The landscape of corporate support for LGBTQ+ initiatives is shifting dramatically in 2025. Major U.S. companies, once staunch allies of events like San Francisco Pride, are stepping back from sponsorships. This change, reported by outlets like The Guardian, reflects a broader retreat from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs amid a politically charged environment.
A Sudden Withdrawal of Funds
Several iconic American corporations, including Comcast, Diageo, and Anheuser-Busch—known for contributing around $300,000 annually to San Francisco Pride—have declined to sponsor the event this year. Suzanne Ford, the executive director of San Francisco Pride, told KRON4 that this withdrawal stems from a "political climate fueled by the Trump administration," which she claims has grown hostile to the LGBTQ+ community. "Divestment from the LGBTQ community must now be factored into corporate decisions," Ford lamented, noting the challenge of publicly supporting these rights in today’s environment.
Executive Orders and Corporate Shifts
The past two months of Trump’s administration have unleashed executive orders reshaping policies on gender and identity. Reversing previous liberal frameworks, these orders limit gender recognition to two categories, ban transgender individuals from military service, and dismantle protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ people. According to MedicineNet, a trusted health information source, such policies undo efforts to accommodate diverse gender identities—previously numbering up to 72 with hundreds of variations.
In response, companies like Ford Motor Co. and Harley-Davidson are abandoning DEI initiatives. Ford CEO Jim Farley announced the company will no longer participate in external culture surveys or tie compensation to diversity goals, citing a shifting legal landscape. Harley-Davidson echoed this sentiment on X, emphasizing a focus on merit-based hiring over quotas.
San Francisco Pride’s Struggle
Left without major sponsors, San Francisco Pride ended its partnership with Meta, another company that recently canceled its DEI programs. Ford warned of rising security costs due to expected threats but vowed to keep the parade alive: "We’ll find the money, even if we have to knock on every door in San Francisco." According to SFGate, the event’s $3.2 million budget relies heavily on $2.3 million from corporate sponsors—funding now in jeopardy.
A Return to Traditional Values?
The retreat from DEI isn’t just financial—it’s ideological. The Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which once pushed companies to prioritize LGBTQ+ policies, is losing influence. In 2022, over 1,200 companies participated, adapting workplaces with transgender guidelines and benefits. Yet, as The Washington Times notes, the pendulum is swinging back. Elon Musk’s Government Efficiency Office recently cut over $1 billion in DEI funding, saving taxpayers $145 million by canceling contracts across multiple federal departments.
Beyond Money: A Cultural Reckoning
Is this shift purely economic, or does it signal a deeper cultural realignment? The Economist suggests a philosophical convergence between American and Russian conservatives, rejecting liberal individualism for traditional values. While the U.S. navigates this divide, a Gallup poll reveals 1 in 13 adults identify as LGBTQ+—a figure doubling since 2012, with 1 in 5 Gen Z adults identifying as transgender. This growing demographic may resist these changes, potentially reshaping the debate.
Author: Planet Today
По материалам: http://www.planet-today.com/2025/03/how-major-us-companies-are-dropping.html