme chic vibe 😇 thank you! - NS ✨
This video was awesome thanks naomi
I know they probably don't want to, but if Naomi ever wanted to make a youtube channel on lgbtq history/pressing talking points, I'd subscribe.
As a trans black fan of yours, LOVE the way you did this. Thank you 🫶🏾
you're very welcome, in more ways than one 💙
A company as large as LEVI'S donating $100k would be like someone donating the nickel they found in the couch they were dumping curbside.
critiques of donation amounts never really make sense to me. i've been in budget conversations and that's a year of a high-ranking employee's salary; nothing to sneeze at.
@@CamJamesCrumbs can have an impact, but they do not merit accolades.
It's a "just look at me petting this puppy" pittance (The Lorax, 'How Bad Can I Be?'), a rainbow-washing tax write-off.
At best, it is self-serving, and at worst, it is contemptuous.
It's the implication that we should be grateful they gave us any thought at all.
It's the back-in-the-day $4.00 settlement after the police murdered your loved one.
See you next time.
@@TinaMcCall. I’m totally with you. It’s less the criticism of a donation amount, and more a criticism of the inherent nature of companies? Like, yeah of course I’d rather Levi’s donate 100k to a pro-LGBTQ cause than to a politician who pushes anti-trans legislation, and yeah of course I’d rather support a business who is doing the former rather than the latter, but Levi’s and Converse and a lot of the companies that seem to escape the ire of rainbow capitalism criticisms are still absolutely participating in rainbow capitalism by using queer imagery to sell products. Making a small donation is absolutely not affecting their bottom line, and in fact is almost surely a net good for profit when it comes to many of these brands.
I think the important thing to remember is that the entire idea of using queerness as an advertising aesthetic is toothless and is NOT allyship regardless of whether or not they’re doing anti-LGBTQ things on the other end. Because if ‘supporting’ the community started being noticeably bad for business, amoral entities like Levi’s and Converse would absolutely pull those campaigns.
@@PL_SL Thanks, and best to you as you educate those in your circle.
@@PL_SL great point, but I think we have to see how they react under pressure before assuming that they will back off (though I know most buckle very quickly lol). While I do hope to see big companies actually take a stand, I also feel like public and visible allyship from any corporate entity is meaningless. I really just hope they treat their lgbtq employees and customers right.
"These hands are rated 'E' for everyone." 😂🤭💛
shorty had bars
This was an awesome episode, I just wish Naomi’s voice had gotten some editing to minimize mouth clicks and the sounds of breath! Their voice is great, just distracting sounds!
we'll tackle that more effectively next time. new mic and setup, etc
Greetings from Trinidad.
Another amazing drop! Great video!!
Because it’s on to the next thing. Stop looking at corporations for national recognition
Loving these "editor's notes" 🤭💛
Thank you for your perspectives and experiences.
Naomi, is there anywhere we can read/listen to your lived experiences? I think the community at large could benefit from CIS-gendered men listening to more anecdotes and PoVs of queer women we date - thanks for all you do
wish Target's move had been to staff plain-clothes LP/security, who'd bounce the nutty bigots harassing customers & employees. but that'd been taking an actual stand, & droppin merch or hiding it in the back speaks volumes on what their actual concern is... $$$ profit margins $$$.
if i ever get a biz up & goin, to the point of having donation funds, def want to put money where it'll help.
this cishet white atheist dude is glad Naomi spoke out, & proud of Cam for being supportive. seem like great peoples!
I'm so glad this video was made, I get so mad when corporations claim to support the LGBTQ+ community as long as it is in a western country, not going to harm profits, and as a slacktavist (not donating to any worthy LGBTQ+ causes)
Bro you’re handsome and I wish I look like you 😢
'preciate the compliment boss, my parents are responsible for that one
This piece alone let me know that my choice to subscribe months ago was wise. Thank you both (and anyone else who had a hand in this) for this.
Hell yes Naomi. Haven't seen this much fire since Sigourney Weaver with that flamethrower in Aliens.
Just wanted to pop in and say that I watch the channel for you more than the information so I didn’t care for this video in particular. That being said video in itself is still well made and well informed! Keep it up guys!