Most believe businesses should seek to be “neutral” on cultural issues — particularly in the wake of Bud Light’s and Target’s controversies over the past several weeks — during what society has deemed “pride month,” a recent Convention of States Action/Trafalgar Group survey found.
The survey asked respondents, “With the public backlash against companies like Bud Light and Target, do you believe businesses should continue to promote political themes during pride month, or should businesses seek to be neutral on cultural issues?”
Across the board, most, 61.9 percent, agree that businesses should be “neutral on the issue,” compared to 23.9 percent who believe businesses should still “promote political themes.” Another 14.1 percent said “neither.”
Most Republicans, 81.8 percent, and independents, 66.2 percent, believe businesses should remain neutral and not push a political theme. However, a plurality of Democrats, 46.8 percent, believe they should “continue to promote political themes,” compared to 37.1 percent who believe they should remain neutral.
Further, that particular survey found a plurality, 40.8 percent, indicating that they have boycotted a company for taking “progressive or woke public stances,” followed by 34.7 percent who said they do not participate in boycotts and 24.5 percent who said they have boycotted a company for taking “conservative or MAGA public stances.”
Notably, a plurality of independents, 40.7 percent, said they have boycotted a business for taking progressive or woke stances.
The survey was taken June 5-9, 2023, among 1,088 likely general election voters and has a +/- 2.9 percent margin of error. It comes months after the backlash against Bud Light after transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney — a man who believes he is a woman — bragged of the company sending him a can with his face on it to celebrate his 365th day of womanhood.
The backlash was swift and severe, as Bud Light sales crashed, dropping 29.5 percent for the week ending May 20 alone. Modelo Especial also took the crown as the best-selling beer in the United States last month.
Target also came under fire over this year’s pride month collection, which not only featured transgender swimsuits for adults, but children’s apparel advertised as “Thoughtfully Fit on Multiple Body Types and Gender Expressions.”
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Matt Perdie / Breitbart NewsDespite the general public sentiment, some companies have not learned the lesson. Coors Light, for instance, opted to proceed with its participation in the Denver Pride Parade over the weekend, which stood as part of Denver’s PrideFest. The event had several well-known sponsors including Nissan, Sheraton, Visa, COBank, Safeway, Chevron, Amazon, JP Morgan Chase, Credit Union of Colorado, REI, Verizon, AARP, Colorado Public Radio, United Airlines, and Xfinity.
That event, which was open to children, as it advertised a “Walmart Family Area,” as well as “Rainbow Alley Youth Area,” also advertised drag queens Salina EsTitties and Marcia Marcia Marcia, as well as Big Freedia, born as Freddie Ross, as center stage headliners.
RELATED: Lizzo Brings Drag Queens on Stage to Protest TN Legislation Banning Drag Shows Around Kids
@SuperWomanWendy / POP NATION /TMXMeanwhile, according to reports, corporate executives at Starbucks are reducing their advocacy on “green and social initiatives” in the wake of the general pride month backlash.
