Beyond the Rainbow: Why LGBTQIA+ Representation in Greetings Cards Matters
Bare CardsA rainbow can be a beautiful symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride.
But LGBTQIA+ people are so much more than a rainbow.
They are sons and daughters, parents and grandparents, siblings, partners, friends, niblings and children. They have birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, engagements, Christmases and countless other moments worth celebrating.
And sometimes, what matters most isn't seeing a rainbow on a card.
It's seeing yourself.
Representation shouldn't stop at Pride Month
Every June, rainbows appear everywhere.
Shop windows fill with colourful displays. Brands change their logos. Social media feeds become a sea of rainbow flags.
And while visibility during Pride Month is important, LGBTQIA+ lives don't disappear when July arrives.
Neither do the birthdays, anniversaries, relationships, family milestones and everyday moments that deserve celebrating.
That's one of the reasons we created our LGBTQIA+ greetings card collection at Bare Cards.
We wanted to create cards that weren't simply "rainbow cards".
We wanted cards that could reflect real people, real relationships and real identities.
Because sometimes a rainbow says "I support you".
But sometimes the words on a card say:
"I see you."
And there is a difference.
Not every LGBTQIA+ person wants the same card
One of the things we've learned while developing our LGBTQIA+ range is just how different people's preferences can be.
Some people absolutely love bold Pride colours, flags and unapologetic statements of identity.
And why wouldn't they?
There is something wonderful about celebrating who you are loudly and proudly.
But other people prefer something much more subtle.
They might want a beautiful, traditional-looking greetings card that simply uses the right words.
For example:
Those words might seem like a small detail.
But if you've spent years struggling to find a card that actually describes your relationship, seeing those words on a card can feel surprisingly powerful.
We've seen this first-hand through our LGBTQIA+ range, where both colourful identity-led cards and more traditional inclusive designs have found their audiences.
There isn't one "LGBTQIA+ card".
Because there isn't one LGBTQIA+ experience.
Is it necessary to point out that someone is gay on their birthday?
Recently, we received some feedback from one of our retail customers about one of our LGBTQIA+ birthday cards.
The question was simple:
Why does it have rainbows on it? And why does it need to point out that someone is gay on their birthday?
It's a fair question.
And honestly, it's one we've thought about.
Because for some LGBTQIA+ people, having their sexuality or gender identity highlighted on a birthday card might feel unnecessary, uncomfortable or even offensive.
They might quite rightly think:
"I'm just celebrating my birthday. Why does my sexuality need to be part of it?"
And that's absolutely okay.
But here's the other side of the conversation.
For some queer people, their identity is something they are incredibly proud of. It's something they have fought to understand, accept or feel comfortable with. For some, being able to celebrate who they are openly is incredibly important.
And if that's how someone feels, why shouldn't they celebrate it on their birthday?
After all, a birthday is about celebrating the person.
If someone wants a rainbow birthday card because being LGBTQIA+ is an important part of who they are, we think they should be able to have one.
Neither person is wrong.
It's about choice, not assumptions
There are millions of birthday cards available that don't mention sexuality or gender identity at all.
And that's great.
If you want a traditional birthday card, there is an enormous amount of choice.
But what if you want a birthday card that celebrates being gay?
Or being transgender?
Or being non-binary?
Or simply celebrates your LGBTQIA+ identity alongside your birthday?
Why shouldn't that choice exist too?
Our LGBTQIA+ birthday cards aren't intended to suggest that every gay person wants a rainbow on their birthday.
They don't.
They're there because some people do.
And we don't think anyone should have to justify why they want to celebrate an important part of who they are.
That's the beauty of having a choice.
You can choose the card that feels right for you.
You can choose a traditional birthday card.
You can choose a funny card.
You can choose something romantic.
You can choose something with a rainbow.
You can choose something that specifically reflects your identity.
Or you can choose something completely unrelated to your sexuality or gender.
There is room for all of it.
And perhaps that's what inclusive greetings cards should really be about.
Not telling LGBTQIA+ people how they should represent themselves.
Giving them the choice to represent themselves however they want.
Sometimes it's the wording that makes someone feel seen
Imagine walking into a shop looking for an anniversary card for your son and his husband.
You find dozens of anniversary cards.
But they say: "To my wonderful daughter and son-in-law."
Or: "To my daughter and her husband."
Or simply: "To the happy couple."
None of those cards are necessarily offensive.
But none of them quite say what you want to say either.
You want to celebrate your son and his husband.
That's why specific representation matters.
It's the same reason we have created cards for transgender birthdays, non-binary siblings, niblings and other relationships that aren't always easy to find on the high street.
The words matter.
Not because every card needs to explain someone's identity.
But because sometimes the simplest acknowledgement can make a card feel like it was actually made for them.
LGBTQIA+ families deserve to see themselves too
Representation isn't only about sexuality or gender identity.
It's also about families.
Families don't all look the same.
There are two mums, two dads, blended families, adoptive families, chosen families, families with transgender parents, non-binary parents, same-sex couples and so many other beautiful combinations.
Yet traditional greetings cards can still make assumptions about what a family looks like.
That's something we want to challenge.
A greetings card is a tiny piece of paper, but the message behind it can be enormous:
You belong.
Your relationship matters.
Your family matters.
You deserve to be celebrated too.
And representation doesn't have to be serious
There's another misconception about LGBTQIA+ cards that we'd love to change.
Inclusive cards don't always need to be serious.
- They can be funny.
- They can be romantic.
- They can be colourful.
- They can be cheeky.
- They can be sentimental.
- They can simply say "Happy Birthday".
LGBTQIA+ people deserve the same range of greetings cards as everyone else.
Not every card needs to be about coming out, Pride, discrimination or identity.
Sometimes you just want to send your gay best friend a funny birthday card.
Sometimes you want to celebrate your partner's birthday.
Sometimes you want to congratulate your son and his husband on another year together.
Sometimes you want to send a card to your non-binary child simply because you love them.
Those ordinary moments matter too.
Why we decided to create LGBTQIA+ cards at Bare Cards
Our LGBTQIA+ collection grew from a conversation that became something much bigger.
A few years ago, I was talking with my daughter Lauren and her girlfriend about the lack of LGBTQIA+ greetings cards I was seeing.
The conversation was filmed and shared on TikTok.
It unexpectedly went viral.
That conversation made me realise just how many people were looking for cards that felt more personal and representative.
So we started creating them.
And we've learned a huge amount from the people who have bought them, shared them and spoken to us about what they want to see.
Some of the feedback that means the most is incredibly simple:
"I've never seen a card like this before."
"Finally, something that represents us."
"I love the Pride flag on the posting pages."
Those comments remind us that this isn't simply about selling greetings cards.
It's about creating something that perhaps someone has been looking for and couldn't find.
Representation is about choice
We don't believe every LGBTQIA+ person should want the same thing.
That's the whole point.
Representation should give people choice.
- Choice to celebrate with a rainbow.
- Choice to celebrate with a Pride flag.
- Choice to use a specific identity.
- Choice to celebrate a relationship.
- Choice to keep things subtle.
- Choice to be loud and proud.
- Choice to simply send a beautiful birthday card without making someone's identity the entire focus.
That's what genuine representation means to us.
Not putting everyone into one colourful box.
But creating enough choice that people can find something that feels right for them.
And that's why we'll keep creating
Our LGBTQIA+ collection continues to grow, but we know it isn't finished.
There will always be another relationship, identity, milestone or occasion that someone wishes they could find on a greetings card.
And we'd love to hear about it.
If you've ever searched for a card and thought:
"Why doesn't anyone make one for us?"
Tell us.
Your suggestions can help shape what we create next.
Because the greetings card industry should reflect the people buying the cards.
And those people are wonderfully diverse.
More than a card
At Bare Cards, we've always believed that a greetings card can be more than something that's opened, read and eventually thrown away.
Our patented self-sealing cards don't need a separate envelope, and our LGBTQIA+ collection gives us another opportunity to think differently about what a greetings card can be.
A card can celebrate an identity.
It can acknowledge a relationship.
It can mark a milestone.
It can make someone laugh.
It can make someone cry happy tears.
It can simply tell someone:
I'm proud of you.
I love you.
I'm celebrating you.
And sometimes, the most important thing a card can say is:
I see you.
Not just during Pride Month.
Not just when the rainbow flags are out.
But all year round.
Explore our LGBTQIA+ Greetings Cards
Whether you're looking for a transgender birthday card, a non-binary card, an LGBTQIA+ anniversary card, a Pride card, a card for a nibling or something to celebrate a same-sex relationship, our growing collection is designed to give you more choice.
Because everyone deserves a card that feels like it was made for them.
Be seen. Be celebrated. Be proud.
And remember: representation isn't just about seeing yourself in the world.
Sometimes, it's about seeing yourself on a greetings card.
