June 1 marked the beginning of Pride—a month-long celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. But what has previously been a procession of rainbow-themed websites and company statements looks a bit different this year, as a chillier atmosphere for corporate DEI initiatives has led to a pull back on corporate-sponsored celebrations across the country.
Some leaders in the LGBTQ+ advocacy space, however, believe that DEI rollbacks have been greatly exaggerated. Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of GLAAD, acknowledges that corporate CEOs have had to rethink the role of DEI in their companies, especially as the Trump administration has targeted those policies in the private sector. But she also thinks that many companies have stayed the course even if they stopped using standard terminology.
