Purplewashing

The feminist symbol including a fist inside of the female sign, enclosed in the color purple, the official color of feminism

Purplewashing is a term used to describe the practice of using feminist or LGBTQ+ issues to mask discriminatory or harmful practices. It involves selectively promoting certain aspects of feminism or LGBTQ+ rights to improve a company's or organization's image, while often neglecting or undermining these same issues in other contexts.[1]

In the context of feminism, it is used to describe a variety of political and marketing strategies aimed at promoting countries, people, companies and other organizations through an appeal to gender equality.[2][3] This marketing tactic has also been called "Femvertising", which was most discussed in Gillette Razor's #MeToo commercial aimed towards toxic masculinity.[4]

In the context of LGBTQ+ issues, Purplewashing is also a term used to refer to a phenomenon where organizations or individuals selectively represent bisexual people and issues to appear inclusive, often for marketing or public relations purposes. (see LGBTQ+ section below)

  1. ^ Moscoso, Melania; Platero, R. Lucas (16 February 2017). "Cripwashing: the abortion debates at the crossroads of gender and disability in the Spanish media". Continuum. 31 (3): 470–481. doi:10.1080/10304312.2016.1275158. hdl:10261/187602. S2CID 151949284.
  2. ^ "Del pornoburka al purplewashing, los trucos más sucios contra el feminismo". El Confidencial (in Spanish).
  3. ^ "Gender and Military Culture" (PDF). Centre Delás.
  4. ^ Hinman, Pip (2019-01-23). "Gillette, gender and the struggle". Green Left. Retrieved 2020-03-16.