The first store-front opened all the way back in 1993 when Claire Cavanah and Rachel Venning found a lack of women-friendly sex shops in Seattle. If you don’t know what Babeland is, it’s a very popular online sex toy shop. But did you know it is a queer-owned company? I didn’t! I was pleasantly surprised, but not actually that shocked, to find this out. So Babeland: you’ve heard of it, you (probably) love it. Who doesn't love a good queer-owned sex toy shop? This 25-year-old influencer has helped to revolutionize the makeup industry with her more than 13 million followers close behind. As a trans woman, she knew more than anyone that the beauty industry did not make nearly enough products for trans and nonbinary people, so she sought to fix that herself.
Then just a few months later, Dragun Beauty was formed-a makeup brand made for trans women (and everyone) by a trans woman! This Youtube makeup star had a huge following from the start, and the Victoria’s Secret stunt helped her fame as she sold out her entire makeup stock in less than 24 hours of release. In late 2018, Victoria’s Secret’s chief marketing officer (at the time) Ed Razek publicly made transphobic comments about how he didn’t think they should include trans women in their Fashion Shows-so trans influencer Nikita Dragun responded with a video of her dressed as a VS “angel” to prove him wrong. Otherwildįounded by Nikita Dragun, this make-up brand is made for trans women (and everyone else too) by trans women! You can find local businesses that are a part of the LGBTQ+ community through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), and if you’re a fan of online shopping and supporting LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs across the country, here are 20 queer-owned businesses you can support today and all year round! 1. There are tons of queer-owned companies, both online and probably even in your own neighborhood. This way, you don’t have to worry about where your money is going-you can feel confident your Pride purchases are going directly to the LGBTQ+ community itself.
Big name corporations tend to debut Pride Collections in the early summer, and while we always support showing off your support for the community, keep an eye on where your proceeds are going (many companies donate Pride Month revenue to worthy causes, but others do not). It’s always good to wear your gender and sexuality as loud and as proud as you want to, but it’s that time of year that large companies start mass-producing rainbow-themed goodies.
It’s finally Pride Month! After a year of being cooped up indoors, this is for sure going to be a Pride to remember. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission. Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed’s editors.