Corporate sponsorships plummet at LGBTQ+ Pride festivals nationwide, with millions lost due to fears of Trump administration targeting of DEI initiatives. Major companies like Mastercard, Citi, and Anheuser-Busch have withdrawn funding, impacting events in New York City, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and more. This decline follows President Trump's executive orders against DEI and "gender ideology," reversing a decade of increased corporate support for LGBTQ+ Pride
Major Corporate Sponsors Abandon NYC Pride, Losing $750,000 in Funding. Mastercard, Citi, Pepsi, Nissan, and PwC are among the nearly 25% of corporate donors pulling sponsorships, highlighting a nationwide trend impacting LGBTQ+ Pride events. This decline follows President Trump's executive orders targeting DEI initiatives
Corporate Sponsors Pull Back from WorldPride 2024: Deloitte and Booz Allen Hamilton's withdrawal cost Washington D.C.'s LGBTQ+ event nearly $260,000 in funding, reflecting a nationwide trend of declining corporate support for Pride festivals amid concerns over DEI initiatives
Anheuser-Busch, maker of Budweiser and Bud Light, cuts Pride sponsorship in San Francisco, Columbus, and St. Louis amid growing corporate retreat from LGBTQ+ events. This follows a broader trend of decreased corporate support for Pride festivals, fueled by concerns over potential backlash from the Trump administration's stance on DEI initiatives
Corporate sponsorships for LGBTQ+ Pride festivals plummet amid Trump administration threats against DEI initiatives. Major companies like Mastercard, Citi, Pepsi, and Anheuser-Busch have withdrawn funding, resulting in significant financial losses for events nationwide. This decline follows President Trump's executive orders targeting DEI and "gender ideology," creating a climate of fear among corporations previously supportive of LGBTQ+ rights and Pride celebrations. The impact is felt across the country, with NYC Pride and WorldPride experiencing substantial cuts in funding
Trump's Inaugural Executive Orders: A Chilling Effect on LGBTQ+ Pride and Corporate DEI Initiatives. On his first day, President Trump issued executive orders effectively banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and federal funding for "gender ideology," a term often used to target transgender rights. This action triggered a significant drop in corporate sponsorships for LGBTQ+ Pride events, with major companies like Mastercard, Citi, and Anheuser-Busch withdrawing support, highlighting the chilling effect of anti-DEI policies on corporate social responsibility
Corporate Pride Sponsorships Plummet Amidst Political Backlash: Following the 2015 Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, corporate support for Pride festivals surged. However, a recent wave of withdrawals from major sponsors like Mastercard, Citi, and Anheuser-Busch reveals a sharp decline, fueled by fears of political repercussions surrounding DEI initiatives. This shift, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost funding, highlights the complex relationship between corporate social responsibility and LGBTQ+ advocacy, prompting renewed debate about "rainbow capitalism" and the authenticity of corporate allyship
Rainbow Capitalism Backlash: Corporations Abandon LGBTQ+ Pride Sponsorships Amidst Political Backlash. Major companies like Anheuser-Busch, Mastercard, and Deloitte cut Pride event funding, highlighting hypocrisy of performative allyship and donations to anti-LGBTQ+ politicians. This shift follows Trump administration attacks on DEI initiatives, exposing the fragility of corporate LGBTQ+ support
Corporate sponsorship of LGBTQ+ Pride festivals faces backlash, with critics arguing that this "rainbow capitalism" clashes with the events' original activist spirit. The recent withdrawal of major sponsors like Mastercard, Citi, and Anheuser-Busch highlights growing concerns over potential political targeting and the authenticity of corporate DEI commitments
Corporate Pride sponsorships plummet amid political backlash. Major brands like Anheuser-Busch, Mastercard, and Deloitte cut funding for LGBTQ+ Pride events, citing concerns over the Trump administration's anti-DEI stance. This shift reflects a move away from the activism of earlier Pride celebrations, raising questions about the evolving nature of corporate social responsibility and LGBTQ+ allyship
The Stonewall Uprising of 1969, a pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history, sparked the first Pride parade in New York City in 1970. This landmark event, following days of protests against police brutality outside the Stonewall Inn, ignited the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and continues to inspire Pride celebrations worldwide
Corporate LGBTQ+ sponsorships plummet amid Trump administration's anti-DEI stance. Major companies like Mastercard, Citi, and Anheuser-Busch are pulling funding from Pride events, fearing backlash from the administration's attacks on LGBTQ+ rights and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This chilling effect on corporate social responsibility reveals a concerning trend of self-censorship in the face of political pressure
Major US corporations, including Google, Home Depot, Nissan, Adidas, and Clorox, abruptly withdrew financial backing from Pride Toronto, Canada's largest LGBTQ+ pride festival. This follows a nationwide trend of declining corporate sponsorship for Pride events, fueled by fears of backlash from the Trump administration's anti-DEI policies
Pride sponsorships plummet as major corporations withdraw support amid anti-LGBTQ+ political climate. Companies like Anheuser-Busch, Mastercard, and Deloitte cut funding for Pride events, citing fears of backlash from the Trump administration's anti-DEI policies. Pride Toronto's executive director decries this shift, stating, "These American companies are showing their true colors; we thought they were with the community, but clearly, they’re not
Corporate sponsors are abandoning LGBTQ+ Pride events, mirroring a broader retreat from public LGBTQ+ support. This decline, impacting major events like NYC Pride and WorldPride, follows a surge in anti-trans legislation across numerous states, restricting healthcare access, school participation, and public life for transgender individuals. The resulting loss of millions in corporate funding highlights the growing political risk associated with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives
In the past two years, right-wing social media influencers have targeted specific companies that have publicly supported LGBTQ+ communities. In 2023, conservatives pressured consumers to boycott Anheuser-Busch’s beer, Bud Light, after Dylan Mulvaney, a trans TikTok personality, appeared in a short video promoting the beer. Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Marsha Blackburn later called for a Senate investigation into the company’s partnership with Mulvaney, baselessly claiming that the company was marketing products to young audiences.
That same year, conservatives also boycotted Target’s line of Pride Month merchandise, and the company saw its first quarterly sales drop in six years. In the aftermath of the boycott, Target officials told investors that the company would have to “adapt and learn.”
Trump’s open hostility toward the trans community coupled with his efforts to reduce government spending and implement tariffs have made this year’s economic climate less than opportune for investors looking to support Pride events.
The downward trend has even trickled down to local pride events that have already struggled to garner financial support.
Last year, Stevie Miller helped start up the first pride event in West Plains, a deep red city in southern Missouri. With a shoestring budget, he and his co-organizers were able to host 900 people. Since then they have turned the festival into a nonprofit organization to support drag shows, educational panels and community events throughout the year.
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Miller said he tried to get in contact with various corporate sponsors without much luck, and said that the nonprofit is largely supported by LGBTQ+ organizations within Missouri and from funds raised through a drag and art show.
“There has been a level of difficulty due to hostility,” Miller said to HuffPost. “There is a small town mentality that would rather we left than proudly celebrate here so many local businesses have been silent.”
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