Something Gay: Ben and Jerry’s Based

Do you feel utterly hopeless in the face of a world tearing itself limb from limb? Overwhelmed by the constant escalation of every single fucking thing? If the Prozac isn’t cutting it right now, this is your medicated column of one happy thing a week: one piece of positive news to remind us that there is hope and that our efforts are not in vain, despite the worsening odds.

This week's gay news is Ben and Jerry’s “Razz Up!” campaign for the 2026 midterms. Collaborating with the American Civil Liberties Union and Black Voters Matter, Ben and Jerry’s has released their new black raspberry ice cream flavor with a message reminding us of our role in democracy. On Instagram especially, the company regularly posts resources such as mail-in voting information and how to find your designated polling place. Ben and Jerry’s has a long history of activism and have fought to keep doing it against corporate clampdowns. In 2024, they sued their parent company, Unilever, in federal court over censorship of queer and civil rights, among other issues. Ben and Jerry’s ultimately lost a lot more than they won in court, and now, after budget cuts and office evictions by the parent company Magnum Ice Cream, Ben and Jerry’s eponymous social justice foundation founded in 1985 plans to shut down by December. Ongoing litigation for restoration of funding is expected to spill into next year. Recently, Magnum Ice Cream has taken the stance that their staff are not Ben and Jerry’s employees and are therefore not bound by their policies despite using Ben and Jerry’s offices and resources. Co-founder Ben Cohen is active in his efforts to buy back the brand with a “Free Ben and Jerry’s” public campaign. All this hasn’t slowed their push for change as the “Razz Up!” campaign continues to advocate for the right to vote for your representatives in government in response to the Voting Rights Act getting torn apart this April, which is articulated among their values on their website. 

But why is this brand more hope-inspiring than any other recent woke marketing campaign? It’s their relentless passion for a cause they truly believe in. Their progressive message goes beyond their marketing, although they are tied. They don’t take down the pride flags on July 1. Ben and Jerry’s is dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices and just so happens to also make really good ice cream. Rather than falling in line towards the path of least resistance and most financial gain, Ben and Jerry’s sets the trend. They don’t push a narrative, but instead empower the people as individuals to collectively build a community we want to live in, one in which all of our voices are valued equally. 

In a world where your right to exist is up for debate, happiness is an audacious act of defiance. I hope that this column will inspire some audacity in you: the audacity to stand up for each other, the audacity to give up your complacency in search of humanity, and the absolute gall to be loud about it. Be brazen, be a bitch, and be as human as you can.