Boycotting companies is nothing new, but doing it because of their DEI programs or “woke” advertisements is, so here are the best-known ones right-wingers like to boycott, and some they really should include, like a company that makes AR-15 style rifles.
From Bud Light to Disney
One of the fiercest boycotts started at the beginning of April when Bud Light partnered up with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The backlash on social media lasted for months, and it even went as far as people filming themselves shooting Bud Light cans. The once-best-selling beer in the US suffered significant losses, but things are looking up since the company partnered up with UFC.
Another “woke” company that faced backlash this year is Target. The outrage came after the company showed its Pride merch. However, the most talked about pieces were not even a real thing. Target sold “tuck-friendly” swimsuits for transgender adults, but numerous false claims made it out to be made for children. In reality, Target sold children’s items with trans-friendly slogans.
Chick-fil-A used to be a safe space for conservatives. That changed after someone noticed the diversity, equity, and inclusion message on its website. The Atlanta-based company hired a DEI manager in 2021, and it was faced with calls for a boycott. However, this soon died down.
Disney is hard to miss, but the company had strong ties with the LGBTQ community that started decades ago. After DeSantis’ so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, the media giant refused to bow down, and lawsuits began. Strangely, the “woke” Disney also gained popularity for not backing down. At the same time, DeSantis faced backlash from some Florida Republicans, who said that half of tourists come to Orlando because of Disney.
Top firearm manufacturers should be on the list
Ruger, one of the best-known firearm manufacturers in the US, has a DEI department—still, no one called for their boycott. Other LGBTQ-friendly companies that have “woke” management also include Home Depot, Molson Coors (owner of Coors Light and Miller), General Motors, Black Rifle Coffee Company, and more. This is not a call for backlash but an observation that most companies, in fact, do have DEI programs.
Talking to Vox, a Wharton professor, Maurice Schweitzer, commented, “The number of boycotts is vast, and we’re talking about inconveniencing people at a level that doesn’t make any sense.” Howard Polskin, president and chief curator at TheRighting, believes there is a market for “anti-woke” companies, “There are a lot of companies that are making products that are geared toward conservative consumers. It’s becoming a whole market.”
The app PublicSq, backed by Trump’s oldest son, Don Jr., was founded in San Diego by Michael Seifert. It has “over a million and counting freedom-loving Americans who are registered on our platform as members, as well as over 55,000 business vendors” on its anti-woke platform. The app started flourishing right at the time Bud Light faced severe backlash.
Other companies that were caught up in the “anti-woke” crossfire
United Airlines faced backlash after announcing that 50 percent of newly hired staffers will be women and/or nonwhite. Nike also faced harsh criticism over working with Dylan Mulvaney and fake allegations that Michael Jordan was no longer interested in working with the company.
In 2019, Kellogg’s joined GLAAD for a limited edition of famous cereals in an effort to stop LGBTQ+ bullying. The partnership backfired. Oreo has been LGBTQ-friendly since 2012, and despite many threats, the company remains #LifelongAlly. Another failed attempt at boycott happened to Amazon. The company’s 2021 playbook on DEI faced backlash, but it did little to stop it, and it is worth around 1.45 trillion.
Very Gay Ranger and a perfect score from Pepsi
Pepsi was labeled as the Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality in 2022, and it got a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign’s LGBTQ+ ranking. When the anti-woke crowd tried to replace Pepsi, it backfired because other famous drinks were just as “woke.”
Ford’s the Very Gay Ranger in 2021 and the Very Gay Raptor in 2022 faced backlash in 2023. it appears that Bud Light started a domino effect, and many social media users swore never to buy Ford again. However, most car manufacturers have ties with the LGBTQ+ community, so it is not like there are many options left.
The list of companies that are pro-LGBTQ and DEI goes on, so it would be wiser to focus on quality, not on internal politics. But, with social media, that is highly unlikely.
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Kate Smith, a self-proclaimed word nerd who relishes the power of language to inform, entertain, and inspire. Kate's passion for sharing knowledge and sparking meaningful conversations fuels her every word.