Back in the era of Destiny's Child, a song like 'Independent Women' – a single story of women’s financial independence – was enough to make Beyoncé Knowles a feminist icon.

Fast forward to 2023, and Beyoncé’s Renaissance turned its focus to the Black Queer community. Working with gender fluid New Orleans drag artist Big Freedia, Black transgender DJ and producer Honey Dijon, and more, Queen Bey sought to highlight the often forgotten impact the Black Queer community has had on dance music and club culture.

Back in the 00s, some producer credits and fleeting cameos might have been sufficient. But to do justice to today’s standards of representation, Renaissance had to tell a story that was more specific, and more complex. Unlike ‘Independent Women’, there’s no singular, neat soundbite to this community’s story: the album blends together many messy, even contrasting visions of the Black Queer experience, without claiming to tidily ‘represent’ the wider LGBTQ+ community.

There’s no question that a mediascape that platforms diverse voices is crucial – and in many places, still radical. But in contexts where diverse voices have been normalised, people are paring back their faith in the power of representation alone.

Its limits ring true across pop culture and corporate culture alike. Lizzo brings body positive narratives to the big stage, but is accused of fat-shaming behind the scenes. Record-breaking audiences are watching the Women’s World Cup, but female footballers still aren’t treated with the respect of their male counterparts. Budweiser uses its brand heft to normalise all gender identities, yet trans activist Dylan Mulvaney has to brace against a wave of trolls (without the beer brand’s help, we might add).

With this tempered enthusiasm for representation, people – whether minorities, disempowered groups, or just users writ large – are taking a new approach to identity-building and self-expression. The preference is shifting from active representation to passive, as people seek to explore their identities without proudly putting them on display.

Communities are rewriting the rules of engagement with brands, seeking storytelling and partnerships that complicate representation, rather than simplify it. Brands, recognizing the wealth of originality within these communities, are increasingly making space for these messier stories to come through.