How can a message of inclusion bring such division? How can a message of love bring out such hate? These questions haunt us every June as Pride month approaches and we prepare to celebrate what should be a time of joy and acceptance.
At John's Crazy Socks, we are on a mission to spread happiness, and much of that mission is based on inclusion. We want to champion the possibilities in each of us and in everyone we meet. It's only natural that we carry an array of Pride-themed socks. As John would say, they are colorful, creative, fun, and "let me be me."
The reality hits us every June when hostile messages arrive. Like this Facebook response to one of our posts:
Unfortunately, I will no longer buy your product. #GetWokeGoBroke
We receive emails that literally condemn us to hell for selling Pride socks and express hopes that we go out of business.
How can selling socks unleash such venom?
Why We Don't Just Stop
Why not simply stop selling Pride items to avoid losing customers? The honest answer is that Pride socks aren't even among our best-sellers, though we'd love them to be. We don't want to alienate customers, no business does.
But offering Pride socks represents one crucial facet of our commitment to inclusion. It's only natural for us to celebrate Pride month. If it costs us customers and revenue, then that's the price we'll pay to live up to our mission. We have to be true to our values, and your values don't count until you're willing to spend money to live them.
A Commitment to Inclusion
We promote inclusion starting with people with differing abilities, people like John, who has Down syndrome. But our commitment extends to everyone. We take people as they are: every race, creed, gender, and sexual identity. This philosophy affects our hiring practices, our products, and our marketing.
We want our workplace to be an environment where people can be their true selves. Who we are makes itself manifest in all we do.
We follow John's lead, and he has his arms open to everyone he meets with a smile for all. He would never turn away simply because someone is different.
Here's a personal example that reflects how we approach our business. We have close friends who gave birth to a son named Jackson. Jackson's sexual identity is fluid and now goes by the name June. John doesn't fully understand the complexities, but he's always happy to see June, ready with a welcome hug and an invitation to sit down to dinner. June is June, and that's all that matters to John.
Inclusion Means Unity, Not Exclusion
To embrace inclusion is to seek unity. We all have more in common than what separates us. We created Unity Socks and sent a pair to every member of Congress, encouraging people of all political stripes to talk to one another. Ours is a big tent and all are welcome.
Our commitment manifests itself in our products. We offer more choices than any other sock store (John will tell you we're the world's largest sock store). Why so many options? Because we support your individuality. We want you to find the pair of socks that are right for you.
Moving Forward
We don't enjoy the hate mail, who would? We don't want customers to stop buying from us. But we will continue to sell Pride socks and celebrate inclusion at every turn.
Because at the end of the day, our mission isn't just about selling socks. It's about spreading happiness, championing possibilities, and creating a world where everyone can "be me." That's a mission worth standing behind, no matter the cost.
