Every March 8th, we witness hundreds of companies turning their logos purple, stores filling their shelves with cheesy motivational messages, and brands offering strange promotions to “celebrate” women. This phenomenon is known as Purplewashing.
But what exactly is Purplewashing? It’s a concept that refers to superficial speeches, marketing strategies, political messages, or actions that aim to capitalize on March 8th but do little to advance gender equality or combat violence against women. It’s all about cleaning up the image rather than effecting real change.
Purplewashing is just one example of a broader trend of superficial messages about social causes. Other variants include Pinkwashing, Greenwashing, and Redwashing, each representing attempts to appear supportive of various social issues while failing to address the underlying problems.
One alarming example of Purplewashing occurred in Saudi Arabia when the government announced that women would finally be allowed to drive. However, behind the scenes, women activists who had campaigned for this right were still being imprisoned.
But it’s not just governments; businesses also engage in Purplewashing. From razor companies launching campaigns related to the #MeToo movement to cafes selling commemorative cups for their “#FieldMermaids,” examples abound. Even magazines promote empowerment while perpetuating unattainable beauty standards.
However, all these examples share a common theme: they focus on the surface of the 8M struggle, offering empty campaigns and messages that serve only to “cleanse” the sender’s image.
But can individuals engage in Purplewashing on March 8th? Some argue that the commercialization of the day, with its Instagram photo ops and superficial messages, detracts from the feminist movement’s true purpose.
Yet, others contend that there’s no right or wrong way to march and that even a few Instagram photos can’t diminish the political significance of the day. As they said, the celebration is also a form of protest.
In the end, while individuals may not be guilty of Purplewashing the 8M march itself, it’s possible for superficiality to dominate discussions during these days of protest.
