Latest news with #Prides
Axios
7 days ago
- Sport
- Axios
St. Pete Pride's new leader has big plans despite anti-LGBTQ+ attacks: "I'm a fighter"
She may be 4'11", but don't underestimate Bior Guigni. State of play: She can squat 450 pounds. She's a women's wrestling pioneer, mixed martial arts fighter and former rugby player. And, after an award - studded career in nonprofits, she recently took over as executive director of St. Pete Pride — Florida's largest Pride celebration, which kicks off Sunday — amid a barrage of attacks on LGBTQ+ people in Florida and beyond. In other words,"I'm a fighter," Guigni, 42, told Axios in a recent interview. After visiting family in the Tampa Bay area for the last 20 years, she moved here from Boston with her two standard poodles, Kingston and London, and is enjoying the bungalows, brick-lined streets and beaches. Driving the news: She's got big plans for St. Pete Pride. We caught up with her to learn more. Editor's note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What is your vision for St. Pete Pride? There's a lot of opportunity to continue to deepen the year-round presence that St. Pete Pride can offer through advocacy, cultural programming [and] equitable access to resources. I want to really expand our partnerships, not only within the city of St. Pete, but also with other Prides statewide. Considering things that are happening, not only in this country but in our world, it's important for us to remember that we are stronger together and that our voices, when unified, are more powerful than separating each other, right? So [we're] especially focusing on BIPOC (being that myself), trans voices, youth voices [and] elders that have been through so much to get us to where we are today, and I want them to all feel seen and supported through St. Pete Pride. What are you most excited about heading into Pride Month? I know the blood, sweat and tears that comes not only from our team here at St. Pete Pride, but just the entire community. So what I'm really looking forward to is actually getting to celebrate together. And then on top of that is rolling out our summer cool-down series this year where we'll be thanking people who have served half a million people throughout the entire month. We've partnered with a few of the amazing pools in the city and have actually worked out where there's going to be open accessibility on a Monday or Tuesday [for workers and locals who helped make Pride happen]. In Florida, we've seen threats to Pride celebrations and drag shows. We've seen all kinds of attacks on life and expression for queer people, especially trans people and trans youth. How are you addressing that? We are going to continue to be that resource and that organization that provides these safe, inclusive spaces, through our community events, through our advocacy and through the educational part of our work, and doubling down on that, because I think the more that people try to take away, the more we need to come together and keep pushing forward. Did you have any perceptions about Florida coming in that sit with you differently now that you're here? And were you nervous about anything about coming to a place like Florida? I'm not just queer. I am an immigrant. I'm a woman of color, right? And so, driving from Boston to Florida, there are so many things that I had to worry about. But racism and hate is not just centered in certain states. It's actually a country-wide epidemic. I was pleasantly surprised — coming to St. Pete for the last 20-some-odd years — just to see the development of the city and to see all the different businesses that have the rainbow and have beautiful, bright art and collages. It really reminded me of P-town [Providencetown, a queer-friendly destination on Cape Cod]. So it felt very safe here, and I was just really excited to be able to find an opportunity like St. Pete Pride. St. Pete Pride events June 7: Youth and Family Day June 12: Stonewall Reception June 18: Transtastic June 21: Womyn in Comedy June 28: Trans March
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pride Cymru ban involvement of political parties
Wales' biggest Pride event has banned political party involvement in solidarity with the transgender community. Pride Cymru said this was in "response to community feedback" and a request from the Trans Safety Network to "ensure the safety" of attendees in Cardiff. Earlier this week, Birmingham, Brighton, London and Manchester Prides announced that political parties would not be welcome at their events in an official capacity until they demonstrated a "tangible commitment to trans rights". The announcement comes after the Supreme Court ruled that the term "woman" in the Equality Act was defined by biological sex. The ruling was welcomed by some campaigners representing lesbian, gay and bisexual people who say it protects single-sex groups, while others shared concerns about the impact on the trans community. Pride Cymru said individuals who belong to political parties can attend the event on 21 and 22 June, but not as representatives. In an open letter urging organisers to ban political involvement, the Trans Safety Network said: "Our trans, non-binary and intersex communities are under an ideological attack right now. Politicians are openly debating how to remove our basic human rights. "Pride is and always has been a protest. It is a chance for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community to show solidarity." UK Pride groups suspend involvement of political parties Glasgow Pride bans political parties over gender 'inaction' The recent Supreme Court ruling clarified existing equality laws, and means that the term "woman" in the Equality Act refers solely to biological women. The legal dispute began in 2018, when the Scottish Parliament passed a bill designed to ensure gender balance on public sector boards. For Women Scotland complained that ministers had included transgender people as part of the quotas in that law. After the ruling they said women could "now feel safe that services and spaces designated for women are for women". The ruling was also welcomed by some other gender critical groups including Scottish Lesbians, which describes itself as a grassroots campaigning organisation with around 70 members, made up of "lesbians of all ages across Scotland." Directors of the group, which made submissions to the Supreme Court in the case, told the BBC: "The Supreme Court decision, which was a clarification of existing law, protects the rights of lesbians as same-sex attracted women. "As lesbians we're very relieved that our rights have been protected, and disappointed that Pride has once again abandoned lesbians." Some UK organisations - including in sport and politics - have changed or updated their policies around single-sex teams and spaces such as toilets and changing rooms in response to the ruling. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which enforces equalities law and provides guidance to policymakers, issued interim guidance for service providers which said access to such spaces must be based on biological sex. The EHRC said the impact of the ruling was that "if somebody identifies as trans, they do not change sex for the purposes of the [Equality] Act, even if they have a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC)". In this respect, the EHRC says, "a trans woman is a biological man" and "a trans man is a biological woman". As part of the judgement, Supreme Court judge Lord Hodge stressed that the law still gave protection against discrimination to transgender people. The four Pride groups which took the decision to exclude political parties represent some of the most popular Pride groups in the UK, with a combined average attendance of over one million people. A statement from the group of Pride organisers said there was a "disturbing global trend... where LGBTQ+ rights are being systematically rolled back". It said the Supreme Court ruling "underscores the urgent need for immediate action", adding that the move to suspend political party participation was a "refusal to platform those who have not protected our rights". The groups have called for "full and enforceable protections under the Equality Act", "timely and dignified access to NHS gender-affirming healthcare", a reform of the gender recognition certificate process and "sustainable funding for trans-led services and support organisations across the UK". Birmingham Pride had already announced its own ban on some political parties, as had Belfast and Southampton Pride events. Glasgow Pride has also banned political parties from this year's festival. Political parties are often involved in marches and demonstrations at Pride, often with notable politicians using the opportunity to share their parties' beliefs around LGBT+ issues. Mark Drakeford and Vaughan Gething have previously attended Cardiff Pride in a political capacity. Sir Keir Starmer, Sir Ed Davey, Carla Denyer and Boris Johnson have also all previously publicly attended Pride marches. A spokesperson for LGBT+ Lib Dems said the group was "sickened to our core" at the ban, and accused Pride organisers of creating a "blanket suspension" which was "lumping them in" with other political parties. They told the BBC: "We look forward to a constructive dialogue with Pride organisers so we can come back bigger and better." LGBT+ Conservatives said it was "dismayed that community organisations who were established to promote inclusion - and who are in receipt of public funds - have unilaterally decided, without consultation, to ban all party political organisations". Labour, Plaid Cymru, The Green Party and Reform have been contacted for comment. From a stage in a lorry to party of 50,000 Firms accused of 'rainbow-washing' ahead of Pride Gender ruling offers clarity after years of ambiguity
Miami Herald
01-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
In South Florida and the world, 55 years of Pride celebrated amid threats to freedom
In 1969, the Stonewall Inn was raided by New York City police. The uprising took place over four nights in June, taking over streets in the West Village, and the gay rights movement was declared official. The following year, a small group of LGBTQ+ young people gathered outside the closed Stonewall Inn and started marching to Central Park. By the time they reached the park they had gathered many thousands of marchers, and the first official Pride March went into the history books. Since then, Pride has happened around the world officially in the month of June and also on Miami Beach, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and in Wilton Manor. Starting as a remembrance and protest, it has grown into a celebration of individuality and commerce. Pride events marked a community's history, from the closet to the streets, in the fight against AIDS, for marriage equality, from radical young people to families with strollers and it continues to reflect changing times and greater acceptance from families and friends, business and government and maybe most importantly from community members themselves. In the cities and nations where Pride events take place, they send a message of welcome and inclusion to all peoples as everyone is well represented in the LGBTQ+ community. Everyone is invited to stand, march and engage under the rainbow flag. Pride is when families learn to accept daughters and sons, cousins, and parents who have bravely 'come out.' It is a time when people find joy in who they are. Over the past 55 years, Pride has taken place in Moscow, Uganda and other cities and nations where it is now a criminal act to be LGBTQ+. Where once freedom and individual rights sprouted, and the rainbow waved, silence and shades of gray have returned. With the official death of political DEI, corporations and foundations have left or limited their support of Prides and other LGBTQ+ activities. Major corporations have suggested their top executives stay away from boards of nonprofits within the community and reduce contacts that tie them to organizations and institutions that cater to queer issues and concerns. In a nation that has pushed for greater individual freedoms, even when difficult, it is hard to accept a United States that is closing doors rather than opening them. During the Civil Rights movement, once schools were desegregated, the federal government sent officials to ensure every child could go to school. They did not back down. For the first time, our government is using fear and prejudice to set official policy even after equality has been established. Using government agencies to 'disappear' American citizens, arrest legal residents, hold tourists in detention and offshore others without due process forces us to confront who we are as a community within a nation that no longer respects the rule of law. It is the rule of law that protects minorities and the marginalized. It is democracy that sustains freedoms and rights. It is a free media and public education that encourage engagement and positive change, and it is science that gives us the tools to improve the quality of life for all who live between our shores. It makes Pride 2025 a statement, a protest and a celebration of lives worth living on a global scale. This Pride Month we stand up for all minority groups, all marginalized peoples, and all those who cannot speak out for themselves. We unfurl the rainbow flag as a reminder of what we are fighting for, as a reminder of what it is to be a human being, and that every person deserves respect, and every story needs to be told. Over these past 55 years we, as a community, have overcome many obstacles, and defined for ourselves and others what it is to be equal. This Pride will reenergize us and rekindle the Stonewall flame that rests in the heart of every soul that loves freedom. Robert Kesten is a human activist and president of Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library in Fort Lauderdale, one of the world's largest and most significant institutions of its kind.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pride organizers say sponsors are pulling back amid DEI rollbacks, economic fears
Several of the nation's largest LGBTQ Pride celebrations are down hundreds of thousands of dollars in corporate sponsorships this year, with some event organizers saying promised funds have been withdrawn or reduced and others saying they've been ghosted by longtime corporate partners. Pride organizers say some companies fear being targeted by the Trump administration over participation in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, while others are preserving cash in a tumultuous economy. 'I know that they're facing tough decisions inside those organizations, and I don't want to call them out. I want to call them in,' Suzanne Ford, the executive director of San Francisco Pride, said of disappearing sponsors. 'We will remember who stood by us and who didn't. When it was politically popular, they were lined up.' Eve Keller, co-president of USA Prides, a national network of LGBTQ Pride organizers, said members across the country have reported receiving significantly less in sponsorship dollars this year. Some of the smaller, rural Prides are down 70% to 90% when compared to the average year, she said. 'We're trying not to sound a huge alarm or to make this the only focus, but when we are down money, we're down safety and security and accessibility as well,' she said, adding that most Prides don't want to make any cuts to their security measures, so instead they are holding fewer and smaller events. Last month, Pride St. Louis announced Anheuser-Busch declined to sponsor the organization's annual PrideFest in St. Louis, where the brewing company is based, after a more than 30-year partnership. The announcement also noted that 'funding has been coming in well below expectations,' leaving Pride St. Louis more than $150,000 short of last year's total Pride budget, which organizers told NBC News was about $480,000. However, on Wednesday, Pride St. Louis' DEI and outreach director, Jordan Braxton, said the organization made up almost all of that deficit with an outpouring of individual donations. The loss of the Anheuser-Busch partnership is still 'devastating,' Braxton said, because it sends a hurtful message to the community that the company's support is dependent on who is president. Anheuser-Busch did not return requests for comment. The organizers of several of the country's premier Pride celebrations told NBC News they have also lost funding from corporate sponsors this year, to the tune of $200,000 to $350,000 each. For some larger organizations — like those in New York City and San Francisco — the shortage makes up about 10% of their total Pride event budget, while for others, like St. Pete Pride in Florida, it could be about half. Some organizers said past sponsors that are not returning or are reducing their sponsorship amounts this year have cited the political climate and the Trump administration's hostility toward DEI and the LGBTQ community, while others have cited fear of an economic recession. Some didn't provide any reasons at all, organizers said. Bob Witeck, president of Witeck Communications, a firm specializing in LGBTQ marketing, said he isn't surprised that corporations are reducing or withdrawing Pride sponsorships this year, because many of them are feeling vulnerable to 'unfair and uninvited attacks.' He said publicly regulated businesses and those that work directly with federal agencies and under contracts 'are more vulnerable to possible litigation as well as facing potential losses.' Ford said several companies that had agreed to sponsor this year's San Francisco Pride march had withdrawn: Anheuser-Busch, Comcast, Diageo and Nissan. Those sponsorships add up to about $300,000, Ford estimated. The total budget for this year's celebration, she said, is $3.2 million, and the nonprofit had hoped to raise about $2.3 million of that through corporate sponsorships, with the remainder coming from individual donations, beverage sales and other means. So far, corporate sponsors have committed $1.25 million, Ford said, adding that San Francisco Pride is still waiting to hear back from several large companies that have sponsored in the past. Lloryn Love-Carter, a spokesperson for Nissan, said the company is 'currently reviewing all marketing and sales spending, including auto shows, sports properties and other entertainment activations, to maximize both efficiency and breakthrough effectiveness.' Love-Carter added that 'Nissan remains committed to promoting an inclusive culture for employees, consumers, dealers and other key stakeholders.' A spokesperson for Diageo said there were some changes to the company's sponsorships budget in California, but that the company was still going to be active around San Francisco for Pride Month in June and would be involved in Pride events around the country through its Smirnoff vodka brand. A spokesperson for Comcast, which owns NBC Universal, the parent company of NBC News, declined to comment on why the company isn't sponsoring San Francisco Pride this year. The spokesperson said local teams make their own sponsorship decisions and noted the company's California team is sponsoring other Pride celebrations in the state including Silicon Valley Pride, Oakland Pride and events associated with San Francisco Pride that are hosted by other nonprofits. Corporations began increasingly supporting Pride festivities in the years following the Supreme Court's 2015 decision in favor of same-sex marriage. A few years ago, large companies had become so ubiquitous at major Pride events — with their logos emblazoned on everything from floats to paper fans — that some revelers began to lament the so-called corporatization of Pride, or what became known as 'rainbow capitalism.' However, over the last two years — as dozens of states have passed legislation restricting LGBTQ rights and conservative influencers have targeted pro-LGBTQ companies — the landscape has shifted, and some companies are leaning away from publicly supporting the community. Anheuser-Busch and Target faced particularly intense conservative pressure in 2023: Anheuser-Busch for its Bud Light partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, and Target for some of the offerings in its annual Pride collection. President Donald Trump further fueled the corporate retreat from Pride initiatives with a series of executive orders from his first day in office. In one order, Trump declared DEI initiatives 'illegal and immoral' and barred the government from funding them. In another, he prohibited federal funds from promoting 'gender ideology,' which has become a right-wing term to refer to transgender people and their rights. At the same time, many big corporations are facing economic headwinds, including the Trump administration's efforts to reduce government spending and the implementation of tariffs that have roiled the markets. Byron Green, the board president of St. Pete Pride in St. Petersburg, Florida, said no sponsors have officially pulled their support for the annual event, though he hasn't yet heard from many of them. Some have had to significantly reduce their sponsorships, Green said, including one major donor who previously gave $40,000 to $60,000 and is only donating about $10,000 this year. 'They have all said, 'We get government funding, and we have to be very careful, because we don't know if that funding is going to go away,'' Green said, adding that companies are worried about being able to pay their staff. In the past, the nonprofit has relied entirely on corporate sponsors to cover the $600,000-$700,000 budget for Pride events held throughout the month of June, including its annual parade, which draws hundreds of thousands of attendees. So far, the nonprofit has received about half of that, according to Green. 'We are navigating what feels like a tightrope,' he said. 'How do we create the experience that is the largest Pride in the state of Florida and one of the largest in the Southeast and the pace of dollars coming in is drastically less than it has been in the past?' Ryan Bos is the executive director of Capital Pride Alliance, which organizes annual Pride celebrations in Washington, D.C., and will host this year's WorldPride, an international celebration that is held in a new location every two years. Bos said the nonprofit was in talks with Target — which sponsored WorldPride in New York City in 2019 and has sponsored D.C.'s Capital Pride march in the past — but the company ultimately decided to pass. Bos said other sponsors, like Wegmans Food Markets, have recommitted and increased their support for the festivities, which will take place from May 23 to June 8. Kevin Kilbride, the media marketing manager of NYC Pride, said the budget for the organization's annual Pride events in June is usually between $3 million and $6 million. Last year's budget was $4.6 million, and this year's will be about $3.5 million, he said. Kilbride said about two-thirds of the organization's previous sponsors have reaffirmed their support for this year's events, which include one of the largest LGBTQ Pride marches in the world. As of Thursday, he said, one-third of the organization's total partners had either pulled, scaled back or not yet finalized their funding commitments. As a result, NYC Pride is looking at a $350,000 dip in sponsorship funding, he said. 'A lot of it still is in the air at this point,' he said. 'Folks are just moving a little bit more strategically and slowly than usual ... and I think it's a combination of the political environment, folks not sure what the repercussions would be, if any, but also the economy as well.' Target is still sponsoring New York City's annual LGBTQ Pride march, Kilbride said, though he noted the company has 'chosen to take a silent partnership role,' and as a result is not listed as a sponsor on its website. Target declined to comment on its decision not to sponsor WorldPride and on its partnership with NYC Pride. Several Pride organizers — including those in Seattle, Boston and Minnesota's Twin Cities — said they are being more selective about which sponsors they work with to ensure the companies' policies align with their values. Philadelphia Pride made the decision in 2022 not to work with corporations at all as a response to the community conversation about rainbow capitalism. Twin Cities Pride, which draws about half a million people to its annual parade, announced earlier this year that it would not be partnering with Target as a sponsor for this year's events after the Minneapolis-based retailer told employees in January that it would roll back DEI initiatives. WorldPride organizers caution international trans community about coming to U.S. Protesters rally for the fourth week against Hungary's law banning LGBTQ Pride events Trump administration axes more than $125M in LGBTQ health funding, upending research field Andi Otto, the executive director of Twin Cities Pride, said he chose to turn down the company's $50,000 sponsorship because he didn't like the message it was sending to the LGBTQ community and communities of color. After Twin Cities Pride announced it wouldn't partner with Target, Otto said, he launched a fundraiser that ended up doubling Target's planned sponsorship. Target declined to comment on Otto rejecting the company's sponsorship. Witeck said he's not surprised that some brands are 'facing a chilly environment' this year, as some Pride organizers and LGBTQ advocates question the values and consistency of some of their past sponsors. 'Community leaders have long opposed forms of 'rainbow-washing' if it's felt the company has demonstrated weak or faltering loyalty,' he said, using a term similar to rainbow capitalism. Pride organizers have said the effects of losing major sponsors could vary widely, though none of the organizers who spoke with NBC News said they are scaling back security — and many, in fact, have said they're increasing it. NYC's Kilbride said that as a result of having fewer committed sponsors and a reduced budget this year, three dance parties will not return for this year's NYC Pride slate. 'We just have fewer options with a lower budget as far as what we can do, what kind of spaces we can provide for this community at a time that it's obviously, in my opinion, more important than ever for these spaces to exist,' Kilbride said. Otto said Twin Cities Pride, which typically spends about $800,000 on its annual Pride festival, is currently short about $200,000. In addition to declining Target's donation, Otto said the organization had one big sponsor back out of negotiations and has not heard from several of its past sponsors yet. As a result, he said, this year's festival will feature three stages for performances instead of its usual four. The organizers of San Francisco Pride, which hosts a concert, parade and street fair the last weekend of June, usually start planning the three-day event nearly a year in advance, Ford said. As a result, she said, any potential funding shortage won't affect this year's events. While many Pride organizers are making due with fewer corporate sponsors and lower budgets this year, Keller said the important thing to remember is Pride is 'not going away.' 'You're going to see even more people show up and need to find a safe space and find community and find where they can be their authentic selves, and that's going to be at the Pride parade,' she said. This article was originally published on
NBC News
14-04-2025
- Business
- NBC News
Pride organizers say sponsors are pulling back amid DEI rollbacks, economic fears
Several of the nation's largest LGBTQ Pride celebrations are down hundreds of thousands of dollars in corporate sponsorships this year, with some event organizers saying promised funds have been withdrawn or reduced and others saying they've been ghosted by longtime corporate partners. Pride organizers say some companies fear being targeted by the Trump administration over participation in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, while others are preserving cash in a tumultuous economy. 'I know that they're facing tough decisions inside those organizations, and I don't want to call them out. I want to call them in,' Suzanne Ford, the executive director of San Francisco Pride, said of disappearing sponsors. 'We will remember who stood by us and who didn't. When it was politically popular, they were lined up.' Eve Keller, co-president of USA Prides, a national network of LGBTQ Pride organizers, said members across the country have reported receiving significantly less in sponsorship dollars this year. Some of the smaller, rural Prides are down 70% to 90% when compared to the average year, she said. 'We're trying not to sound a huge alarm or to make this the only focus, but when we are down money, we're down safety and security and accessibility as well,' she said, adding that most Prides don't want to make any cuts to their security measures, so instead they are holding fewer and smaller events. We will remember who stood by us and who didn't. When it was politically popular, they were lined up. Suzanne Ford, san francisco pride Last month, Pride St. Louis announced Anheuser-Busch declined to sponsor the organization's annual PrideFest in St. Louis, where the brewing company is based, after a more than 30-year partnership. The announcement also noted that 'funding has been coming in well below expectations,' leaving Pride St. Louis more than $150,000 short of last year's total Pride budget, which organizers told NBC News was about $480,000. However, on Wednesday, Pride St. Louis' DEI and outreach director, Jordan Braxton, said the organization made up almost all of that deficit with an outpouring of individual donations. The loss of the Anheuser-Busch partnership is still 'devastating,' Braxton said, because it sends a hurtful message to the community that the company's support is dependent on who is president. Anheuser-Busch did not return requests for comment. The organizers of several of the country's premier Pride celebrations told NBC News they have also lost funding from corporate sponsors this year, to the tune of $200,000 to $350,000 each. For some larger organizations — like those in New York City and San Francisco — the shortage makes up about 10% of their total Pride event budget, while for others, like St. Pete Pride in Florida, it could be about half. Some organizers said past sponsors that are not returning or are reducing their sponsorship amounts this year have cited the political climate and the Trump administration's hostility toward DEI and the LGBTQ community, while others have cited fear of an economic recession. Some didn't provide any reasons at all, organizers said. Bob Witeck, president of Witeck Communications, a firm specializing in LGBTQ marketing, said he isn't surprised that corporations are reducing or withdrawing Pride sponsorships this year, because many of them are feeling vulnerable to 'unfair and uninvited attacks.' He said publicly regulated businesses and those that work directly with federal agencies and under contracts 'are more vulnerable to possible litigation as well as facing potential losses.' Ford said several companies that had agreed to sponsor this year's San Francisco Pride march had withdrawn: Anheuser-Busch, Comcast, Diageo and Nissan. Those sponsorships add up to about $300,000, Ford estimated. The total budget for this year's celebration, she said, is $3.2 million, and the nonprofit had hoped to raise about $2.3 million of that through corporate sponsorships, with the remainder coming from individual donations, beverage sales and other means. So far, corporate sponsors have committed $1.25 million, Ford said, adding that San Francisco Pride is still waiting to hear back from several large companies that have sponsored in the past. Lloryn Love-Carter, a spokesperson for Nissan, said the company is 'currently reviewing all marketing and sales spending, including auto shows, sports properties and other entertainment activations, to maximize both efficiency and breakthrough effectiveness.' Love-Carter added that 'Nissan remains committed to promoting an inclusive culture for employees, consumers, dealers and other key stakeholders.' A spokesperson for Diageo said there were some changes to the company's sponsorships budget in California, but that the company was still going to be active around San Francisco for Pride Month in June and would be involved in Pride events around the country through its Smirnoff vodka brand. A spokesperson for Comcast, which owns NBC Universal, the parent company of NBC News, declined to comment on why the company isn't sponsoring San Francisco Pride this year. The spokesperson said local teams make their own sponsorship decisions and noted the company's California team is sponsoring other Pride celebrations in the state including Silicon Valley Pride, Oakland Pride and events associated with San Francisco Pride that are hosted by other nonprofits. Navigating a political and economic 'tightrope' Corporations began increasingly supporting Pride festivities in the years following the Supreme Court's 2015 decision in favor of same-sex marriage. A few years ago, large companies had become so ubiquitous at major Pride events — with their logos emblazoned on everything from floats to paper fans — that some revelers began to lament the so-called corporatization of Pride, or what became known as ' rainbow capitalism.' However, over the last two years — as dozens of states have passed legislation restricting LGBTQ rights and conservative influencers have targeted pro-LGBTQ companies — the landscape has shifted, and some companies are leaning away from publicly supporting the community. Anheuser-Busch and Target faced particularly intense conservative pressure in 2023: Anheuser-Busch for its Bud Light partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, and Target for some of the offerings in its a nnual Pride collection. President Donald Trump further fueled the corporate retreat from Pride initiatives with a series of executive orders from his first day in office. In one order, Trump declared DEI initiatives 'illegal and immoral' and barred the government from funding them. In another, he prohibited federal funds from promoting 'gender ideology,' which has become a right-wing term to refer to transgender people and their rights. At the same time, many big corporations are facing economic headwinds, including the Trump administration's efforts to reduce government spending and the implementation of tariffs that have roiled the markets. Byron Green, the board president of St. Pete Pride in St. Petersburg, Florida, said no sponsors have officially pulled their support for the annual event, though he hasn't yet heard from many of them. Some have had to significantly reduce their sponsorships, Green said, including one major donor who previously gave $40,000 to $60,000 and is only donating about $10,000 this year. 'They have all said, 'We get government funding, and we have to be very careful, because we don't know if that funding is going to go away,'' Green said, adding that companies are worried about being able to pay their staff. In the past, the nonprofit has relied entirely on corporate sponsors to cover the $600,000-$700,000 budget for Pride events held throughout the month of June, including its annual parade, which draws hundreds of thousands of attendees. So far, the nonprofit has received about half of that, according to Green. 'We are navigating what feels like a tightrope,' he said. 'How do we create the experience that is the largest Pride in the state of Florida and one of the largest in the Southeast and the pace of dollars coming in is drastically less than it has been in the past?' Ryan Bos is the executive director of Capital Pride Alliance, which organizes annual Pride celebrations in Washington, D.C., and will host this year's WorldPride, an international celebration that is held in a new location every two years. Bos said the nonprofit was in talks with Target — which sponsored WorldPride in New York City in 2019 and has sponsored D.C.'s Capital Pride march in the past — but the company ultimately decided to pass. Bos said other sponsors, like Wegmans Food Markets, have recommitted and increased their support for the festivities, which will take place from May 23 to June 8. Kevin Kilbride, the media marketing manager of NYC Pride, said the budget for the organization's annual Pride events in June is usually between $3 million and $6 million. Last year's budget was $4.6 million, and this year's will be about $3.5 million, he said. Kilbride said about two-thirds of the organization's previous sponsors have reaffirmed their support for this year's events, which include one of the largest LGBTQ Pride marches in the world. As of Thursday, he said, one-third of the organization's total partners had either pulled, scaled back or not yet finalized their funding commitments. As a result, NYC Pride is looking at a $350,000 dip in sponsorship funding, he said. 'A lot of it still is in the air at this point,' he said. 'Folks are just moving a little bit more strategically and slowly than usual ... and I think it's a combination of the political environment, folks not sure what the repercussions would be, if any, but also the economy as well.' Target is still sponsoring New York City's annual LGBTQ Pride march, Kilbride said, though he noted the company has 'chosen to take a silent partnership role,' and as a result is not listed as a sponsor on its website. Target declined to comment on its decision not to sponsor WorldPride and on its partnership with NYC Pride. Some brands face a 'chilly environment' Several Pride organizers — including those in Seattle, Boston and Minnesota's Twin Cities — said they are being more selective about which sponsors they work with to ensure the companies' policies align with their values. Philadelphia Pride made the decision in 2022 not to work with corporations at all as a response to the community conversation about rainbow capitalism. Twin Cities Pride, which draws about half a million people to its annual parade, announced earlier this year that it would not be partnering with Target as a sponsor for this year's events after the Minneapolis-based retailer told employees in January that it would roll back DEI initiatives. Andi Otto, the executive director of Twin Cities Pride, said he chose to turn down the company's $50,000 sponsorship because he didn't like the message it was sending to the LGBTQ community and communities of color. After Twin Cities Pride announced it wouldn't partner with Target, Otto said, he launched a fundraiser that ended up doubling Target's planned sponsorship. Target declined to comment on Otto rejecting the company's sponsorship. Witeck said he's not surprised that some brands are 'facing a chilly environment' this year, as some Pride organizers and LGBTQ advocates question the values and consistency of some of their past sponsors. 'Community leaders have long opposed forms of 'rainbow-washing' if it's felt the company has demonstrated weak or faltering loyalty,' he said, using a term similar to rainbow capitalism. Pride celebrations 'not going away' Pride organizers have said the effects of losing major sponsors could vary widely, though none of the organizers who spoke with NBC News said they are scaling back security — and many, in fact, have said they're increasing it. NYC's Kilbride said that as a result of having fewer committed sponsors and a reduced budget this year, three dance parties will not return for this year's NYC Pride slate. 'We just have fewer options with a lower budget as far as what we can do, what kind of spaces we can provide for this community at a time that it's obviously, in my opinion, more important than ever for these spaces to exist,' Kilbride said. Otto said Twin Cities Pride, which typically spends about $800,000 on its annual Pride festival, is currently short about $200,000. In addition to declining Target's donation, Otto said the organization had one big sponsor back out of negotiations and has not heard from several of its past sponsors yet. As a result, he said, this year's festival will feature three stages for performances instead of its usual four. The organizers of San Francisco Pride, which hosts a concert, parade and street fair the last weekend of June, usually start planning the three-day event nearly a year in advance, Ford said. As a result, she said, any potential funding shortage won't affect this year's events. While many Pride organizers are making due with fewer corporate sponsors and lower budgets this year, Keller said the important thing to remember is Pride is 'not going away.' 'You're going to see even more people show up and need to find a safe space and find community and find where they can be their authentic selves, and that's going to be at the Pride parade,' she said.
