GLAAD RESPONDS TO CORPORATIONS DROPPING DEI INITIATIVES AND LGBTQ SUPPORT

Today, GLAAD is responding to news of corporations dropping support of DEI initiatives and the LGBTQ community: 

Sarah Kate Ellis, President & CEO of GLAAD:
“The handful of companies handing over business decisions to an insignificant individual with no corporate qualifications are outrageous. These harmful moves sent a strong message to marginalized people: you are not welcome to be our employees or our customers. This is embarrassing, un-American, and a failing business strategy. LGBTQ inclusion and LGBTQ people are here to stay. We are not going back.

Consumers, employees, and Americans by and large not only support LGBTQ people, but they expect businesses to lead the way on LGBTQ inclusion efforts, and are nearly twice as likely to say they would want to back companies facing criticism for supporting people in the LGBTQ community, rather than their critics.

Extremists opposed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) attempt to claim these policies are only a response to current events, but in reality, pro-DEI, pro-LGBTQ policies are in place because business leaders understand their responsibility to an increasingly diverse population.”

Further info below:

Support for the LGBTQ Community

• Nearly 4 in 5 LGBTQ adults, and over half of non-LGBTQ adults say today, they think most companies/brands should support the LGBTQ community. (MRI-Simmons, 2024 June LGBTQ and Gender Identity Study).
• Nearly 3 in 4 of LGBTQ adults, and over 2 in 5 of non-LGBTQ adults say they are more likely to purchase a product or service from a company/brand that supports the LGBTQ community. (MRI-Simmons, 2024 June LGBTQ and Gender Identity Study).
• 91% of non-LGBTQ Americans agree that LGBTQ people should have the freedom to live their life and not be discriminated against.
• Nearly 1 in 2 non-LGBTQ adults say they are worried about the LGBTQ community due to the current political climate and over half think that anti-LGBTQ legislation has gone too far (MRI-Simmons, 2024 June LGBTQ and Gender Identity Study)
• Gallup found more than 1 in 5 Gen Z adults are LGBT, each younger generation is about twice as likely as the generation that preceded it to identify as LGBTQ.
• Gen Z adults are 2x more likely to BE LGBTQ, 1.6x more likely to KNOW someone in our community, and 1.2x more likely to SUPPORT us. (Gallup 2023, GLAAD’s Accelerating Acceptance 2023, GLAAD’s Advertising Visibility Index 2023)

The LGBTQ Community in Corporate America

• Most Americans believe that business leaders should lead the charge – 53% expect CEOs to inform and shape conversations and policy debates about LGBTQ rights. Even more, 59% of Americans say that if business devoted significant resources to protecting the rights of the LGBTQ community it could have a positive impact.
• Across demographics, Americans seek out employers who take a stand in support of LGBTQ rights: If a brand publicly supports and demonstrates a commitment to expanding and protecting LGBTQ rights, Americans are 2x more likely to buy or use the brand and those aged 18-34 are 5.5x more likely to want to work at a company if it publicly supports and demonstrates a commitment to expanding and protecting LGBTQ rights.

Findings from a 2023 GLAAD and Ipsos poll show a majority of Americans are not opposed to corporate support of the LGBTQ community:

• Americans are nearly twice as likely to say they would want to back companies facing criticism for supporting people in the LGBTQ community, rather than their critics.
• 74% of Americans are neutral or positively impacted by knowing a company offers Pride merchandise.
• 2 out of 3 Americans are neutral to positive about Pride merchandise in a store seeing it as no different than offering products with a sports team logo or other specialized designs.
• 59% of Americans believe companies offering Pride merchandise are showing support and acceptance of the LGBTQ community.