Here’s what the data shows heading into Pride Month: the brands that made a clear, year-round commitment to 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion have come out ahead in consumer trust, brand momentum, and loyalty. Not despite the noise of the past year. Because of how they responded to it.

That’s a powerful place to start a conversation about what it means for your brand to show up in June.

The Canadian Context Is Different and Worth Leading With

Much of the DEI backlash that made headlines in 2025 was driven by political dynamics south of the border. Canada’s story is more nuanced, and more encouraging.

According to Ipsos Canada’s 2025 Pride Report, Canadian support for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and visibility has increased over the past year, even as global attitudes declined overall. Canada ranked among the few nations surveyed across 26 countries where support trended upward. Nearly 8 in 10 Canadians support same-sex marriage, equal adoption rights, and protection from discrimination in employment and housing. Majorities approve of 2SLGBTQIA+ visibility in brands, in sports, and on screen, and those numbers sit above the global average, often by as much as 10 points.

This is the market Canadian brands are operating in. One where inclusion remains a mainstream value, and where consumers are watching to see who shows up with integrity.

That same signal comes through in Canadian consumer behaviour. Nielsen’s Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ consumer research found that 2SLGBTQIA+ consumers spend $3.7 billion in fast-moving consumer goods annually, representing 4.4% of Canada’s total FMCG purchases. And Numerator data found that 75% of Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ shoppers believe brands can make a real difference by showing their support, and 55% are more likely to purchase from brands that do.

The Global Picture: Consumers Got Louder While Some Brands Got Quiet

Globally, Mintel’s U.S. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Consumer Report found that consumer support for DEI efforts rose from 42% to 56% in a single year, a striking increase during a period when many brands pulled back. And DISQO’s 2025 LGBTQ+ Advertising & Brand Experience report found that 80% of 2SLGBTQIA+ respondents thought more positively of brands that celebrated Pride while 40% of general consumers now say 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion in advertising is simply a baseline expectation.

The brands that stayed consistent through 2025 saw it pay off. Morning Consult’s brand tracking data found that brands maintaining their DEI commitments saw purchasing consideration tick upward, while brands that rolled back their commitments saw brand momentum turn negative. Three times more consumers felt the companies that held firm were on the rise than on the decline.

There’s also a clear gap between audience size and ad investment worth noting, not as a warning, but as an opening. PQ Media’s U.S. LGBTQ+ Media Forecast 2026–2030 shows that 2SLGBTQIA+ media represented just 1.57% of U.S. advertising spend in 2025, despite buying power approaching $2 trillion. For brands willing to show up with intention this June, the competitive landscape is less crowded than it’s been in years.

What “Showing Up” Actually Requires

According to DISQO, 87% of 2SLGBTQIA+ consumers say genuine inclusion must come from the inside out, meaning queer people were actually part of making the work, not just approving it at the end. Nielsen data shows that 72% of 2SLGBTQIA+ consumers will stop purchasing from a brand they feel devalues their community. And Collage Group found that 73% of 2SLGBTQIA+ consumers are more likely to consider purchasing from a brand that actively supports diversity and inclusion, but 45% are actively reducing or stopping purchases from brands that have pulled back.

The audience is paying attention. They have receipts. And the data is clear: integrity is now the differentiator, not just visibility.

If you’re heading into June wanting to show up in a way that’s actually earned, the work starts before the campaign brief. At AndHumanity, that’s what we help brands build: the year-round foundation that makes external campaigns credible, inclusive, and worth celebrating.

Learn more about what we do and who we do it for on our services page.

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