.Still Here and Still Proud

Even in progressive strongholds like California, signs of a nationwide retreat from Pride visibility are surfacing. In early June, Target stores in the Bay Area noticeably reduced their Pride-themed displays compared to previous years, echoing a company-wide decision to limit merchandise placements after facing backlash in 2023, according to The Mercury News. A similar quieting is happening online; many national brands with a local footprint, including Levi’s and The North Face, opted for toned-down Pride messaging this year or skipped it altogether.

As corporations retreat from Pride, “rainbow capitalism” is fading, leaving queer-owned businesses and grassroots organizers to carry the visibility.

South Bay baker Rachel Turkal also isn’t backing down. At her pop-up bakery booth, a colorful sign advertising a rainbow-swirled Rice Krispy treat called “The Gay Agenda” draws both chuckles and raised eyebrows.

“It’s fruity and a bit salty,” Turkal says with a smile. “It lets people know we’re here, we’re queer, and there’s nothing you can do.’”

Turkal, owner of Browned Butter Babe Co., launched her San Jose-based cottage bakery in 2022 after rediscovering her love of baking during the pandemic. She first started selling publicly at the Lynbrook High School craft fair and now maintains a steady rotation of pop-ups through SJ Made, the Italian Family Festa at History Park, and custom orders—all while proudly flying Pride flags at her booth.

Originally from California but raised on the East Coast, Turkal said her journey from PTA bake sales to full-time business owner was gradual but organic.

 “When my son was in elementary school, I’d bring baked goods to parent meetings and people came just for that,” she said.

What sets her apart is not just the browned butter flavor profiles or playful marketing, it’s the unapologetically queer identity infused into the business. Turkal named her signature rainbow treat “The Gay Agenda” as a way to “acknowledge people for who they are.” Although it was meant to be a seasonal item, she kept it year-round due to its popularity and symbolism.

“It’s nice to see people come up to the booth and laugh because they feel seen,” she said. “Humor is a great icebreaker.”

Still, visibility comes with risks. Turkal recalls a tense encounter with an anti-LGBTQ+ group at a food festival and said some passersby refuse to approach her booth because of the Pride symbols. Aside from the occasional disinterested passerby or pushback from a few religious groups, Turkal says the response to her business has been overwhelmingly positive: something she credits to living in a region with a long-standing reputation for LGBTQ+ inclusion.

“Honestly, it’s scary,” she said. “I feel insulated and lucky to live here, but the way things have gone in mainstream culture is reminiscent of Nazi Germany. We see how the current administration is othering trans people, and it’s abhorrent.”

Despite this, Turkal finds encouragement in her connections through the Silicon Valley Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, which has helped generate orders and year-round catering partnerships. “You come for Pride Month, then you stay,” she said of corporate clients who discovered her through the chamber’s LGBTQ+ business directory.

For Turkal and her wife, who helps run the business, Browned Butter Babe is a vehicle for community, visibility, and joy.