Coffee chain Starbucks reportedly changed its policy to ban LGBTQ+ Pride decor from being displayed in U.S. stores halfway through June, which is known as “Pride Month.” The company denied these allegations.
Starbucks Workers United, the union organizing the U.S. stores, said on Twitter on Tuesday that the company banned all “pride” decorations in all the stores. In the lengthy thread, the union compared Starbucks to Target, which faced backlash from the LGBTQ+ community for allegedly removing some of its Pride collection.
“If Starbucks was a true ally, they would stand up for us, especially during a time when LGBTQ+ people are under attack,” the statement said. “If Starbucks was a true ally, they would stand up for us, especially during a time when LGBTQ+ people are under attack. A company that cares wouldn’t turn their back on the LGBTQ+ community to protect their already astronomically high profits.”
For the last two weeks, Starbucks workers have taken to social media to report that the company is no longer allowing Pride decorations in-store. This seems to be the first year the publicly "pro-LGBTQ+" company has taken this kind of stance.
— Starbucks Workers United (@SBWorkersUnited) June 13, 2023
In union stores, where Starbucks claims they are unable to make “unilateral changes” without bargaining, the company took down Pride decorations and flags anyway - ignoring their own anti-union talking point.
— Starbucks Workers United (@SBWorkersUnited) June 13, 2023
If Starbucks was a true ally, they would stand up for us, especially during a time when LGBTQ+ people are under attack. A company that cares wouldn’t turn their back on the LGBTQ+ community to protect their already astronomically high profits.
— Starbucks Workers United (@SBWorkersUnited) June 13, 2023
True allyship with the LGBTQ+ community is negotiating a union contract that legally locks-in our benefits, our freedom of expression, and ways to hold management accountable.
— Starbucks Workers United (@SBWorkersUnited) June 13, 2023
In a separate statement, Starbucks denied that it changed its company policy about Pride Month.
“There has been no change to any policy on this matter and we continue to encourage our store leaders to celebrate with their communities, including for U.S. Pride month in June,” the statement from the company said.
According to the Associated Press, Starbucks extends full health benefits to same-sex partners and coverage for irreversible gender mutilation surgery for “transgender” employees.
Ian Miller, one of the union organizers, told the outlet that his store manager said he needed prior approval to put up Pride decorations in the store. The manager reportedly pointed out the backlash that Bud Light received recently when it partnered with a biological male “transgender” woman, Dylan Mulvaney.
Last month, Target faced intense backlash after unveiling its Pride collection, which included “tuck friendly” bathing suits for men to appear more feminine. As a result, Target held an “emergency meeting” over the collection. Some stores moved their Pride sections as a result and came under fire by the LGBTQ+ community. The company lost billions of dollars due to boycotts over the products, which Townhall covered.