Lowe’s discontinues its LGBTQ+-inclusive programs as rightwingers claim victory
The hardware retailer Lowe’s just announced that it’s capitulating to pressure from far-right conservatives and removing LGBTQ+ inclusive programs from its company.
Among other announcements, the company will no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign’s surveys, it will no longer be sponsoring Pride parades, and it will combine all minority-related employee resource groups into one larger group to service every employee demographic.
Related:
Lowe’s still operates a webpage dedicated to advertising diversity on its website. The webpage states that “we’re committed in fostering a cultural where each member of the Lowes team feels like they belong.” When associates can be their authentic selves at work, they perform at their best–and when that happens, we all win.”
Stay connected to your community
Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter.
The pressure allegedly came from far-right influencer and anti-LGBTQ conspiracy theorist Robby Starbuck, who also has led similar successful campaigns against Harley-Davidson, John Deere, and Jack Daniels.
“We’re now forcing multi-billion dollar organizations to change their policies without even posting just from fear they have of being the next company that we expose,” he said on X.
Big news: I messaged @Lowes executives last week to let them know that I planned to expose their woke policies. This morning I woke up to an email where they preemptively made big changes.
Here are the changes:
* Ending participation in the @HRC’s woke Corporate Equality Index… pic.twitter.com/qOUr2JLGV7
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 26, 2024
It’s unclear whether Lowe’s changed its policies in response to Starbuck or if the hardware company was influenced by Starbuck’s many fans. It’s unclear whether Lowe’s changed its policies in direct response to Starbuck or whether Starbuck’s many fans played a role in pressuring the hardware company.
According to reporter Judd Legum, Starbuck is a conspiracy theorist who has suggested, for example, that chemicals in tap water are turning kids gay. Robby Starbuck has convinced major corporations to cancel programs supporting LGBTQ employees & customers. Robby Starbuck convinced major corporations that they should cancel programs for LGBTQ employees and customers.
He’s also a CONSPIRACY theorist and ANTILGTBQ extremist
Starbuck suggested, for instance, that CHEMICALS in TAP WATER ARE TURNING KIDS ‘GAY.
Legum claims that Starbuck has been involved in anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theories for some time. He released documentaries that claimed there was a vast government network working to push LGBTQ+ right. Additionally, Starbuck allegedly believes that Pride parades are dedicated to pushing sexual topics onto young people–this claim isn’t based in reality.
Legum, who writes for Popular Info, wrote, “Starbuck frequently promotes anti-LGTBQ views to his social media followers. On X, Starbuck has said that ‘pride events should be age-restricted and only indoors.’ Starbuck has also suggested that trans people want to assault women in public bathrooms and that displaying pride flags around children is ‘grooming and indoctrination.'”
“In June 2023, Starbuck complained about book publisher McGraw Hill celebrating pride, calling the company ‘woke’ and insinuating that those who support LGBTQ rights support pedophilia. They say that no matter how you are identified, you should be welcomed. Legum writes that a man could identify as a boy.
