With pride month sweeping the American nation, companies are putting rainbows everywhere to show their support for the LGBTQ community. The rainbow has long been a symbol of this specific community, showcasing the diversity and unity of all people that identify themselves within this community.
To show their support, people are wearing rainbow clothing, buying products from places that support LGBTQ rights and speaking out about changes that need to happen within society to accept love in every shape and form. Even Facebook has hopped onto the pride month train, allowing users to “like” posts with rainbow flags and circles.
But, one company has been under fire for their choice in LGBTQ support.
Skittles – which are usually rainbow to begin with – has decided to switch up their bags for pride month. Instead of their usual rainbow candies, the company went “all white,” saying that they have given up their rainbow to support the one rainbow that matters – the LGBTQ community’s rainbow.
Pure white, LGBT Pride-supporting Skittles.
They are indeed all white in the pack!#ThumbsUp pic.twitter.com/Z18cmAhjZ3
— Duke of Croydon (@minothebull) May 28, 2017
While the message does seem genuine and they are trying to make a statement – people on the Internet are not entirely happy with their choice. Some are saying that the branding is racist – symbolizing white privilege – while others are saying giving up the flag is showing the opposite of support.
Also do white Skittles feel a little racist to anyone?
— Esther R (@polyeaster) June 14, 2017
https://twitter.com/Jaysgba/status/867496210810249217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Felitedaily.com%2Fsocial-news%2Fwhite-skittles-pride-month-twitter-super-pissed%2F1992754%2F
using the LGBT committee as a cover to practice racism in plain sight.. why couldn't it have been white AND black skittles? ? https://t.co/vK6dcH4JUS
— /Oh•Kńee/ (@onlyonyiii) March 31, 2017
@Skittles yall better start making black an white skittles for pride or people are gonna keep thinking you're company is racist
— trigger fest (@DreadHeadMcgee) May 4, 2017
But other people online disagree and think people are being hella sensitive.
Anyone complaining that the white #skittles for pride month is racist must think every piece of BLANK white paper is racist too. Dumb shits.
— jilliannnnn (@OMFGitsjillie) June 14, 2017
Can't believe people are actually trying to say that the white Skittles for Pride Month are racist/white supremacist
— ╮༼;´༎ຶ ༎ຶ༽╭ (@hellokitsune_) June 14, 2017
if ur upset over white skittles why are u online
— Daichi ♕ (@ftmkuroo) June 15, 2017
Throwing a fit over the Skittles limited edition packaging..?? white is a reflection of ALL colors…or did you not pass 5th grade science??
— Whitney Curley (@curley_w) June 15, 2017
That's the whole point of the white skittles, all the colors of the rainbow belong to pride therefore there is no color on the skittles.
— Bran Flakes (@Brandingo84) June 15, 2017
So, what do you think? Racist or nah?