Pegasus Pride (above) is a local online retailer that draws inspiration from right here down to its name. As a business, it is rooted in the LGBTQ community, emphasizing inclusivity as a cornerstone of its model. The Pegasus Pride website is designed to facilitate a unique shopping experience, enabling customers to explore and purchase products based on their individual identity, gender expression or orientation. All of the company’s offerings are designed in-house. Pegasus leverages the services of a trusted third-party for direct customer delivery. In addition to the retail operation, Pegasus Pride annually selects a deserving LGBTQ-affirming charity to receive a percentage of its profits. In 2023, the company is supporting the ACLU Drag Defense Fund, a response to the challenges faced by the drag community due to discriminatory legislation across the United States, co-owner Mark Farmer said. Pride Plaid Bomber Jackets ($70) have been a popular debut on the Dallas-based website. The popularity of plaid patterns in fashion is evident incorporating trends with colors that symbolize the community. These jackets are available in a variety of identities for a totally inclusive gift option. PegasusPride.co.
Find anything from art glass to stemware and all things collectable, all at unbeatable prices, at Out of the Closet, a thrift store supporting AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Support the community and take home a treasure. 3920 Cedar Springs Road. OutOfTheCloset.org.
Usefull checks a lot of boxes as bisexual, female-owned small business based in Dallas. Adriana Kao has always made it a point to support the LGBTQ community openly and strive to create a safe space for their community. Through their company, Kao sells sustainable products like wool dryer balls ($6), natural lip scrub by Poppy & Pout ($14.95), Swedish dishcloths ($6.65) and the Everything Stick which is made for every part of your body that needs some extra love and attention ($36). Kao has built a healthy customer base of the LGBTQ community and they are proud to serve the community as well as all people looking to live in better harmony with the earth. Usefull’s mission is to protect our planet, reduce plastic pollution and foster sustainable consumption. Shop the site and learn more at Usefullco.com.
Owner Shell Lee says Queer Vegan Aunt is “a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ and vegan communities,” and that as a queer Asian American, she makes “designs inspired by the communities I’m a part of.” Queer Vegan Aunt offers a range of handcrafted vegan body care products, including lotion bars, balms, lip gloss, aromatherapy roll-ons, smudge spray and more, along with LGBTQ Pride stickers and crocheted Christmas trees in the colors of Pride. Giving a gift from your Queer Vegan Aunt also gives back to the community since Lee is committed to supporting causes close to their heart. For example, for every Pride lotion bar purchased, 10 percent of the proceeds are donated to Resource Center. Give — and give — this holiday. QueerVeganAunt.square.site.
Kristina McKean started The Elephant Project after seeing abused elephants in Thailand and wanting to do something to help. So she created stuffed plushie elephant dolls (starting at $39) with 100 percent of net proceeds going to agencies that care for orphaned, abused and injured elephants, including The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya, and The Elephant Nature Park in Thailand. Give a child — or an adult — a doll they’ll love, and give an elephant the gift of a better life. TheElephantProject.com.
Looking for gifts with “quirk and charm”? Kayla Griffin with Tiana Jane Designs has just what you need — from t-shirts ($25) and sweatshirts ($35), to bookmarks ($5), totes ($8) and even customized Christmas socks ($22). Get cool gifts AND support a local, Black lesbian-owned business all at the same time.
Give the gift of year-round entertainment with an Uptown Players season subscription (starting at $135 for four shows) or gift cards for individual shows (starting at $30). Call the Uptown Players box office at 214-219-2718 for details. UptownPlayers.org.
Help the LGBTQ community by helping LGBTQ business owners. When you do your holiday shopping, try shopping at Queerful, an online social purpose startup with “a mission to support, connect, and inspire the LGBTQ community by providing a platform for curated products from LGBTQ-owned small businesses, with a portion of sales going to vital community resources. Check it out and choose from brands such as Equator Coffee, Poured Candle Bar, Equality Vines, Omsom Asian noodles and sauces, Kafto clothing, Barb hair products and more.
One of the most recognized butterflies around is the Monarch Butterfly. But this gorgeous creature is now endangered and nearing extinction. What can you do? Help feed them, of course. For the nature lover in your life, this holiday consider gifting some environmental goodwill in the form of either a donation in their name to the Save Our Monarchs Foundation or seeds that will help them create a Monarch-friendly environment in their own yards. The foundation offers seeds in bulk, starting at $50 for half an ounce of Milkweed seeds (1,500 seeds) and $25 for an ounce of the Pollinator Mix containing 17 wildflower, 10 annuals for first-year color and seven perennials for second and successive years’ bloom. SaveOurMonarchs.org.
