Many American corporations adopt rainbow-themed logos during Pride Month in June, celebrating LGBTQ pride, yet refrain from doing so in certain international markets. This year, the social media presence of companies such as BMW, Cisco, Lenovo, and Bethesda was highlighted by the online account "Libs of TikTok" for displaying rainbow logos on Western accounts, but not on their Middle East accounts. The critique garnered millions of views and was amplified by various commentators labeling the companies as hypocritical.
BMW responded to a specific inquiry about the absence of a rainbow logo on its Middle East account by stating that it considers "market-specific legal regulations and country-specific cultural aspects."
The situation has sparked a mixture of amusement and criticism online, with commentators suggesting that the companies are engaging in selective virtue signaling based on where it is culturally and legally permissible. This phenomenon has been noted in previous years, not only by right-leaning sources but also by mainstream and comedic outlets like The Independent and McSweeney’s.