Seattle Pride cut ties with Amazon on Tuesday, removing the company as sponsor of its Pride March. "Seattle Pride has decided to not partner with Amazon for the 2022 Seattle Pride Parade because of their financial donations to politicians who actively propose and support anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, oppose pro-LGBTQIA+ and other human rights legislation, and for allowing anti-LGBTQIA+ organizations to raise funds from their AmazonSmile program," the organization says in a lengthy statement that goes on to explain each point in greater detail.
Per NBC News, Amazon also wanted the parade, in exchange for a $100,000 donation, to be renamed "Seattle Pride Parade Presented by Amazon." In its statement, Seattle Pride notes that while the Human Rights Campaign's employer grading system gives Amazon a perfect score, that system is not comprehensive enough to take into account the aforementioned issues or even employee reports of discrimination, bullying, and other workers' rights violations. Seattle Pride is now requiring all corporate sponsors to take part in a diversity, equity, and inclusion survey and evaluation process.
The organization used data from government transparency nonprofit OpenSecrets to get info on Amazon's donations, including more than $450,000 donated to lawmakers who opposed last year's stalled Equality Act. "Amazon engages with policymakers and regulators on a wide range of issues that affect our business, customers, and employees,” an Amazon spokesperson said Wednesday in response to Seattle Pride's move. “That does not mean we agree with any individual or political organization 100 percent of the time on every issue, and this includes legislation that discriminates or encourages discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community." (More Amazon stories.)
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