rainbow washing

noun

The practice of a company presenting itself as gay-friendly to improve its brand image.

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Meanings

nounrainbow washing (uncountable)
  1. uncountableThe practice of a company presenting itself as gay-friendly to improve its brand image.

    In a world where gay politics are becoming more visible transnationally and globally, rainbow washing serves to paint a picture of a false reality […]

    2016, Abbie E. Goldberg, The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies, page 759
    1 more example

    I'd like to also include rainbow washing. This type of marketing gymnastics occurs every Pride month when corporations unveil new rainbow promotions, decorations, and products for their brand.

    2022, Britt Hawthorne, Raising Antiracist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide, page 155

Origin

In reference to the rainbow flag, and from terms like whitewashing and pinkwashing.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

rainbow washing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rainbow%20washing

MLA

“rainbow washing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rainbow%20washing. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rainbow washing,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rainbow%20washing.

Source: rainbow washing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.