Home goods retailer Lowe’s has decided to scale back its efforts to promote LGBTQ inclusion, following a growing cultural backlash led by conservatives targeting queer representation in public life. In an internal memo shared among media organizations, Lowe’s announced that it would no longer participate in surveys for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and would combine its resource groups for minority employees into one umbrella organization. The company also stated that it would end sponsorship and participation in community events such as pride parades. While some media reports suggested that Lowe’s was reversing its diversity efforts, the changes specifically targeted LGBTQ representation. Lowe’s previously earned praise for being a diversity champion and received a perfect score in HRC’s corporate equity index.
The decision to pull back on LGBTQ inclusion efforts follows announcements by other companies like Harley Davidson, Jack Daniel’s parent company Brown-Forman, Tractor Supply, John Deere, and Best Buy earlier this year. The push against queer rights led by conservative activists like Robby Starbuck highlights a trend of silencing LGBTQ voices under the guise of opposing “woke” policies. The Human Rights Campaign warned that these decisions could have negative long-term consequences for companies by alienating top talent and consumers.
Lowe’s changes reflect a broader trend in the corporate world where pressure from conservative activists leads major companies to backtrack on LGBTQ inclusion efforts. The move raises concerns about the impact on employee morale and consumer trust, as companies prioritize appeasing a vocal minority over creating safe and inclusive workplaces for all.
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