Shrewd brands and cultural institutions, including Levi’s and London’s Royal Opera House (ROH), have uncovered hidden LGBTQ+ histories, redressing queer erasure by communicating the cultural legacy of queer subcultures and creatives that has either directly fuelled their work (see the ROH’s headquarters tour) or to which they sit adjacent (cowboys and denim).

Several major brands focused on LGBTQ+ individuals’ journeys via the lens of family. Films by American department store Macy’s foreground LGBTQ+ teens and young adults (discussing family-empowered self-expression and acceptance), while US-based cosmetics brand NYX celebrates chosen family in collaboration with the stars of reality show Avalon TV.

Forward-thinking brands, including Skittles (US), are creating spaces for LGBTQ+ subcommunities to connect (in real life/IRL and online), drilling down into interest-based groups, forging safe spaces within gaming and (in the case of Unilever) championing the rights of an ultra-marginalised subcommunity: Indigiqueer people.

Brands as diverse as Indian Disney subsidiary Disney Star, bookseller Barnes & Noble, children’s publisher Scholastic and dating app Grindr (all American) have created educative resources, including a multilingual glossary and real-life stories spotlighting India’s LGBTQ+ community, a book-ban-defying e-commerce hub, a sex-ed-centring road-trip party bus, and author-led queer literature Instagram posts.