Dozens of big companies from Delta and Coca-Cola to Walmart are sponsoring LGBTQ+ Pride events and displaying racks of Pride-themed merchandise. But this year, the rainbow has lost some shine. Longtime Pride sponsors like Bud Light and Target have come under attack by conservatives for their LGBTQ-friendly marketing. Calls to boycott Kohl’s, Lego and Southwest Airlines for their LGBTQ-friendly marketing have also popped up in recent days. Nonetheless, many big companies are still backing Pride celebrations. Some say they want to support their LGBTQ+ employees. They also don't want to turn their back on a population with significant spending power.
  • Hirom@beehaw.org
    7·
    1 year ago

    This is sad, but it may reveal which company support pride for marketing purpose only.

    • balerion@beehaw.org
      12·
      1 year ago

      Let’s be honest here: All of them. The ones who continue to support pride have simply calculated that it’s not a big enough risk to their profits to take the PR hit.

      • alyaza [they/she]@beehaw.orgMEnglish
        4·
        1 year ago

        The ones who continue to support pride have simply calculated that it’s not a big enough risk to their profits to take the PR hit.

        of course, i’d rather they feel a need to cater to queer people in literally any way then not (at least right now). it’s not a great time for them to be clamming up about how much they respect and love the diversity of the queer community, to put it mildly!

    • sydneybrokeit@beehaw.org
      6·
      1 year ago

      Even if it’s only for marketing, that’s a good sign, though. If we’re worth marketing to, that means they have calculated that supporting us brings in more than they stand to lose from it.

  • lori@kbin.social
    5·
    1 year ago

    I’ve been keeping an eye on which large retail chains in my town have pride displays and don’t (particularly if they did last year). Meijer still had theirs at about the same size as before, which isn’t that big but at least it hasn’t changed. It was farther in the back of the store, but it was also right in front of the toy aisle, so if right wing pressure was the issue then I doubt that’d be the choice they made. Dick’s Sporting Goods had nothing and last year they had their stuff in the center aisle. Granted, this was on June 1st, it’s possible they didn’t have it out yet…but I am not holding my breath.

  • argv_minus_one@beehaw.org
    5·
    1 year ago

    They also don’t want to turn their back on a population with significant spending power.

    That’s the real reason. Bible thumpers are a loud minority, and acquiescing to their extreme demands would alienate everyone else.

    • Towerism@beehaw.org
      3·
      1 year ago

      I think a large portion of right-wing “followers” are not very well educated, while a lot of left-wing supporters are quite educated. It follows that left-wing supporters probably have better paying jobs and thus more money to spend.