LBGTQ+ Creators Share Obstacles, Advice for Brands
In celebration of Pride Month, we gathered some of our LGBTQ+ social media influencers for the latest Quotient Creator Series roundtable. This ongoing series features content creators from Quotient’s network with diverse perspectives and expertise in influencer marketing.
Our panelists included creators Jon Bailey (@2dadswithbaggage), Cara Cochran (@caras_atl), Bret Shuford (@broadwayhusbands) and Emilie Hebert (@emilieeats), with the discussion hosted by Quotient’s Senior Digital Campaign Manager Lauren Burt.
Goals for the roundtable were to highlight not only our creators’ professional expertise but also their personal stories and advice for embracing their true selves.
Topics ranged from stereotypes of being an LGBTQ+ influencer, the pressure to show up in certain ways on social media and how the social community can empower and champion LGBTQ+ people as content creators and entrepreneurs. Watch the video below or continue reading for our takeaways from the discussion.
Supporting the LGBTQ+ Community Year-Round
Supporting the LGBTQ+ community involves more than companies changing up their logos for Pride Month. To truly integrate cultural diversity into advertising, it’s vital that brands support vibrant and influential communities year-round—not just during Pride Month or other months dedicated to celebrating and raising these important voices.
When asked for the advice she would share with brand managers, creator Cara Cochran quickly raised the point, “We don’t just exist during Pride Month. We are queer, we are family and we are normal people—mothers and fathers. We don’t just exist during June.”
I’m buying stuff, I’m traveling, I’m doing this all year long and it’s not just gay stuff. So, I think we’re just talking about normalizing it—we’re consumers just like anybody else. Given the opportunity to support a brand that supports our community, yes, I’m going to choose that first and I want everyone else to choose that first. Using us as authentic spokespeople to say that makes a lot of sense all year long.
Bret Shuford spoke from his perspective as a gay parent and noted that everything is catered to mothers. Specifically, after exploring the pages of some brands that reached out to him, he realized they were exclusively representing straight moms. Bret shared, and the other panelists agreed, that they don’t want to work with a brand where it appears they are being used to fill a void in their content. These situations feel as though a brand is simply trying to check a box instead of fully including and integrating their community into their brand framework.
For more insights that brands can glean from these candid conversations with talented creators in our network, check out all the installments of the Quotient Creator Series.
