In June, many businesses find ways to celebrate Pride Month, whether it be through custom products, charitable donations (or both), special campaigns, and more. Since social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are places many of these companies go to advertise their commemorative efforts, it would make sense that the platforms themselves would also be putting forth initiatives in honor of Pride.

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among other popular platforms, announced a number of goings-on for Pride Month, including efforts that take its users into the “Metaverse.”

New camera stickers are available on Instagram, designed in partnership with queer, Brooklyn, N.Y.–based artist and creator Shanée Benjamin. Custom word effects with a Pride Chat theme can be seen on Messenger, and additional camera stickers are slated to be released later this month from London-based creator Wednesday Holmes. While these new Pride-themed avatars and stickers were (and will be) introduced just this month, they’ll be available year-round.

In partnership with Broadway’s Tony Award–nominated and Pulitzer Prize–winning musical A Strange Loop, Instagram is introducing a new augmented-reality effect called “Show Your Skills,” which guides users through the audition process. The effect can be used in Reels, Stories, and feed posts.

Meta also published the Global LGBTQ+ Cultural Guide as a resource for business owners to learn how to support the community.

Also for business owners, Instagram’s business blog shared tips on how to prepare your Instagram Shop for Pride, featuring Latina-owned apparel and lifestyle brand JZD.

Twitter’s business blog offers tips on how to engage with customers during Pride Month, citing the importance of brands showing up during this month, but only in an authentic way—this is not merely a box to be checked.

“It’s all about sincerity. People in our community are smart and will be the first to call you out if something is insincere or just pandering,” said Sal Mattos, customer success partner and social chair for Twitter Open, on its website. “Twitter is all about words, but being true allies is all about actions. So don’t think about ‘how do we advertise during Pride?’ Instead take a holistic approach and ask, ‘Is our company supporting the LGBTQIA+ community year-round, and, if so, what is the work that we need to do to show that?’ ” For Twitter’s full list of tips, visit its business blog.

Finally, Pinterest has created a campaign for Pride: “We Belong Here.” Throughout the month of June, creators from the United States, France, Germany, and other countries will be featured across PinTV, Creator Originals, Shopping Spotlight, and other facets of Pinterest to share how they celebrate Pride, how they advocate for issues within the community, and how they cultivate a sense of belonging. Pinners are encouraged to follow along and also visit Pinterest’s Pride landing page, which will lead them to Pride-focused boards and articles celebrating belonging. More details can be found here.

Photo: Getty Images

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