Business of Pride 2025
I remember a time, late in the last decade, when tech companies saw the San Francisco Pride march as one more field of competition. Who could field the largest contingent? The loudest T-shirts? The biggest and most outrageous floats? And, crucially, the most eye-roll-inducing queer-dad-joke names for their employee resource groups?
Those seem like such innocent times in retrospect. Companies haven't just pulled their floats and their funding for Pride, they've retreated on decades of progress in policies that recognize hateful speech for what it is. If we were to award a prize for Corporate Shame, it might go to Meta, which shamelessly included the anti-LGBTQ dog-whistle term "transgenderism" in its revised, anything-goes policy that allows users of its social-media apps to claim — falsely and against medical science — that homosexuality is a mental illness.
For me, this change is a reminder that Pride is not only a celebration, it is also a protest. There is more to protest against now, as revisionist policies sweep away hard-won recognition and protections for some of the most vulnerable parts of the LGBTQ community.
As a member of that community but also a journalist, I have to look at the world as it is, not as I might wish it to be. Our 11th annual Business of Pride issue reflects some of those hard realities: the heart of gay San Francisco wrestling with its identity as a neighborhood and the nonprofit behind the Pride march and celebration hustling to make the numbers work.
But we also found much to celebrate. Lyft, our Corporate Pride winner, stands out for standing fast to its principles. Niko Storment has built a career as an event producer by embracing queer joy. Thomas Forbes bought a candy shop in North Beach and plans to, in his words, "gay it up."
And the life story of Andy Cramer, our Legacy Leader honoree, highlights how so many LGBTQ people have found the freedom to be themselves, to make a living and to find a calling in the Bay Area.
I'd like to thank Simon Campbell, special projects editor; photographer Adam Pardee; Ari Mahrer, data reporter; and staff reporter Alex Barreira for their hard work on this special issue. Their effort fills me with even more pride.
It is my honor as a gay man to bring you our annual Business of Pride issue. Whatever Pride means to you, I hope you find it in this season. And I hope you find reasons to celebrate, even in the midst of struggle. It's how our community has always gotten through tough times.
— Owen Thomas, Managing Editor
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
38 minutes ago
- Business Insider
Who will be Trump's new Silicon Valley bestie?
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta Platforms founder and CEO Zuckerberg was something of a MAGA stan earlier this year. Meta, his company, dropped $1 million on Trump's inauguration, and Zuck even co-hosted a black-tie soirée that night to honor the second-time president. Now, with Meta in the throes of a federal antitrust lawsuit, Zuckerberg may not be on Trump's good side. But the Meta CEO could be playing the long game here: He snapped up a $23 million, 15,000 square-foot DC mega mansion, establishing more of a presence in the capital. Zuck has also been on a bit of a rebrand journey, from a hoodie-wearing founder to a gold chain-wearing CEO with unapologetic swagger. Part of this transformation has included podcast appearances, like an episode with Trump-endorsing Joe Rogan in which Zuck talked about his "masculine energy" and his proclivity for bowhunting. Sam Altman, OpenAI cofounder and CEO Altman has also been circling the throne. First came Stargate: the $100 billion AI infrastructure plan between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, announced the day after Trump's inauguration. Then, in May, the OpenAI CEO joined Trump on a trip to Saudi Arabia while Altman was working on a massive deal to build one of the world's largest AI data centers in Abu Dhabi. This reportedly rattled Musk enough to tag along at the last minute, according to the Wall Street Journal. OpenAI was ultimately selected for the deal, which Musk allegedly attempted to derail, the Wall Street Journal reported. Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and executive chairman, Washington Post owner, and Blue Origin founder Back in 2015, Bezos wanted to launch Trump into orbit after the at-the-time presidential candidate fired shots at Bezos on what was Twitter, now X, calling the Washington Post, which Bezos owns, a "tax shelter," Bezos responded that he'd use Blue Origin, a space company Bezos founded, to "#sendDonaldtospace." Times have certainly changed. In January, Bezos said he is "very optimistic" about the administration's space agenda. Behind the scenes, he has reportedly given Trump political advice, allegedly as early as the summer of 2024, according to Axios. There was a brief flare-up in April, though, after Amazon reportedly considered listing Trump's tariffs next to products' prices on the site, according to Punchbowl News. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the plan a "hostile and political action." The idea, which was never implemented, was scrapped, and an Amazon spokesperson insisted it was only ever meant for its low-cost Haul store. If Trump does cancel Musk's SpaceX government contracts as he threatened to do, Bezos' Blue Origin, and rival to SpaceX, could stand to benefit. Blue Origin already has a $3 billion contract with NASA. Jensen Huang, Nvidia cofounder and CEO While Huang was notably missing from Trump's second inauguration in January, he did attend the Middle East trip in May. Nvidia is partnering with Oracle, SoftBank, and G42 on the OpenAI data center plans in the UAE. But Nvidia hasn't gotten off too easy: In April, Trump banned the chip maker from selling its most advanced chips, the H20, to China, a move that Nvidia says cost it $5.5 billion and reportedly prompted the company to modify the chip for China to circumvent US export controls. Sundar Pichai, Google CEO In April, a federal judge ruled that Google holds an illegal monopoly in some advertising technology markets. This is one of two major legal blows to Google in the past year: Back in August 2024, a federal judge ruled that Google violated antitrust law with its online search. If Google has to sell Chrome, Barclays told clients on Monday, Alphabet stock could fall 25%. This flurry of litigation — and potential divestment of the Chrome business — puts Pichai between a rock and a hard place. While the CEO was spotted with the rest of the technorati at Trump's inauguration, it's hard to say how he might cozy up to Trump, and whether friendly relations would do anything to remedy these rulings.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
RBC Capital Reiterated an Outperform Rating on Lyft (LYFT), Assigning a $21 PT
On June 5, RBC Capital analysts maintained an Outperform rating on Lyft, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) with a price target of $21. The analysts mentioned the current rationality in the ride-sharing space, observing identical pricing and pick-up windows for Lyft and Uber, its market rival. Lyft's revenue has demonstrated solid growth over the last year, coming in at 27%. A ridesharing passenger and driver in a car, looking out the window in anticipation of their destination. RBC reported that Lyft, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) is a sector winner year-to-date, ranking fifth overall with an 18% increase, compared to the 1% boost in the Nasdaq. According to the analysts, this performance was driven by Lyft's limited tariff exposure and GenAI concerns, combined with strong execution. Another positive development commended by RBC was Lyft, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT)'s autonomous vehicle launch with May Mobility, which is on the horizon. However, the soon-to-be Tesla launch is a potential competitive risk, though analysts commented that a stock selloff related to Tesla was a buying opportunity. The analysts also highlighted Lyft's promising valuation at 7.3x its forecasted 2026 EBITDA. This valuation, paired with the company's tactical plans, was a factor that contributed to RBC's Outperform rating. Lyft, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) is a leading peer-to-peer transportation company operating across the United States and Canada, offering ridesharing, shared bikes/scooters, and Express Drive rentals. While we acknowledge the potential of LYFT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: The Best and Worst Dow Stocks for the Next 12 Months and 10 Unstoppable Stocks That Could Double Your Money. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Blind date: ‘I hadn't been on a date for 10 years – I needed to break the mould'
What were you hoping for? Good conversation and some honesty. I hadn't been on a date for 10 years and felt I needed to break the mould. I'm glad I told Karim about that as I was nervous. First impressions? So handsome! I couldn't stop staring at his eyes (I was, of course, subtle). What did you talk about? Being gay and coming out. Mental health. Gaza and the British press not reporting a live genocide. Blind date is Saturday's dating column: every week, two strangers are paired up for dinner and drinks, and then spill the beans to us, answering a set of questions. This runs, with a photograph we take of each dater before the date, in Saturday magazine (in the UK) and online at every Saturday. It's been running since 2009 – you can read all about how we put it together questions will I be asked? We ask about age, location, occupation, hobbies, interests and the type of person you are looking to meet. If you do not think these questions cover everything you would like to know, tell us what's on your mind. Can I choose who I match with? No, it's a blind date! But we do ask you a bit about your interests, preferences, etc – the more you tell us, the better the match is likely to be. Can I pick the photograph? No, but don't worry: we'll choose the nicest ones. What personal details will appear? Your first name, job and age. How should I answer? Honestly but respectfully. Be mindful of how it will read to your date, and that Blind date reaches a large audience, in print and online. Will I see the other person's answers?No. We may edit yours and theirs for a range of reasons, including length, and we may ask you for more details. Will you find me The One?We'll try! Marriage! Babies! Can I do it in my home town?Only if it's in the UK. Many of our applicants live in London, but we would love to hear from people living elsewhere. How to apply Email Most awkward moment? I kept on insisting that Karim have a sizzling lamb chop to himself. Good table manners? Lovely. Best thing about Karim? He listened to everything I said and reciprocated. And that he's an opera singer! Would you introduce Karim to your friends? Yes, for sure. Describe Karim in three words Kind, honest and intelligent. What do you think Karim made of you? That I'm self-obsessed. Did you go on somewhere? There was good energy – but not romantic energy. And … did you kiss? Drum roll … Nah. We did hug, though. If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be? It was all fab, although I may have talked about myself too much. Marks out of 10? 8. Would you meet again? Probably as friends. I enjoyed his company. What were you hoping for? A good chat and a good laugh –anything more than that would be a bonus. First impressions? Affable and awkward – I noticed he wasn't really looking at me. What did you talk about? The geopolitics of India and Pakistan. Art exhibits and museums. Most awkward moment? After I asked him what else he might want to know about me, he said, 'I don't really know,' and we had a long pause. Good table manners? Yes. Best thing about Liaqat? He's open and self-aware. Would you introduce Liaqat to your friends? Sure, why not? Describe Liaqat in three words Searching, open and quirky (in a good way). What do you think Liaqat made of you? No clue. He didn't seem very curious. Did you go on somewhere? We rode on the tube together for a few stops. And … did you kiss? No. If you could change one thing about the evening, what would it be? We're not a match, but he's a lovely person and we had a good time, so I wouldn't change anything. Marks out of 10? I wanted a laugh and a good talk. Both were achieved. So, 10! Would you meet again? As friends. Karim and Liaqat ate at Dishoom in Battersea, London SW11. Fancy a blind date? Email
