In a society where people continue to struggle with accepting the LGBTQ+ community, one CEO has taken a bold step. David Bronner, the CEO of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, a popular brand known for its organic soap products, recently announced that they identify as genderqueer. Bronner’s coming out marked an important statement for non-binary and trans leadership in large corporations.
Bronner has been a trailblazer in their industry, with their announcement making them one of the highest-profile US executives to embrace he/they pronouns. In a blog post shared on the company’s website to mark National Coming Out Day last October, Bronner shared their gender identity journey, reflecting on their hope that sharing their story would help create a “more accepting and loving reality.”
The businessman explained that they were in denial about their femininity until a “dramatic LSD and MDMA-induced initiation into spirit world” in a gay club in Amsterdam in the mid-1990s. Bronner says that genderqueer and they/them pronouns were less understood at the time, making it hard for them to find an appropriate label for themself as a person who identified as “relatively straight/masculine” and “wasn’t that attracted to male-identified folks.”
In the post, Bronner credited their gender-diverse family with helping them to embrace their identity, paying tribute to their “amazing non-binary 25-year-old kid, Maya” and their “glorious genderfluid bi wife, Mia.” The CEO’s announcement is significant, as it comes at a time when there is a shortage of queer figureheads in business.
David Bronner joins V Pappas, TikTok’s chief operating officer, who recently announced that they are non-binary. As a devout vegan, Bronner is committed to leading an environmentally and socially conscious company. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps is known for its quirky branding and organic soap products that often advertise multiple uses for both self-care and household cleaning tasks.
In a world where LGBTQ+ rights are under threat, Bronner’s announcement serves as a reminder of the power of representation in corporate America. By sharing their journey and embracing he/they pronouns, Bronner hopes to contribute in a small way to helping bring about a more accepting and loving reality. The hope is that, someday, we will recognize and celebrate the incredible beauty of all people, regardless of their gender identity.
