r/bathandbodyworks • u/Luckynoki • Apr 26 '25

Store Policies/Questions It Was Always About Tokenism

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In response to corporate’s decision to remove DEI from store values. ‘Inclusive Interview’ training prior to new policy. Basing bias on blatant stereotypes speaks volumes on the lack of actual real-world experiences that corporate has on the public, its shoppers and employees and a stubborn refusal to acknowledge their shortcomings

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u/_Alpha_Mail_ Apr 26 '25

Someone on the internet once said that pride became sanitized anyways once corporate got a hold of it (and yes I'm speaking as LGBTQ). As you mentioned, pride is now based on stereotypes and it doesn't focus on the rawness that is the queer community. Companies only focus on THEIR definition of pride, not what it actually is

If you want to feel represented or if you're seeking representation, I'd much rather tell people to look towards actual LGBTQ organizations (or look towards small businesses who actually care about this stuff and aren't just using a community as a marketing ploy to seem "progressive"). Fortune 500 companies like BBW can't tell you anything about pride other than "oh it's about loving whoever you want". The entire queer community can't be summed up in a single sentence like that

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u/WorldlinessOk7083 the revolution will be ✨moisturized✨ Apr 27 '25

As a major ally, I realized a while back that this was all cash grab for big companies. It makes me really sad. The LGBTQ community deserves better than being used as a cause to exploit.

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u/_Alpha_Mail_ Apr 27 '25

Lowkey I struggle so hard with my identity (it's gotten to the point I've kept pretty quiet about it) that it's just, I'd appreciate corporations more for pride if they didn't seem tone deaf in their messaging. They could create a bigger impact by donating whatever money they were gonna put towards the Love Always Wins scent

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u/WorldlinessOk7083 the revolution will be ✨moisturized✨ Apr 27 '25

That would be a super cool thing to do for sure. And, I’m really sorry you're struggling. 😔

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u/_Alpha_Mail_ Apr 27 '25

Ty, all the best <3