Booz Allen Hamilton Pulls Sponsorship of WorldPride 2025

metroweekly.com:

executive order from Donald Trump that seeks to compel government contractors to drop pro-diversity initiatives and programs.Those found in violation risk being rejected for opportunities to contract with the government on the grounds that, in the Trump administration’s eyes, pro-diversity policies constitute a form of illegal discrimination incompatible with the country’s civil rights laws.In response to Trump’s executive order, Booz Allen announced it would close its DEI department, remove diversity goals from employee and executive priorities, and eliminate all references to “DEI” in internal and external communications and training, as reported by Bloomberg News, which obtained a recording of a virtual company “town hall” meeting at which the changes were discussed.

Booz Allen will also ban employees from using pronouns or accessing bathrooms that don’t match their assigned sex at birth if that is the rule of the government agency where an employee is assigned.“While our existing people programs comply with law, it is clear from these executive orders and other public statements, that the definition of what’s allowed is changing, so we must make changes,” Chief People Officer Aimee George Leary is quoted as saying. “If we don’t, we could be ineligible for contracts with the federal government.

This would put our ability to operate and our company at risk.”In response to Booz Allen’s decision to withdraw its sponsorship, the Capital Pride Alliance, which is producing WorldPride 2025, provided Metro Weekly with the following statement:“The Capital Pride Alliance is proud of its many longstanding legacy sponsors, many of whom have already reaffirmed their commitments to participate in WorldPride this summer.