This Pride month, Amnesty International UK is calling time on performative allyship and asking what it really means to be an LGBTQ+ ally.

A new campaign created in partnership with Shape History has seen the organisation launch a new rainbow bracelet. However, this bracelet is more than a symbol of visibility, it is a mark of commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ and human rights worldwide.

Unlike brands that ride the Pride wave with rainbow merchandise, the campaign shifts the lens to focus on the reality of allyship. Bracelets are sent to those who donate to Amnesty International UK’s campaign as a ‘badge of allyship’.
An out-of-home campaign features images of people wearing the bracelets matched with copy that reads: ‘Show the world what you stand for’. The ad features a QR code that takes audiences to a page where they can donate and get their own bracelet.  

"We want to move beyond empty gestures and rainbow-washing. True allyship means taking action, speaking out and supporting the fight for equality, not just during Pride, but always. By donating to Amnesty, supporters are directly funding vital human rights work,” explains Chiara Capraro, Gender Justice Programme Director at Amnesty International.

The campaign will run throughout June and beyond with personal storytelling and striking visuals that draw a line between performative gestures and meaningful solidarity.

As part of the campaign a series of video interviews highlights the realities of allyship from challenging injustice to donating in support of ongoing human rights work.

Zoë Dawson, Associate Creative Director at Shape History, said: “The reality is that LGBTQ+ rights are rolling back, and hate is louder than ever—so allies need to be louder too. This campaign is about celebrating the daily acts that make up true allyship: how real people show up, speak out, and stand beside the queer individuals in their lives. Pride has always been a protest, not a performance, and there’s no one better to remind the world of that than Amnesty International UK.”

Moving from awareness to action, the campaign underlines the importance of true allyship this Pride month and beyond.