When They Pull the Plug, We Plug In: Corporate Abandonment of Pride and Our Call to Action

When They Pull the Plug, We Plug In: Corporate Abandonment of Pride and Our Call to Action
Buy: Anthony Corona.

Blind LGBT Pride International stands outraged yet galvanized by the news that major corporations—including Anheuser-Busch, Comcast, Diageo, and Jackson Family Wines—have pulled out of sponsoring San Francisco Pride 2025, leaving organizers scrambling to fill a $300,000 gap. These companies, many of whom have profited for years off the rainbow dollar, are now conveniently citing “budget issues” rather than acknowledging what we all know: their silence and abandonment are complicit responses to rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment and political backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Let’s be clear—this is more than just a funding shortfall. This is a red flag for every grassroots, community-led, and marginalized Pride celebration across the country. If San Francisco, a city internationally recognized as a beacon of queer culture, can lose its corporate backing, what does that mean for Little Rock, Flint, Wichita, or any other small city relying on that support to even exist in Pride month?

Blind LGBT Pride International will not be silent. We will not allow this to pass unnoticed. Our Plan of Action:
1. Name Them. Shame Them. Hashtag Them. We will launch a coordinated social media campaign targeting these corporate sponsors who have turned their backs. Using platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Mastodon, and Threads, we will tag and call out: • @AnheuserBusch • @comcast • @guinnessus @SmirnoffUS @JohnnieWalkerUS • @jacksonfamilywines Suggested hashtags: • #PrideIsNotSeasonal • #RainbowCapitalismExposed • #FundOurPride • #NoPrideWithoutSupport • #ShameOnBud • #ShowUpOrShutUp
We encourage every LGBTQ+ person, ally, and community group to join us in flooding timelines with the truth. These brands were happy to collect LGBTQ+ dollars in June. Now they need to be held accountable.

2. A Coalition for Pride Funding Blind LGBT Pride International is calling on all LGBTQIA+ organizations—local, regional, and national—to band together in a united front to support grassroots fundraising initiatives for Pride celebrations across the country. From GoFundMe campaigns to mutual aid Venmo collectives, from virtual concerts to Pride merch fundraisers—this is the moment to reimagine how we support one another without waiting for corporate dollars to trickle down. We know our community has always been its own safety net. Let’s work collaboratively to amplify each other’s efforts, spotlight underfunded Pride events, and ensure that no city is left behind. Pride was born from resistance and solidarity. Let this be a return to that spirit.

3. Pride Has Been Hijacked by Corporations Over the last 15 to 20 years, Pride celebrations in many cities have morphed into sleek, overly sanitized spectacles tailored for sponsorships rather than the people. Advocacy has been replaced with ad campaigns. Representation has taken a back seat to corporate visibility. We’ve seen rainbow-washed product lines roll out every June, with prices jacked up and little transparency on where that money actually goes. Too many companies have used Pride as a moment to engage with a community that statistically has more discretionary income than our non-LGBTQIA+ counterparts—only to vanish when the political climate changes. Pride has always included our allies and welcomed broader participation, but it was never meant to be a marketing playground or a corporate strategy. This moment is a wake-up call: it’s time we reclaim Pride as a space for community, resistance, and true inclusion—not brand placement.

4. Pride Is Political. Resistance Is Required. San Francisco Pride made the bold and correct decision to cut ties with Meta after their rollback of DEI and LGBTQ+ policies. This should be the model. We stand with Executive Director Suzanne Ford and SF Pride organizers who are resisting sanitization and commodification in favor of integrity and visibility. Blind LGBT Pride International also calls on every Pride organization in the country to publicly list their sponsors—and their allies. Let’s shine a light on the corporations standing with us and those hiding in silence.

5. Accessible, Inclusive, and Independent As a blind-led organization, we also want to highlight the critical need for accessible Pride experiences. Without proper funding, accessibility gets cut first. We cannot let that happen. Our community deserves accessible stages, interpreters, audio description, and transportation support—because Pride belongs to all of us.

A Call to Our Community We know how to rally. We know how to organize. And we know that Pride has never been about flashy floats or corporate booths—it has always been about resistance, resilience, and visibility. Let’s use this moment not just to fill the gap in San Francisco—but to build stronger, more sustainable, and community-owned Pride celebrations everywhere. Let the corporations walk away. We’ve always had each other. In Pride and Power, Blind LGBT Pride International

Website: BPI.gay

Email: media@BlindLgbtPride.org
#FundOurPride #PrideIsPolitical #BlindQueerPower #SupportLocalPride

Yours,
Anthony Corona
He/Him
Host and Producer of Sunday edition
sundayeditionac@gmail.com

Blind LGBT Pride International Stands Against Texas House Bill

Blind LGBT Pride International Stands Against Texas House Bill 3817: A Call to Action
By: Anthony Corona

Blind LGBT Pride International is shining a light on Texas House Bill 3817 (HB 3817), a dangerous piece of legislation that seeks to criminalize transgender individuals simply for living as their authentic selves. This bill, introduced by Representative Tom Oliverson, would make it a felony for someone to identify their gender differently from their sex assigned at birth when speaking to government agencies or employers. If passed, it could result in up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine for transgender Texans. This is an outrageous attack on personal freedom, dignity, and truth. It is an attempt to erase the identities of transgender people under the guise of law, and we will not stand by in silence.

Blind LGBT Pride International is calling on our members, our allies, and the greater public—both within Texas and beyond—to act now before this bill gains traction.

Why This Bill Matters to All of Us HB 3817 is more than just another discriminatory law. It sets a terrifying precedent: that the government can police identity and criminalize individuals for existing. This is not just an LGBTQ+ issue—it is a fundamental human rights issue. For blind and disabled transgender individuals, the stakes are even higher. Many of us rely on government agencies for essential services, employment assistance, and benefits. If this bill passes, how many transgender people will be forced to deny their identity just to access the support they need? How many will face job discrimination with no legal recourse? How many will suffer in silence, fearing legal consequences for speaking their truth?

We refuse to let this stand. Flood the Offices of Representative Tom Oliverson and Texas Stakeholders The time to act is now. We must make our voices heard and send a clear message that HB 3817 is an unjust and unconstitutional assault on the transgender community.

Blind LGBT Pride International urges you to take the following steps immediately:
1. Call and Email Representative Tom Oliverson Demand that he withdraw this bill and cease his attacks on transgender Texans. Tell him that criminalizing identity is not only cruel but unconstitutional. • Capitol Office: (512) 463-0661 • District Office: (281) 858-3555 • Email: Contact Form
2. Contact Other Texas Representatives If you live in Texas, reach out to your local representatives and demand they oppose HB 3817. You can find your representative at Texas Legislature Online.
3. Engage Texas Business and Community Leaders Houston is home to a vibrant business community, including companies that have publicly supported LGBTQ+ rights. We must demand that they speak out against this bill. Contact major employers, advocacy organizations, and local leaders, urging them to take a stand.
4. Share This Message Use your platforms—social media, email, personal conversations—to spread awareness about HB 3817. The more people who know about this bill, the greater our power to stop it.

Join the Fight for Equality Blind LGBT Pride International is committed to ensuring that blind, disabled, and LGBTQ+ individuals live with dignity and without fear of government oppression. HB 3817 is an affront to that mission, and we are calling on all who value justice to rise up and fight back. This is our moment. Let’s shine a light on this injustice and ensure that it is stopped in its tracks. Call. Write. Speak out. Together, we can defeat HB 3817 and show that equality is not up for debate.

For more information and resources, visit Blind LGBT Pride International. We will not be silent. We will not be erased. We will fight—and we will win.
Visit: www.bpi.gay for more information, to support our mission and to join our growing community.

Footnotes 1. Texas House Bill 3817 Text. https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB03817I.htm 2. Texas anti-trans bill would charge people with ‘gender identity fraud’. https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2025/03/11/texas-anti-trans-bill-transgender-gender-identity-fraud-state-felony-tom-oliverson-house-bill-3817/82261151007/ 3. Texas Bill Proposes Felony Charges for ‘Gender Identity Fraud’. https://www.transvitae.com/texas-bill-proposes-felony-charges-for-gender-identity-fraud/ 4. Representative Tom Oliverson Biography. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Oliverson
Yours,
Anthony Corona
He/Him
Host and Producer of Sunday edition
sundayeditionac@gmail.com