{"id":356,"date":"2023-04-21T17:18:11","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T17:18:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zgeist.org\/wjr-sandbox\/?page_id=356"},"modified":"2025-07-21T14:51:51","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T14:51:51","slug":"who-and-what-countries-has-pinkwashing-affected","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/projectaros.net\/sandbox\/pinkwashings-effect-on-the-global-south\/who-and-what-countries-has-pinkwashing-affected\/","title":{"rendered":"Who and what countries has Pinkwashing affected?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Pinkwashing of both governments and corporations negatively affects the Global South in various ways.
Walmart, the largest private employer in the world, has taken part in Pride Month celebrations during June year after year. In fact, Walmart was on the Human Rights Campaign\u2019s list<\/a> of the most queer-friendly companies. Contrarily<\/a>, many of Walmart\u2019s actions do not align with Pride. Walmart continuously exploits workers in the Global South. The book Walmart in the Global South: Workplace Culture, Labor Politics, and Supply Chains<\/em> outlines how Walmart has undermined labor laws and grassroots resistance in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. The LGBTQ+ community is especially concerned with the corporate hijacking of Pride marches because most of these corporations have donated<\/a> to anti-LGBT politicians. Additionally, Pride marches are not a location for corporate advertising because they originate from the Stonewall riots<\/a>, which were held to fight police violence and state interference in queer spaces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When it comes to countries, Pinkwashing is often committed by governments in the Global North in various ways. In Japan and Poland<\/a>, homosexuality is legal. Japan housed many openly LGBT athletes for the Olympics in 2021 and the mayor of Poland\u2019s capital signed a declaration to protect LGBT rights in 2019. However, Japan does not recognize gay marriage and does not possess legislation that would protect against discrimination. Gay marriage is illegal in Poland and LGBT rights activists in Warsaw were arrested for \u201coffending religious beliefs\u201d in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brand Israel, a campaign that was launched in 2005, was Israel\u2019s grand attempt at appearing more modern and progressive, rather than a religious and militaristic country. Sarah Schulman\u2019s \u201cBrand Israel and Pinkwashing: A Documentary Guide<\/a>\u201d is a detailed chronology of Brand Israel until 2012 that is included at the end of her book. Israel is considered one of the most evident examples of Pinkwashing. Schulman popularized the use of the word Pinkwashing in reference to Israel\u2019s actions in 2011 when she published her op-ed in The<\/em> New York Times<\/em>, \u201cIsrael and \u2018Pinkwashing.\u2019<\/a>\u201d The following list contains the many reasons that Israel\u2019s Pinkwashing is harmful. It allows them to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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