Pride Month Begins as Corporations Face Conservative Boycotts

June 1 marks the beginning of LGBTQ Pride month, and outlets across the spectrum are covering celebrations, reflections, and backlash. 

History of Pride Month: Coverage from the Associated Press (Lean Left bias) broke down the history of Pride month, stemming from an incident in 1969 when New York City police raided a gay bar, leading to a violent confrontation between officers and club attendees. The article went on to assess the current state of Pride month, which is facing resistance from some in the LGBTQ community on account of increasing commodification from corporations and brands.

Corporate Boycotts: Some voices on the right are also expressing dissatisfaction with the commodification of Pride month for different reasons. An opinion piece in the Washington Examiner (Lean Right bias) outlined the recent wave of conservative boycotts against corporations that embrace LGBTQ messaging and branding, including Bud Light and Target. The writer stated, “Republicans across the country are becoming aware of their own economic power and are voting with their dollars.”

“Climate of Fear”: An article from The Hill (Center bias) reported on anxiety and fear among LGBTQ community members heading into Pride month after the past year’s wave of legislation imposing restrictions on drag shows, discussions of gender and sexuality in classrooms, and more in Republican-majority states. In Florida, where many of these bills have been championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), a Pride month celebration in St. Cloud was canceled by organizers wary of a “climate of fear” in the community.