Japanese convenience store FamilyMart made headlines last summer with their new sock line featuring the brand’s signature colors of green-white-blue. The socks soon became an unlikely object of fixation for the foreign Twitter community, with numerous people happily sharing their Famima Socks purchases. This summer, they’re doing it again, but for a different reason, and with different colors. In support of the LGBT+ community, the popular Japanese convenience store chain has released its new FamilyMart rainbow socks!
FamilyMart Rainbow Socks
FamilyMart is one of Japan’s most popular convenience stores, selling more than just food. They sell basic clothes and other essentials as well! And as of last Tuesday, nearly 16,600 branches added Rainbow Line Socks to their lineup of wearables in support of the LGBTQ community. Rainbow Line Socks sell for 390 yen (about $3.15 USD). They will also donate a portion of the revenue to various LGBTQ advocacy groups.
In addition to their pride socks, FamilyMart has also added pride-themed foods to the lineup. On April 22, the brand re-released its trademark Famichiki fried chicken in the same rainbow packaging from 2021. The release of these items coincides with Tokyo’s Rainbow Pride festivities, which began earlier this month on Friday, April 22. [2][3]
FamilyMart and the LGBTQ+ Community
Over the past few years, FamilyMart has taken active efforts to deepen its understanding of and support of the LGBTQ community. This comes as just one of many recent achievements for the LGBTQ+ community in Japan, which go beyond commercialized brand outreach. Tokyo recently became the fifth of Japan’s administrative regions to recognize same-sex partnerships. A popular Japanese TV program even aired an interview with children of LGBT+ parents to help dispel some of the social stigma that many still, unfortunately, face.
Since 2019, FamilyMart has engaged in a variety of activities promoting a healthy work environment for the LGBT+ community, earning them the first-place Gold ranking in 2020’s Pride Index out of 233 participating companies. The Pride Index evaluates and ranks various workplaces according to their dedication to inclusivity and diversity. It is also an acronym for Policy, Representation, Inspiration, Development, and Engagement/Empowerment. The Pride Index was formulated in 2016 by the volunteer group, Work With Pride, which engages in various activities to promote inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community in the Japanese workplace. [4][5]
More Than Just Rainbow Socks
FamilyMart’s support efforts seemingly go beyond the selling of rainbow goods. The brand claims to practice what they preach by making conscious behind-the-scenes efforts by providing training for staff and management to uphold these values. [6]
The Diversity Promotion Committee, comprised of management staff and the company president, regularly conducts meetings and seminars to effectively train new and long-time staff in inclusivity and ‘diversity enhancement’. This approach aims to “rally the strength of all employees” and create an organization that is “psychologically safe for everyone and encourages ideas from a variety of individuals”. [7][8]
In a statement from FamilyMart, they expressed their desire to contribute to the creation of “a society where everyone can live an active life in their own way.” FamilyMart’s Human Rights Police (as of October 2020) also promotes workplace diversity for women, the disabled, the elderly, and minorities including non-Japanese residents. [9][10]
The Sock-Craze Returns
These rainbow socks come amidst a boom in branded goods using Pride iconography. Rainbow Pride 2022 itself featured and was funded by innumerable name brands bedecked in rainbow colors; as in other countries, this leads to the discussion of representation and support vs. calculated commercialization. The upswing in brand representation comes as Japanese brands realize the extent of the LGBT community in Japan; in 2018, advertising giant Dentsu estimated that “LGBT” described as much as 8.9% of the Japanese population. Companies perceive an important market, and are acting accordingly.
Nonetheless, seeing acknowledgment and support for a community that is often discounted or outright discriminated against in the public sphere can be heartening. And just like the FamilyMart branded socks of last year brought on excited social media single-item shopping sprees, so too did the rainbow socks announcement. Not only did the socks go viral online, but they could even be seen being worn at Rainbow Pride 2022 itself. The debate over the place of corporations in LGBT+ liberation efforts continues, but so too does the joy of wearing some comfy rainbow socks.
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Sources
[1] 全ての人が自分らしく活躍できる社会を応援レインボーカラーのラインソックスを4月19日（火）より発売 ～レインボーカラーのファミチキ袋も数量限定で登場～. FamilyMart
[2] ファミマ40周年「40のいいこと!?」の１つ『あなたのうれしい』「ファミチキ袋」がレインボーカラーに！プライドウィークに合わせて、4月24日（土）から数量限定にて展開. PR Times
[3] Tokyo Rainbow Pride Week 2022. Tokyo Rainbow Pride
[4] PRIDE指標とは. Work With Pride
[5] LGBTに関する取り組み指標「PRIDE指標2020」において最高評価の「ゴールド」を受賞. FamilyMart
[6] ダイバーシティ＆インクルージョン. FamilyMart
[7] 岡崎市内の店舗にLGBT電話相談案内カードを設置～ファミリーマートと岡崎市の包括連携協定に基づいた取り組み～. FamilyMart
[8] 「ファミリーマート人権方針」制定のお知らせ. FamilyMart
[9] 基本的な考え方・方針. FamilyMart
[10] FamilyMart Sustainability Report 2020. FamilyMart
