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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Trump's attack on DEI hits UK as corporate sponsors abandon LGBTQ pride
The Trump administration's attack on US diversity, equity and inclusion policies is reverberating across the Atlantic, with corporations abandoning sponsorships of Britain's Pride festivals, threatening key funding for events this summer. Three quarters of more than 100 Pride organizers have seen a decline in corporate partnerships this year and a quarter of them have seen funding from sponsorships drop over 50 per cent, according to exclusive data from the UK Pride Organisers Network (UKPON). That's hit smaller parades particularly hard, with several canceling events that were planned for Pride Month, which is celebrated globally each June in memory of the Stonewall protests. Sponsorship withdrawals have been particularly pronounced from American businesses, according to Pride in London. The UK's biggest LGBTQ parade relies on corporate sponsors to cover the £1.7 million ($2.3 million) it costs to host more than 1.6 million attendees during its July 5 festival. But this year, longtime sponsors have stepped away, said Christopher Joell-Deshields, chief executive officer of Pride in London. 'Across the Pride movement, there is a very different feel this year,' Joell-Deshields said. 'Some of our sponsors are global partners and we're seeing the effect of those who are based in the US who have seen the roll back of DEI. We're having to push harder in terms of sponsors and getting them to understand the importance of the Pride platform.' Companies doing business in the US have rushed to appear politically neutral after President Donald Trump signed executive orders demanding the end of what he calls 'illegal DEI.' The order was a culmination of a broader blowback against what some US conservatives have dubbed 'woke capitalism,' with activists calling for boycotts against firms that give money to causes like LGBTQ rights and racial-equity programs. The pullback in LGBTQ support is a trend already documented in the US, where a survey of corporate executives revealed that two in five were scaling back Pride Month engagement this year, leaving organizers scrambling for funds. Earlier in May, New York City Pride announced it was looking at a $750,000 budget shortfall and launched a community fundraising campaign to keep the event free to attend. Still, it's not all the Trump effect, according to Jamie Love, the marketing director for Pride in Edinburgh. The UK's intensifying debate over transgender rights, with the Supreme Court recently ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, has caused some brands to sidestep Pride partnerships altogether to avoid controversy, he said. 'The ones that want to engage, want to engage really meaningfully, but there are fewer of them,' said Love, adding that this is proving to be 'the driest year' for sponsorships. The website for the festival in the Scottish capital now displays just five partners, including German supermarket brand Lidl and the UK's Tesco Plc. Last year, the site boasted 13 sponsors. The page for the London festival has recently been updated with a list of 2025 sponsors and advocates, among them is headline sponsor Pridepay, a UK-based payment processing platform for the LGBTQ community. However, other brands that have featured repeatedly in recent years are missing this year. Still, the biggest impact has been on smaller festivals. Some Pride events were canceled in Southampton, Hereford and Taunton, while Plymouth's official parade has been replaced by a community-led one. Looking forward, Pride organizations may have to diversify their revenue streams, seeking more grant funding from councils or turning free parades into ticketed events, said Dee Llewellyn, the chair of UKPON. In the interim, LGBTQ+ organizations will have to adapt to the new environment, said Ian Howley, CEO of health and wellbeing charity LGBT HERO. Even if larger brands ask to sponsor events again once the dust settles, he said the community won't easily forgive firms for abandoning them this year. 'The damage is already done and we don't forget,' Howley said. 'We will remember that they weren't there when we needed them the most.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Four of U.K.'s largest Pride marches suspend political party participation
The organizers of four of the United Kingdom's largest LGBTQ Pride marches have banded together to suspend political party participation in their annual events in support of the country's transgender community. 'At a time when trans rights in the UK are under growing attack, our resolve has never been stronger: we will not allow progress to be undone,' the statement issued Monday by Birmingham Pride, Brighton Pride, Manchester Pride and Pride in London said. 'We will not stand by as the dignity, safety, and humanity of our trans siblings are debated, delayed, or denied.' Political parties are often represented at Pride marches in the U.K. For example, the current prime minister, Keir Starmer, attended London Pride in 2022 when he was leader of the Labour Party. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a member of the Conservative Party, also attended Pride marches in a political capacity in 2010 and 2011. The joint decision to prohibit political party participation at these major Pride events follows a ruling last month by the U.K. Supreme Court to exclude transgender women from the legal definition of 'woman' in the Equality Act, a 2010 law that legally prohibits discrimination based on certain protected characteristics. The ruling stemmed from a legal dispute that began in 2018 when the Scottish Parliament passed a law seeking to increase the number of women on public sector boards. The law, to the dismay of some women's rights activists, included transgender women in its definition of women. Last month's court ruling, according to the four Pride groups, 'underscores the urgent need for immediate action.' 'In this moment, we choose to stand firmer, louder, and prouder in demanding change that protects and uplifts trans lives,' the statement said. In a statement shared on X, the LGBT+ Lib Dems, an arm of the Liberal Democrats party, said they are 'sickened to our core' by the blanket suspension on political parties. The group said the Liberal Democrats 'have been at the forefront of campaigning for LGBT+ rights' and have earned the right to be present at Pride marches. 'We look forward to a constructive dialogue with Pride organisers so we can come back bigger and better, while those parties who pander to bigotry and hatred can be left in the past, where they belong,' the statement continued. In an email to NBC News, Albie Amankona, a spokesperson for LGBT+ Conservatives, called the decision "disappointing." "While we regret this decision, our members look forward to attending in a personal capacity with pride in who we are and what we stand for," he said. The four Pride groups, in their joint statement, added that the rollback of trans rights in the U.K. is part of a 'disturbing global trend,' citing the banning of Pride events in Hungary and the proliferation of anti-trans legislation in the United States. So far this year, 575 anti-LGBTQ state bills have been proposed across the U.S., many of them targeting transgender rights, according to a tally by the American Civil Liberties Union. And on the federal level, the Trump administration has made trans issues a priority. In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders targeting trans rights, including one stating the U.S. government would recognize only two unchangeable sexes and another barring trans people from military service. This article was originally published on
NBC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Four of U.K.'s largest Pride marches suspend political party participation
The organizers of four of the United Kingdom's largest LGBTQ Pride marches have banded together to suspend political party participation in their annual events in support of the country's transgender community. 'At a time when trans rights in the UK are under growing attack, our resolve has never been stronger: we will not allow progress to be undone,' the statement issued Monday by Birmingham Pride, Brighton Pride, Manchester Pride and Pride in London said. 'We will not stand by as the dignity, safety, and humanity of our trans siblings are debated, delayed, or denied.' Political parties are often represented at Pride marches in the U.K. For example, the current prime minister, Keir Starmer, attended London Pride in 2022 when he was leader of the Labour Party. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, a member of the Conservative Party, also attended Pride marches in a political capacity in 2010 and 2011. The joint decision to prohibit political party participation at these major Pride events follows a ruling last month by the U.K. Supreme Court to exclude transgender women from the legal definition of 'woman' in the Equality Act, a 2010 law that legally prohibits discrimination based on certain protected characteristics. The ruling stemmed from a legal dispute that began in 2018 when the Scottish Parliament passed a law seeking to increase the number of women on public sector boards. The law, to the dismay of some women's rights activists, included transgender women in its definition of women. Last month's court ruling, according to the four Pride groups, 'underscores the urgent need for immediate action.' 'In this moment, we choose to stand firmer, louder, and prouder in demanding change that protects and uplifts trans lives,' the statement said. In a statement shared on X, the LGBT+ Lib Dems, an arm of the Liberal Democrats party, said they are 'sickened to our core' by the blanket suspension on political parties. The group said the Liberal Democrats 'have been at the forefront of campaigning for LGBT+ rights' and have earned the right to be present at Pride marches. 'We look forward to a constructive dialogue with Pride organisers so we can come back bigger and better, while those parties who pander to bigotry and hatred can be left in the past, where they belong,' the statement continued. The Pride organizers added that the rollback of trans rights in the U.K. is part of a 'disturbing global trend,' citing the banning of Pride events in Hungary and the proliferation of anti-trans legislation in the United States. So far this year, 575 anti-LGBTQ state bills have been proposed across the U.S., many of them targeting transgender rights, according to a tally by the American Civil Liberties Union. And on the federal level, the Trump administration has made trans issues a priority. In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders targeting trans rights, including one stating the U.S. government would recognize only two unchangeable sexes and another barring trans people from military service.
Metro
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Major UK Pride parades ban political parties from marching
Political parties have been banned from marching with LGBTQ+ people at four of the UK's largest Pride parades across the summer. Birmingham, Brighton, London and Manchester Pride organisers announced the ban yesterday, saying they are standing 'in solidarity' with trans people who have been 'abandoned'. The Supreme Court ruled last month that the definition of woman in equality law is based on 'biological sex'. Days later, Downing Street confirmed Prime Minister Keir Starmer does not believe trans women are women. The Pride groups, which include Pride in London, the largest Pride march in the UK, said they are refusing to 'platform those who have not protected our rights'. The four said: 'The recent ruling by the UK Supreme Court to exclude trans women from the definition of the term 'woman' underscores the urgent need for immediate action. 'In this moment, we choose to stand firmer, louder, and prouder in demanding change that protects and uplifts trans lives. With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! 'That is why this year, we are collectively suspending political party participation in our Pride events.' The Pride organisers said the ruling was the latest in a 'disturbing global trend' of trans rights being rolled back. They pointed to Hungary banning LGBTQ+ Pride events and the wave of US states outlawing trans youth healthcare and banning trans young people from playing sports as a warning to the UK. The four said: 'The UK must not follow this path of regression. Instead, it must rise as a global leader in human rights and equality.' Organisers added: 'We demand real commitments and measurable progress. The Pride movement was born from protest, and we must continue to embody that spirit with intention and urgency. 'The unanimous decision of this court is that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 refer to biological women and biological sex.' This is what Lord Patrick Hodge, deputy president of the court, said when announcing the ruling in April. The court was deciding whether trans people can be included under the protected characteristic of 'sex' as well as for 'gender reassignment' under the 2010 Equality Act. But judges said that the word 'sex' means 'biological sex', as in what people are assigned at birth. Lord Hodge stressed that the judgment is not a 'triumph of one or more groups in our society at the expense of another', as trans people would continue to have protections against discrimination. Some sports associations, police forces and political buildings say they will treat trans women differently from women in response to the ruling, such as by banning trans women from using single-sex spaces. While others, such as LGBTQ+ venues, have vowed to defy the ruling. 'To move forward, we need more than promises. 'We need every political party to stand unequivocally with every member of the LGBTQ+ community, and to centre the voices of trans people in policy, practice, and public life.' Sir Keir, former Conservative leader Boris Johnson, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party, have all marched in Pride parades. LGBT+ Liberal Democrats, the party's queer member wing, said the group 'firmly believes that Pride is a protest'. It said: 'While we understand Pride organisers' frustrations with Labour and the Conservatives' swithering on LGBT+ and especially trans+ rights of late, we are sickened to our core to be lumped together with them in a blanket suspension on political parties attending major Prides this year. The statement added: 'We look forward to a constructive dialogue with Pride organisers so we can come back bigger and better, while those parties who pander to bigotry and hatred can be left in the past where they belong.' The UK was ranked the most LGBTQ+-friendly place in Europe in 2015 on the annual Rainbow Map. Now it is 16th out of 49. The mapmakers, ILGA Europe, said last year that the NHS restricting healthcare options for trans youth and spiralling transphobic hate crime rates are among the reasons why the UK has tumbled. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Sycamore Gap pair quizzed over homophobic attack days before tree was felled MORE: Bimini: Trans people in public toilets aren't your enemies – they're victims MORE: 'I was put through gay conversion therapy – here's how it changed my life forever'
Telegraph
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
LGBT Jewish charity forced to pull out of Pride over safety fears
Bosses claimed they contacted Pride in London in July last year, saying: 'We wanted to engage in good-faith, open-minded discussions to find solutions to our concerns.' However, KeshetUK claims they did not receive a response until earlier this year, with the charity's concerns being shared 'in a spirit of open dialogue' at a meeting a few weeks ago. A statement from the charity said: 'Our requests were turned down. After various failures from Pride in London, we feel unable to say to British Jews that Pride in London has done everything in their power to keep us safe. We desperately wish this were not the case. 'As such, KeshetUK feels forced to withdraw from Pride in London this year. 'We are enormously sad that, on a day that should be an affirmation and celebration of our dual identities as Jews and as LGBT+ people, we would not feel comfortable to be part of Pride.' A KeshetUK spokesman added: 'British LGBT+ Jews deserve the space to celebrate our identity alongside all other LGBT+ people in the UK. 'We are hugely disappointed in Pride in London. We hope that Pride in London will reflect on the fact that, for two years now, Keshet UK has felt forced to withdraw. 'We hope that we can receive the necessary reassurances to allow us to return in future years.' 'Pride must be for all' Sapphic Shabbat, a social group for queer Jewish women and non-binary people, criticised the decision and, in a statement on Instagram, said: 'We are saddened and disappointed that KeshetUK has once again been forced to withdraw from Pride in London due to a lack of basic safety assurances for Jewish LGBTQ+ people. 'Pride should be a space for all of us – including those whose identities are both Jewish and queer. 'The refusal to provide anti-Semitism training for stewards sends a harmful message: that Jewish safety is optional. 'We stand with KeshetUK and all Jewish LGBTQ+ people who deserve to celebrate with dignity, safety and joy. Pride that excludes is not true pride. 'Pride must be for all, or it is for none.' The Board of Deputies, the UK's largest Jewish community organisation, has urged London Pride to foster 'inclusive communities'. Andrew Gilbert, vice-president of the board, said: 'We are disappointed to see that, once again, KeshetUK have felt unable to march at Pride in London. 'It is incumbent on all organisations that seek to foster inclusive communities to do so, and we urge Pride in London to include LGBTQ+ Jews at Pride.' Other Jewish LGBT+ groups are understood to be planning alternative events on the day of Pride in London. 'Spikier' protests at Pride Last year, Met Police officers arrested more than 30 pro-Palestinian activists in a pre-emptive operation designed to prevent disruption of last year's Pride parade. A coalition of pro-Palestinian groups was planning to target organisations along the route, which it believed were 'complicit in the ongoing genocide' in Gaza. In messages leaked from online chat groups, protesters vowed to take 'spikier' action at Pride and did not rule out potentially assaulting emergency workers and blockading roads. It is understood that about 50 activists planned to single out staff from Barclays, Axa, Hewlett-Packard, McDonald's and other companies they say support Israel's war in Gaza.
