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Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘Pinkwashing' no longer in style in Trump's America
WASHINGTON, June 4 — The organizer of this year's San Francisco Pride didn't expect rejection when she contacted sponsors, but amid US President Donald Trump's anti-diversity offensive, several longtime backers have withdrawn their support. 'It was quite frightening,' said Suzanne Ford, executive director of the California-based group which is among America's most influential gay rights organizations. 'In about a week and a half period, several corporations came back and said 'We're not sponsoring this year,'' she told AFP. In total, Ford's group faced a US$300,000 budget hole, with longstanding partnerships suddenly unwilling to fill it ahead of the late June festivities. 'It's disheartening,' Ford said. One of Pride's major partners, the brewer Anheuser-Busch, has withdrawn, according to the organization. The brewing company did not respond to requests from AFP. The lack of sponsorships is 'newsworthy for sure,' noted Eve Keller, co-president of the USA Prides network of nearly 200 march organizations nationwide. Several US companies have opted to stop financially supporting organized events, especially those in June, designated as LGBTQ Pride Month. Pride organizations are reluctant to call them out, however, for fear of cutting ties. 'Some are still talking with us,' Ford said. 'We hope they return.' In some cities where 2025 Pride marches have already occurred, groups proceeded with 'tighter' budgets, according to Keller. 'They just didn't have headliners (or) could not hire the biggest, best band,' she added, although for her, the main focus in 2025 was to ensure the safety of participants. 'Between the lines' In San Francisco, the companies all pointed to 'budgetary reasons' for scaling back their contributions, said Ford. But 'I think you could read between the lines,' she added. 'No one wanted to be on record saying anything, you know, that would hurt them with the administration or with people that support the administration.' Since returning to the White House in January, Republican billionaire Trump has led a crusade against programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Companies that implement such policies are threatened with prosecution, and several major brands, including Meta, Target and McDonald's, have either abolished their DEI programs or drastically reduced them. The so-called 'anti-woke' pressure campaign comes as US capital Washington hosts WorldPride, a global event for LGBTQ rights, culminating in a major parade this weekend. June Crenshaw, one of the rally's organizers, estimates she suffered 'about a 20, 25 percent reduction' in business partnership and support. 'So we've had to look at other ways in which to finance programming, etc, really leaning on the community and individual donations,' she said. WorldPride organizers also decided to turn away from their 'long and strong partnership' with the Kennedy Center after President Trump seized the reins of Washington's renowned cultural institution, Crenshaw added. 'Pinkwashing' According to Bob Witeck, a communications consultant on LGBTQ topics for major brands, companies fear that taking part in these events could expose them to 'visible risk' during a sensitive political period and 'put themselves in harm's way needlessly.' But several firms 'are still engaged,' he stressed, including 'through the nonprofits they serve.' San Francisco's Ford noted that 'pinkwashing' – the practice of superficially promoting LGBTQ rights – is no longer fashionable. By contrast, companies are contacting her offering support 'but not wanting any credit,' Ford said. They 'just want to do the right thing.' — AFP
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
In Trump's America, Pride marches are losing financial support
The organizer of this year's San Francisco Pride didn't expect rejection when she contacted sponsors, but amid US President Donald Trump's anti-diversity offensive, several longtime backers have withdrawn their support. "It was quite frightening," said Suzanne Ford, executive director of the California-based group which is among America's most influential gay rights organizations. "In about a week and a half period, several corporations came back and said 'We're not sponsoring this year,'" she told AFP. In total, Ford's group faced a $300,000 budget hole, with longstanding partnerships suddenly unwilling to fill it ahead of the late June festivities. "It's disheartening," Ford said. One of Pride's major partners, the brewer Anheuser-Busch, has withdrawn, according to the organization. The brewing company did not respond to requests from AFP. The lack of sponsorships is "newsworthy for sure," noted Eve Keller, co-president of the USA Prides network of nearly 200 march organizations nationwide. Several US companies have opted to stop financially supporting organized events, especially those in June, designated as LGBTQ Pride Month. Pride organizations are reluctant to call them out, however, for fear of cutting ties. "Some are still talking with us," Ford said. "We hope they return." In some cities where 2025 Pride marches have already occurred, groups proceeded with "tighter" budgets, according to Keller. "They just didn't have headliners could not hire the biggest, best band," she added, although for her, the main focus in 2025 was to ensure the safety of participants. In San Francisco, the companies all pointed to "budgetary reasons" for scaling back their contributions, said Ford. But "I think you could read between the lines," she added. "No one wanted to be on record saying anything, you know, that would hurt them with the administration or with people that support the administration." Since returning to the White House in January, Republican billionaire Trump has led a crusade against programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion . Companies that implement such policies are threatened with prosecution, and several major brands, including Meta, Target and McDonald's, have either abolished their DEI programs or drastically reduced them. The so-called "anti-woke" pressure campaign comes as US capital Washington hosts WorldPride, a global event for LGBTQ rights, culminating in a major parade this weekend. June Crenshaw, one of the rally's organizers, estimates she suffered "about a 20, 25 percent reduction" in business partnership and support. "So we've had to look at other ways in which to finance programming, etc, really leaning on the community and individual donations," she said. WorldPride organizers also decided to turn away from their "long and strong partnership" with the Kennedy Center after President Trump seized the reins of Washington's renowned cultural institution, Crenshaw added. According to Bob Witeck, a communications consultant on LGBTQ topics for major brands, companies fear that taking part in these events could expose them to "visible risk" during a sensitive political period and "put themselves in harm's way needlessly." But several firms "are still engaged," he stressed, including "through the nonprofits they serve." San Francisco's Ford noted that "pinkwashing" the practice of superficially promoting LGBTQ rights is no longer fashionable. They "just want to do the right thing." eml-mlm Meta TARGET
CBS News
28-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
LGBTQ+ Pride event organizers concerned about sponsors pulling out
LGBTQ+ pride celebrations across the country are reporting their corporate sponsors are pulling out. Notably in St. Louis, hometown company Anheuser-Busch ended a 30-year partnership. Bud Light is also a top sponsor of Chicago pride events — and there may be a change there too. When Chicago Pride events took over Northalsted last summer, they collected cash donations at the entrance points for Pride Fest and fees from participants in the Chicago Pride Parade. They also collected sponsorships, with Bud Light taking the top spot — as Anheuser-Busch products have since at least 2018. But on the Chicago Pride website this year, Anheuser-Busch currently listed on the 2025 sponsors page. (source: "We found out in a meeting — it was a phone meeting — and they decided that after 30 years, they were no longer a sponsor of our event," said Jordan Braxton of Pride STL. The organizers behind St. Louis' pride celebrations are worried the withdrawal of Anheuser-Busch is the result of changing political priorities. "The president's always talking about coming after people that disagree with him, and of course the DEI cuts are having a lot of effect too," Braxton said. Other cities, including San Francisco and Houston, have also reported corporate sponsors pulling back "Everybody has a different opinion about why this is happening," said Eve Keller, co-president of USA Prides. Keller said some companies could be worried about the economy. But as a support network working with 200 members organizing pride celebrations around the country, USA Prides sees its member groups turn to grassroots fundraising. "What I've seen lately is more of a push for local small businesses, or even individuals, and having some kind of sponsorship levels that go all the way down to $200 or $500," Keller said. Travis Hooker organizes Elgin's pride parade, but also walks in the Chicago Pride Parade. "That's something I think about moving forward and in the future — sources of funds can drying up," Hooker said. Hooker said he is also worried federal threats to cut funds for progressive causes could harm smaller events as well. "When we don't hear back from specific sponsors, it's really too bad that people are very short-sighted," he said "The gay community tends to remember pretty well." The Chicago Pride Parade is schedule for Sunday, June 29. CBS News Chicago tried reaching organizers through phone calls and emails several times this week to talk about whether they will be affected by sponsorship changes, but the messages were not returned.
