Current Events > Corporate support for Pride Month drops 40%, compared to 9% last year.

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/04/corporations-are-scaling-back-pride-support-to-avoid-right-wing-backlash/

Corporations are scaling back Pride support to avoid right-wing backlash

A new survey of Fortune 1000 companies reveals that corporations are dramatically scaling back their public expressions of support for the LGBTQ+ community. Its a trend LGBTQ+ organizations across the country have already reported in the lead-up to Pride celebrations this year.

Nearly two-fifths of corporations plan on reducing engagement for Pride Month this June, according to a survey of corporate executives by Gravity Research.

Among 49 Fortune 1000 executives surveyed, those who said they were scaling back financial and public support cited pressure from conservative activists and the president, whose executive orders have gutted diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and targeted the transgender community, Forbes reports.

Of those, nearly half said they would reduce public-facing support, including a visual presence and sponsorship of Pride celebrations, Pride-specific merchandise lines, social media branding, and partnering with influencers for Pride-themed sponsorships.

That number wouldve been unthinkable just five years ago, said Gravity Research president Luke Hartig.

The survey reveals just how dramatically the cultural and political tides have turned, he added.

Last year, just 9% of companies said they would change their Pride Month engagement plans.

About two-fifths of the companies said their support for Pride this year remains unchanged.

One unnamed corporate executive said their company would reduce Pride Month support on social media to minimize public visibility that could trigger attention. Another big brand leader said their company has reduced risk across all heritage month events by focusing internally and doing whats right for our people and not necessarily shouting to the world about it.

Business-to-consumer companies are more likely than business-to-business companies to prepare for Pride Month-related backlash, 71% to 53%. The response reveals a fear of increased public pressure and threat of consumer backlash, the research company said.

St. Louis Pride said Anheuser-Busch, a 30-year sponsor of their hometown citys Pride celebrations, withdrew all support this year following a boycott of the company over their association with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The companys sales of Bud Light dropped 26% amid the backlash.

The beer brewer dropped San Francisco Pride, as well, joining previous sponsors Comcast and alcoholic beverage company Diageo. The withdrawals add up to $200,000 in lost funding for one of the largest Pride celebrations in the country.

Houston Pride told Forbes that corporate support is down by as much as 75%, totaling $100,000 in lost funding.

Conversely, Twin Cities Pride cut ties and forfeited support from their own hometown sponsor, Target, after the retail giant scaled back their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Targets foot traffic has been down for 11 straight weeks following the decision, according to Retail Brew.

In recent years, right-wing media figures have said that they wish to make the LGBTQ+ community toxic to companies. Right-wingers have also led efforts to get companies to roll back their own DEI commitments.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Mr. Corporation was never your friend.

Boycott continues den

AKA Rainbow Capitalism is still CAPITALISM.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/722be957.jpg

Rainbow Capitalism is in almost every case purely preformative and never actually meant true support.

That said though? It's still vastly preferable to outright hostility and alienation.

No surprise. Companies had made it clear they don't want that money. At least not until the pendulum swings back.

No shit corporations are just after your money but why doesn't anyone ever feel the need to point that out when there's a white nuclear family in a commercial?

Enclave posted...

It's still vastly preferable to outright hostility and alienation.

This. Hollow rainbow capitalism feels like a pleasant dream compared to the horrible nightmare that's happening now.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/804c7974.jpg

they were never not obvious about this, and people still don't get it. disney morons are the worst case of it.

I think Target has had like 11 straight weeks of declining sales because of them bending the knee.

I will say this:

The overall corporations are untrustworthy, but the individual locations can be better or worse.

Like, Target is shit but my local Target has a decent management team and is very willing to support Pride events.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/7/79268ff2.jpg

^lol

well, it's not funny but it kinda is

Enclave posted...

Rainbow Capitalism is in almost every case purely preformative and never actually meant true support.

That said though? It's still vastly preferable to outright hostility and alienation.

This is the broader point that often seems to be missed - actions can be performative (or perceived as such) but the mass absence of them is worse

Enclave posted...

Rainbow Capitalism is in almost every case purely preformative and never actually meant true support.

That said though? It's still vastly preferable to outright hostility and alienation.

100% this. Everyone saying duh without acknowledging this piece is missing the entire point of just how grim reality is for LGBTQ+ individuals under Trump. They can barely even get performative BS like this now.

I really wonder how LGBTQ+ folks that voted for Trump feel now.

BearlyWilling posted...

100% this. Everyone saying duh without acknowledging this piece is missing the entire point of just how grim reality is for LGBTQ+ individuals under Trump. They can barely even get performative BS like this now.

I really wonder how LGBTQ+ folks that voted for Trump feel now.

I saw on Airrick Debunks YouTube community where he had pointed out that they had gotten really silent lately despite being quite argumentative with him prior to the election last year. Im guessing they regret their vote, but are too afraid to admit out loud that they were wrong after all.