Major sponsors pull out of San Francisco LGBT 'pride,' according to reports
Corporations have withdrawn approximately $300,000 in funding from the event, the organizer informed news outlets. Several prominent sponsors have retracted their financial backing in anticipation of this year's LGBTQ Pride celebration in San...
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Corporations have withdrawn approximately $300,000 in funding from the event, the organizer informed news outlets.
Several prominent sponsors have retracted their financial backing in anticipation of this year's LGBTQ Pride celebration in San Francisco, as reported by multiple media sources. This development coincides with the Trump administration's efforts to reduce federal funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Among the companies that have pulled their support are Comcast, the US telecommunications giant; Diageo, which owns well-known alcohol brands like Guinness and Smirnoff; and Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Budweiser and Stella Artois, according to a Forbes report on Friday.
Organizers have allocated a budget of $3.2 million for the two-day event, which will include a parade. Corporate sponsorships were expected to cover approximately $2.3 million of that amount, as noted by Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride, in an article published earlier this week by SFGATE.
A total of five sponsors have cited financial constraints and decided to withdraw, leading to a loss of $300,000 in overall corporate funding, Ford said in an interview last week with KTVU Fox.
“I'm very concerned. Obviously, there's pressure from the federal government,” she shared with the channel. Ford indicated that Trump’s anti-DEI policies have contributed to the sponsors' withdrawal.
Forbes has also reported that various other pride events, including those in New York, Houston, and Washington, have seen some corporate sponsors either pull out or reduce their support.
“The current political and economic climate has had a significant impact on sponsorship levels from corporations,” stated the board of directors of Houston Pride in their comments to Forbes.
Since taking office in January, Trump has cut various programs, contracts, and grants tied to DEI initiatives, labeling them as both wasteful and discriminatory.
Last year, several companies appeared to be less publicly supportive of LGBTQ initiatives after experiencing consumer boycotts. In 2023, Anheuser-Busch encountered a boycott and declining sales following its Bud Light campaign featuring controversial trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, which sparked widespread backlash.
Debra A Smith contributed to this article for TROIB News
Several prominent sponsors have retracted their financial backing in anticipation of this year's LGBTQ Pride celebration in San Francisco, as reported by multiple media sources. This development coincides with the Trump administration's efforts to reduce federal funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Among the companies that have pulled their support are Comcast, the US telecommunications giant; Diageo, which owns well-known alcohol brands like Guinness and Smirnoff; and Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Budweiser and Stella Artois, according to a Forbes report on Friday.
Organizers have allocated a budget of $3.2 million for the two-day event, which will include a parade. Corporate sponsorships were expected to cover approximately $2.3 million of that amount, as noted by Suzanne Ford, executive director of San Francisco Pride, in an article published earlier this week by SFGATE.
A total of five sponsors have cited financial constraints and decided to withdraw, leading to a loss of $300,000 in overall corporate funding, Ford said in an interview last week with KTVU Fox.
“I'm very concerned. Obviously, there's pressure from the federal government,” she shared with the channel. Ford indicated that Trump’s anti-DEI policies have contributed to the sponsors' withdrawal.
Forbes has also reported that various other pride events, including those in New York, Houston, and Washington, have seen some corporate sponsors either pull out or reduce their support.
“The current political and economic climate has had a significant impact on sponsorship levels from corporations,” stated the board of directors of Houston Pride in their comments to Forbes.
Since taking office in January, Trump has cut various programs, contracts, and grants tied to DEI initiatives, labeling them as both wasteful and discriminatory.
Last year, several companies appeared to be less publicly supportive of LGBTQ initiatives after experiencing consumer boycotts. In 2023, Anheuser-Busch encountered a boycott and declining sales following its Bud Light campaign featuring controversial trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, which sparked widespread backlash.
Debra A Smith contributed to this article for TROIB News
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