LGBTQ+ representation in cannabis in 2022

The LGBTQ+ and cannabis communities are inextricably linked thanks to the HIV/AIDS activists who worked to pass Proposition 215, the 1996 law that legalized medicinal cannabis in California. As we enter Pride season, you’ll likely see some brands “washing the rainbow” or holding a colorful but performative show of solidarity that often doesn’t directly benefit the LGBTQ+ community at all.

The cannabis industry, once considered an exclusive boys’ club, continues to evolve into a more diverse and inclusive space, but there is still work to be done. To celebrate Pride, Weedmaps sat down with LGBTQ+ cannabis experts to have the difficult but necessary conversations about their experiences in the industry.

This discussion on cannabis, equality and how we can all contribute to a more inclusive industry features three professionals who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community:

WM: Do you feel like your identities as an LGBTQ+ person and as a cannabis professional are intertwined?

Eizen: Absolutely. I think it’s so important to be downright queer in all of my art and work. In this way, it honors the history the LGBTQIA+ community has had with cannabis. It’s the lens through which I experience my life and it plays a role in the art and message I bring to this space.

Thomas: Absolutely. Living in a pandemic, it’s hard not to think about the AIDS pandemic. During the crisis of the 1980s, cannabis, although still heavily criminalized, was one of the few palliative medicines available to HIV patients.

As a gay black man and knowing how my community is affected by HIV and has been affected by COVID, I know this plant is truly a medicinal plant. It helps people with their mental health as well as their internal health through our endocannabinoid system. So, as a member of the LGBT community and classified as Black and African American, I feel like I’ve been connected to the plant for centuries.

vitals: I’m a longtime user and cannabis patient – and I’m queer too. These traits give me a deeper perspective on the potential for cannabis legalization and a positive attitude towards enjoyment that helps me better educate these issues to the media and their readers. There are practical, real, and personal reasons to bring these concepts out of marginal culture and into the mainstream.

What challenges have you faced in your professional life as a member of the LGBTQ+ community?

Thomas: I remember when I started DJing and I really started doing my rounds on the club circuit and starting to make a name for myself in New York. My manager at the time told me to tone down the “gay stuff”. In that moment, I knew I wasn’t really accepted or welcomed.

Now I had to take care of my identity in certain spaces that weren’t as expansive as they are today. Progress has definitely been made in this regard. But growing up in nightlife and entertainment was an inner and outer journey, and cannabis has been a huge healing thing for me.

vitals: My position in leading PR campaigns puts me in a proud position to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community at CEOs and industry leaders, but being the lonely queer in the room can be exhausting.

How do you think the cannabis industry has changed over the years?

Eizen: I’ve been working with cannabis in California since the medical days, starting as a budtender and quickly found any excuse to take photos in the grow room. As cannabis became more adult use, I noticed that the bigger brands’ marketing didn’t speak to the incredibly diverse collective culture of cannabis users. I was tired of seeing images that were only intended for straight male consumers, so I decided to create the content I wanted to see.

I want to bring art back to cannabis like so many greats have done in the past. I’m fighting for the creative soul of this industry. And I will use every platform I have to uplift others and make this space more inclusive and accessible to all.

vitals: We still have a long way to go, but I can see that marginalized people are now being taken more seriously. As a queer woman, I often felt uncomfortable at industry conferences; But now I’ve found my community of LGBTQIA+ and Boss Babe thought leaders. I no longer feel like there’s a boys’ club vibe at these events. Instead I always find a [smoke] Circle of Empowered and Empowering Powerhouses.

What are the most effective ways for cannabis users to support the LGBTQ+ community?

Eizen: Obviously, buying queer-owned brands is important. So is support for important social causes like criminal justice and drug policy reform, but I think we will only see concrete support from the top down – long before it even reaches the consumer. The real work is for brands to put their money where their rainbow flag is, providing financial support to queer, transgender and BIPOC people year-round.

Thomas: Honestly, I think the best way to support the LGBT community is to look for queer and black-owned cannabis brands. We’re all in this together, so to speak, so we have to support each other in the diaspora. There is a generational income gap, especially for trans people, that we can really change as we see with the billions of dollars being made in this industry. It is important to be aware of the products you buy. I encourage more of cannabis culture to enter demonized LGBT culture.

vitals: If you are in a state where trans or reproductive rights are currently at stake, write to your legislators and elected leaders who believe access to abortion and gender-affirming care is a human right.

How can we work together towards a more inclusive space for everyone in the industry?

Thomas: I think the best way to work towards a more inclusive space is to give the people in those spaces a voice. If you want information about the trans community, seek out a trans person and don’t fret about the response to your questions. But also know that these people should be compensated. I’m definitely ringing the bell that compensation is the best way to support.

vitals: We must continue to listen when someone who doesn’t look like us – or has a different background or lifestyle – comes forward to share their perspective. Instead of raising your hands defensively, recognize the emotional effort it took for them to voice their perspective, thank them for their insight, and think seriously and privately about what they are saying.