Corporations and major brands have been pulling back on LGBTQ Pride Month sponsorships this year, with many jettisoning the themed merchandise altogether.
A recent survey from Gravity Research polled more than 200 corporate executives and showed that 39 percent of companies plan to scale back on Pride Month celebrations this year, including sponsorship of Pride events, posting supportive messages on social media, and selling Pride-themed merchandise.
“Consumer brands are wary of provoking right-wing customers and activists, and they fear reprisals from President Donald Trump’s administration. Federal agencies have threatened to investigate companies with diversity, equity and inclusion programs,” noted CNN.
Luke Hartig, the president of Gravity Research, said the Trump administration and its supporters are “driving the change” behind the sudden shift in corporate sponsorship of Pride Month.
“Companies are under increasing pressure not to engage and speak out on issues,” said Hartig.
Eric Bloem, the vice president of corporate citizenship at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, decried the changing landscape, said companies “losing trust and credibility” with the LGBTQ community.
“Companies that show up only when it’s convenient, or backtrack the moment there’s political pressure, risk losing trust and credibility,” Bloem said.
Activists immediately noticed this week that the retail chain Target has dramatically rolled back its Pride Month merchandise marketing after the company faced significant backlash from conservative customers in recent years.
“The managerials running Target made a show of ditching its diversity and inclusion programs to please Donald Trump,” lamented Boing Boing.
“Unfortunately for the company, Target has a distinctive customer base at odds with those politics: foot traffic is down sharply in an ongoing boycott and the company’s share price has slumped by nearly a third. The outcome of its latest round of corporate marketing risk-calibration webinars? They’re still doing Pride Month, but so invisibly that it suggests a desire not to be seen,” it added.
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