Love is love. Love is natural. Love is love is natural. Some statements shouldn’t need any further explanation. But we want to be very clear…
During this Pride Month, we’ve been given the opportunity to participate in several Pride events, which we were very excited about.
Just quickly, for those who don’t know what Pride and Pride Month are all about:
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as “Gay Pride Day,” but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the “day” soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world.
Library of Congress
As a brand that is focused not just on the outdoors, but specifically on being HAPPIER by having fun outdoors, by being curious, open-minded, kind, and grateful, and by “being in the moment” – the movement that is focused on all people being able to enjoy and express their love and joy is very close to our hearts.
Organizers encouraged us to have Pride-specific products. At first, we were a bit concerned it might seem gratuitous, like some of those big brands that just momentarily jump on the Pride bandwagon.
Of course, we believe in equal rights, the importance of educating people about LGBTQ+ and also in celebrating diversity. There are gay and transgender people among our Happier Ambassadors.
Then two things happened almost simultaneously:
- A friend pointed out that it’s not gratuitous but important to show “visibility of acceptance”
- A sudden epiphany connected the beautiful phrase “Love is Love” with what is at the core of Happier Place: the natural world. (… and of course, also happier-ness and being open-minded and joy and, naturally, love)
Thus, Love is Love is Natural was born.
Love is love –
no matter who does the loving or who the object of the love is.
Love is Natural –
because it’s not something that is chosen but something that our bodies, minds, and souls feel – just as humans have experienced it through all time, even when they couldn’t express their love publicly.
We decided to put this phrase on our classic stickers, greeting cards and postcards – but with the rainbow colors as a backdrop.
The rainbow flag, by the way, was created as a symbol for Gay Pride by artist Gilbert Baker in 1978. He decided on the flag as a symbol because “showing one’s flag” is a statement of visibility, which is at the core of the Gay Pride Movement. He is known to have said that the rainbow seemed to be the flag in the sky. The different colors stand for diversity in general – but Baker gave each color a specific meaning as well. The colors have changed since his design, some taken away, others added. For our version, we replaced the traditional blue with the dark blue from our logo.
As we decided to create cards and stickers for this new slogan, we realized that another one of our core phrases “Be brave. Be kind. Be happier.” also deserved that treatment. After all, that phrase relates strongly with its reminder that if we are kind, brave, open-minded, curious, and considered… we will be happier and make others happier and live in a happier place.
That phrase, also gives a nod to the fact that “Pride” and “Coming Out” aren’t just about being gay or love or sex anymore – it’s also become about gender identity in itself – about being trans, gender-fluid, non-binary and, of course, questioning.
In addition, we also have created some St. Pete Pride specific cards and stickers. Collectors items…
