With June slipping into obscurity without the grandiose kaleidoscope extravaganza we’re used to, one wonders if America is finally trading its flamboyant attire for something more subtle. Yes, dear readers, it seems the annual rainbow parade – rudely interrupted by corporate hesitation and media fatigue – is taking a time-out, much to the chagrin of those desperately clutching their pride flags. Some might say it feels as if sanity is starting to re-enter the chatroom. It’s not every day you get to witness a push back against “mandatory” celebrations cluttering the public square like confetti after New Year’s.
Apparently, the White House had no plans for a proclamation for Pride Month this year. Imagine that: June being just June. Let’s take a moment to think about actual achievements worth celebrating – like, oh, discovering how to fold a fitted sheet or properly stacking a dishwasher. For once, it seemed people are suggesting it’s a month better spent without ritualistic declarations hailing the latest avant-garde gender theories. There’s an editorial somewhere musing about the return of simplicity and common sense being the ultimate rebellion.
Meanwhile, corporate America, usually quick to swap logos for rainbows, decided to simmer down this year. It’s a bit like showing up to a costume party only to find everyone else dressed in business casual. Across the board, events that typically caused Buzzfeed editors to drool slightly less excitedly were met with a collective ‘meh’ from the usual hosts.
And like clockwork, Sesame Street joined in with a predictably sugary but ultimately perplexing shout-out. Embracing everyone blah blah happiness blah inclusion: we get it. There’s no shortage of puppet wisdom in Sesame’s social media presence, tagging in TV personalities more known for swapping hairstyles than profundity. If one desired to observe the zenith of cultural sophistication that includes speaking with a topical lisp, this was not the place to be.
For once, the chants of “Love is love” seemed less rallying than hushed notes being filed in the background. Could it be the narrative is shifting? One can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all – a strange year where the country hit ‘pause’ on its rainbow obsession, leaving a space void and curious enough to wonder if there isn’t something more worth exploring. But isn’t that the way of things? You wake up expecting fireworks and instead get quiet normalcy.
