Seattle Pride has cut ties with Amazon over the e-commerce giant’s alleged request for corporate donations and its name to be included in the title of the city’s annual LGBTQ Pride March.
The non-profit group that has organized the Seattle Pride Parade since 1974, issued a statement Tuesday saying it was “deeply concerned” about the Seattle-based company’s “anti-LGBTQ politicians” and fundraising efforts for anti-LGBTQ groups.
It also cited efforts by the company to call the parade – the city’s first since the start of the coronavirus pandemic – “the Seattle Pride Parade presented by Amazon”, in return for $100,000, the group’s executive director, Crystal Marks, told NBC affiliate. Told King – TV in Seattle.
“Pride is not for sale any time of year, but especially the month of June when our community comes together to celebrate,” Marks said. “When someone’s name is attached to the title of a completed event that we haven’t done in two years, it makes me think of a strange person, this parade will be entirely about Amazon and a celebration of their contribution.” Will celebrate.”
People walk in the Seattle Pride Parade on June 25, 2017. Gena Martin/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images File
The group cited a report using data from government transparency non-profit group OpenSecrets that found the company donated more than $450,000 last year to lawmakers opposing the Equality Act. The federal law, which was passed by the House of Representatives last year but stalled in the Senate, would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in many areas, including employment, housing, education and public housing.
The group cited data from the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission alleging that Amazon has donated more than $11,000 since 2020 to lawmakers in Washington state who have followed anti-LGBTQ legislation in the 2022 legislative session.
In addition to highlighting donations to lawmakers, Seattle Pride alleged that AmazonSmile — an Amazon company program that allows shoppers to select a non-profit group to receive 0.5 percent of the proceeds from qualified purchases — stole 40 Has enabled more than one LGBTQ group to raise funds.
Amazon said in a statement on Wednesday That it stands with the LGBTQ community and cited its past efforts to pass the Equality Act.
The e-commerce giant is one of more than 500 companies that have signed a statement urging Congress to pass the Equality Act, organized by the advocacy group Human Rights Campaign.
An Amazon spokesperson said, “Amazon engages with policymakers and regulators on a wide range of issues affecting our business, customers and employees. This does not mean that we engage with any individual or political organization in every way. Agree on the issue 100 percent of the time, and that includes legislation that discriminates against or encourages discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.”
Amazon did not immediately respond to an additional question about an alleged request to add the company’s name to its annual parade of Seattle Pride.
Amazon wasn’t the only company that drew the ire of LGBTQ advocates this week.
On Tuesday, hundreds of Walt Disney Company employees staged a walkout over the corporation’s past donations to sponsors of a Florida law that LGBTQ advocates have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
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