Hotel chain Premier Inn has hit back after being accused of 'box ticking' with its new Pride logo. The hotel giant showed its support for the LGBTQ+ community ahead of Pride month and updated its Facebook page on June 1, with a new logo reading 'Premier Out'.
The chain said it wanted to 'recognise the importance of LGBTQ+ equality' in a 'world where the community still face discrimination'. The new image showed an updated version of its usual logo, with the pride flag colours underneath.
Many people commented on the post in support of the change. Colette Booth wrote: "Excellent! Well done! Ignore the haters. They are why Pride Month is important."
Emma Jeffrey penned: "Well done Premier Inn."
Tracy Goodwin said: "Well done premier inn for being inclusive of everyone."
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Others found issue. Luke McKenzie wrote: "This is ridiculous… the shame."
Gordon McBlain added: "Wonder if there's a straight month as well? Just a poxy box ticking exercise."
Sarah Elliott penned: "I fail to see why this needed to be done/said."
Premier Inn commented: "Thanks for the overwhelming positivity to our posts! We do however want to address the odd negative comment - it is really important to us at Premier Inn to celebrate Pride and show our allyship to the LGBTQ+ community.
"This is not a ‘box ticking exercise’, it is a way for us to recognise the importance of LGBTQ+ equality in a world where sadly the community still face discrimination in many parts of their lives. We also want to celebrate, because our teams want to, and it’s the perfect time to celebrate the community, the friends, allies and acknowledgement of equality where it occurs.
"It is important that all our team members and guests feel accepted, comfortable and safe. We welcome everyone regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and Pride month is an opportunity for us to demonstrate this to our LGBTQ+ community – both those who work at Premier Inn, and those who come and stay with us."
How can I celebrate Pride 2022?
There are several different ways for you to get involved and celebrate Pride. Some of them are:
- Attend a Pride parade or events - There are a huge selection of Pride events worldwide. Simply pick the ones you're most keen to attend. Raise awareness and celebrate yourself as well as the community.
- Volunteer - Why not give back to the community by volunteering at local LGBTQ+ centres or charities? If you're able to, raise money or donate to a charity of your choice. To find a great charity, try using Charity Navigator.
- Advocacy - Celebrating Pride doesn't have to stop once June is over. Try educating yourself and then others by becoming an advocate for LGBTQ+ issues such as safety and inclusivity in the workplace.
