Latest news with #Pride-themed
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘It's total disrespect' – Cork dual star vents at Camogie Association & LGFA over latest ‘avoidable' fixture clash
HANNAH LOONEY believes Cork's dual trio are being looked upon as 'a nuisance' as they prepare to tackle another fixtures clash. Looney, Aoife Healy and Libby Coppinger are members of the Rebels' camogie and football panels — both of whom are in Championship action on Saturday afternoon. 2 Looney is an All-Ireland winner in both codes 2 She was speaking as SuperValu launched a limited edition Pride-themed tote bag, priced at €3, with all profits going to 'Belong To', the national LGBTQ+ youth organisation The camogie side will be expected to take a step closer to a third All-Ireland in a row by seeing off Clare at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. A must-win fixture awaits the footballers, who make the 250km journey to Castlebar to take on Mayo. An All-Ireland winner in both codes, Looney is no stranger to such dilemmas. And she hopes they become a thing of the past when the integration of the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association — which has been optimistically targeted for 2027 — is complete. Read More On GAA The 28-year-old said: 'I'm grateful to be from Cork and to be a part of two set-ups that encourage us to play, because they appreciate our value and want us involved in both. 'But you'd hope maybe when integration comes along and you have one fixtures committee that this can be resolved. "I used to have a bit of sympathy for the associations because of the split-season and there's a lot of games to get through. 'But it's total disrespect and you just don't feel valued at all.' Most read in GAA Football With Looney acknowledging that the meeting with Mayo is 'do or die', she and Healy will lend their efforts to the football cause this weekend. Coppinger is set to be on camogie duty. Looney said: 'When I first started playing dual almost ten years ago now, it kind of felt like in general from society and from the organisations that we were a lot more valued and a lot more respected. 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter 'Whereas now it feels like it's more a nuisance to everyone, which is really disappointing when we're still trying so hard to keep it alive down in Cork. 'There are three weekends for the LGFA fixtures. This clash was so avoidable. But here we are again. 'What more can we do to just totally eradicate the dual player? It's frustrating for us as players.' HANNAH LOONEY was speaking as SuperValu launched a limited edition Pride-themed tote bag, priced at €3, with all profits going to 'Belong To', the national LGBTQ+ youth organisation.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Pride Month 2025 Exposes The Limits Of Corporate Allyship
Activists carry a rainbow pride flag during the WorldPride 2025 parade in Washington, DC. ... More Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg If you scrolled through corporate social accounts last June, your feed was likely full of rainbow logos and Pride Month tributes. This year, the contrast is hard to miss. Many of those same companies have gone quiet—no rainbow avatars, no influencer campaigns, no public declarations of support for LGBTQ+ employees or customers. What happened? The short answer: political pressure and shifting corporate risk calculations have led many major brands to retreat from Pride Month in 2025. While companies continued Pride campaigns in June 2024—albeit more cautiously after the Bud Light controversy and Target backlash—a noticeable shift has now taken place. According to Gravity Research, which advises companies on social and political risks, 39% of surveyed brand executives planned to reduce Pride-related engagement this year, with 61% citing the Trump administration as their reason. Not a single respondent said they planned to increase it. Since taking office, the Trump administration has targeted corporate DEI efforts with executive orders threatening investigations into "illegal" programs and suggesting companies could face regulatory scrutiny—or even blocked mergers—if they don't comply. Conservative "go woke, go broke" campaigns have amplified the pressure, and companies have responded by scaling back or going silent entirely. This retreat from corporate Pride Month initiatives is measurable. An analysis by tracked companies that displayed Pride-themed rainbow logos on LinkedIn. Of 344 companies that used rainbow logos in 2023, 61% did so again in 2024, and only 46% of those continued the practice in 2025. The below graphic shows examples of ten of the companies that did not update their logos to be Pride-themed 2025, after doing so in previous years. I reached out to these companies to ask why they changed their Pride strategy, but none provided comments. Companies that didn't change their logos to celebrate Pride in 2025 The shift extends beyond visuals to actual spending. Digiday reported that LGBTQ+ influencers who once relied on June partnerships for significant annual income faced near-total silence from brands this year as Pride-related advertising spend plummeted. Even longstanding Pride parade and festival sponsors have pulled back. According to Gravity Research's 2025 Pride Pulse Poll, 37 percent of respondents decreased sponsorships of external Pride events. The impact is tangible: according to The Drum, NYC Pride faced a $750,000 decrease in sponsorships, San Francisco Pride a $200,000 decrease, with brands including Mastercard, Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo and Comcast withdrawing support. This corporate pullback comes precisely when LGBTQ+ representation and purchasing power are at historic highs. According to Gallup, 9.3% of US adults now identify as LGBTQ+—a number that has doubled since 2020 and reaches over 20% among Gen Z adults. Merrill estimates this community's US purchasing power at $1.4 trillion annually. While Pride's origins lie in liberation and equality rather than corporate "rainbow capitalism," company support still matters to employees and customers. Randstad's 2024 Workmonitor Pulse Survey found that only 49% of LGBTQ+ employees felt comfortable discussing their sexuality or gender identity at work, while 57% want their companies to introduce inclusive policies and take public stances on LGBTQ+ issues. Despite administrative pressure, public support remains strong. According to GLAAD, 71% of Americans agree that brands should be able to show support for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. Yet companies increasingly view Pride as a liability rather than an opportunity, turning public celebration into strategic retreat. Despite pressure from the current administration, the public still appears supportive of Pride support from companies. According to GLAAD, 71% of Americans agree that brands and companies should be able to show support to the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. But still companies seem to be changing their view of Pride from a brand opportunity to a perceived liability. The public-facing celebration has turned into a strategic retreat. Corporate support for LGBTQ+ rights has long walked the line between genuine allyship and opportunistic marketing. What we're seeing in 2025 reveals what happens when that support faces real pressure: many companies choose silence over solidarity. The consequences extend far beyond missing logos and cancelled sponsorships. These choices send clear messages—to employees, customers, and the broader public—about whose rights companies will defend when the stakes get high. This Pride Month, fewer brands are waving rainbow flags. But the communities those flags represent haven't gone anywhere. They're watching, taking notes, and remembering which companies stood by them when it mattered most.
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Cold Lake comes together for pride for the fourth annual Rainbow Run
The event, organized by Cold Lake and District FCSS, invited residents to take part in a colourful 2km walk or run in honour of Pride Month. Participants were encouraged to move however they wanted, walking, running, or dancing, all in the spirit of fun and unity. 'Fun casual. However they want to do it. If they want to walk, they can. If they want to run, if they want to dance, whatever they want to do, they can do it,' said Brittany Yuzicapi-Langer, Community Partnerships Facilitator with Cold Lake and District FCSS. This marks the fourth year of the Rainbow Run, which began in 2021. Yuzicapi-Langer noted the original intent was to create a space for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and celebrate Pride Month. Though the event has become more low-key over the years, its spirit remains strong. 'There's still a lot of heart from the community because they continue to show up,' she said. This year's run included a stop along the path where the Defense Construction Cannada from 4 Wing Cold Lake handed out Pride-themed swag. Once the route was complete, attendees enjoyed a meal and took part in activities like bracelet making, glitter tattoos, and lawn games. The newly formed Rise Cold Lake group also took part in the day. Around 60 people participated in the run, with 30 registering online and more signing up on the spot. 'This just provides a safe spot for members of the LGBTQ community to come together, celebrate who they are, feel safe, and just feel like they have a place in Cold Lake,' said Yuzicapi-Langer. 'I think it shows that the community is here, that we're not going anywhere, and that we do deserve to be celebrated . . . there's nothing to be afraid of, there's nothing to be ashamed of.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Man Gets Pride-Themed Doormat, Neighbor Writes a Letter: 'Don't Like That'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A cheeky doormat has turned into a fully-fledged viral moment this Pride Month as a delightfully petty, and extremely gay, rivalry began in an apartment building in Ohio. It all started when 29-year-old Clay, who didn't to share his last name, spotted a doormat outside a third-floor apartment in his building that proudly declared: "Gayest place in town." "I don't like that at all," Clay said in a now-viral TikTok video, jokingly affronted that someone else had claimed the title of supreme gayness in the building. "Because it implies that my place is not the gayest place in town." Thus began what Clay dubbed a "gay-off," an escalating, lighthearted showdown between neighbors to determine whose apartment is truly the gayest. "I actually noticed the mat back in November," Clay told Newsweek. But it wasn't until this past weekend when returning from the bar that he decided to make the TikTok video where he said that he didn't like the mat. Front left: Clay declares that he didn't like the mat and takes action with a note. Front left: Clay declares that he didn't like the mat and takes action with a note. @claygaiken/TikTok It quickly gained viral attention and people couldn't get enough of the moment, and that was when people started requesting something unusual—a "gay-off." Clay quickly ordered a competing doormat (the best he could find on short notice). He placed it at his fourth-floor apartment door, alongside a handwritten note addressed to his neighbors, taped cheekily to their doormat with a sticky note that now made the mat read: "2nd gayest place in town." "Hello downstairs Gay-bor (s)," the letter began. "I'm writing to let you know that I find your doormat to be extremely offensive. I personally believe that MY apt is the gayest place in town and I hereby challenge you to a gay-off." The note invited the downstairs residents to accept the challenge by placing the sticky note on his mat upstairs, and included his TikTok username for good measure. "I really don't want to let them down," he said, referring to the thousands of viewers who had already seen the video and demanded the "gay-off." It didn't take long. Less than 24 hours later, the neighbors replied with their own note, simply stating: "Hi Gay-boy, we have no clue what this entails but it sounds gay, so naturally we are in—Cara & Lauren." And with that, the "gay-off" was on. From left: The neighbors work to one-up each other with a rainbow-streamer curtain and a cheeky note. From left: The neighbors work to one-up each other with a rainbow-streamer curtain and a cheeky note. @claygaiken/TikTok Since then, the two apartments have been one-upping each other in increasingly flamboyant fashion, rainbow streamers and other Pride-themed decoration. There have been TikTok updates, and what Clay describes as "content-fed warfare," even relying on a third-party "third-floor spy" to monitor the opposition while Clay is out of town. Clay has been documenting the saga for his growing TikTok audience. "It's both of our first gay-off," he said. "And it doesn't come with an instruction manual, so we're figuring it out as we go." TikTok briefly flagged the video for "hateful behavior," but quickly reversed the decision after Clay appealed. Since then, the comment section has been filled with joy, support, and rampant speculation. "Everyone assumed the other apartment belonged to a gay man and hoped for an 'enemies to lovers' situation," Clay said. "But I had a strong suspicion it was lesbians. I mean, I used to joke that the third floor was the lesbian floor." So far, Team Lesbian is winning—at least according to TikTok polls. "Not surprising," Clay said. "I really don't stand a chance against two lesbians, but I'm gonna give it my best gay shot." Clay plans to post his next move soon, and the gay-off is expected to last through Pride Month—June—if not longer. In the end, what started as a petty doormat rivalry has turned into something much more joyful. "This has totally warmed my heart," Clay said. "The fact that I posted this dumb little joke, and it blew up without a single negative comment, it means a lot."
USA Today
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Guide to pride: Fayetteville, Sandhills roll out events for final weeks of June
Guide to pride: Fayetteville, Sandhills roll out events for final weeks of June Pride Month celebrations are ramping up, with the Fayetteville Pride Festival returning June 21 to a new venue and a lineup of events planned throughout the region. The Fayetteville Pride Festival is moving inside this year, with the city's largest LGBTQ+ celebration set to take place at the Crown Complex. The free event, organized by the nonprofit Fayetteville PRIDE, runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 21 and features entertainment, local vendors, food trucks and family-friendly programming, according to Fayetteville PRIDE president Krystal Maddox. The motto of this year's event is 'My crown, my pride, my love. They can't take that away.' This year's headliner brings national recognition to the local stage. R&B singer Kyng Bea, a former American Idol Golden Ticket winner and cruise ship entertainer, will perform at 4 p.m, according to a Fayetteville PRIDE news release. Known for his dynamic stage presence, Bea has opened for artists such as Patti LaBelle and Dru Hill and recently performed at Global Black Pride in Atlanta. Maddox said another show at 1 p.m. will include performances by drag queens, drag kings and local artists. The final two hours of the festival will feature a dance party with contests and prizes. She said the event's move from Festival Park allows for heightened security to protect attendees. Security measures include metal detectors and a clear bag policy. Only clear bags smaller than 12-by-6-by-12 inches or clutch-style bags under 4.5-by-6.5 inches will be allowed. Outside food or beverages, weapons and pets are prohibited, with the exception of service animals. Additional Pride-themed events are planned in and around Fayetteville: Pride Tattoo Event Art-Works & Ink will host a Pride-themed tattoo event June 21 from 2 to 10 p.m. at 116 Old St. in downtown Fayetteville. People can choose from a flash sheet of pride-inspired tattoos or work with artists on custom designs. Fayetteville Woodpeckers' 'Night OUT' The Fayetteville Woodpeckers hosts its second annual 'Night OUT' game at 6:35 p.m. June 26 at Segra Stadium. Theme tickets, which include an exclusive Pride jersey, start at $14. The team will play the Augusta GreenJackets. Buy tickets on the Woodpeckers' theme tickets page. Sandhills PRIDE Events In Southern Pines, Sandhills PRIDE will host events to round out Pride Month. On June 21, the Older Wiser Lesbians, or will gather for a relaxed lakeside brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Reservoir Park in Southern Pines. The event is open to those aged 24 and older and offers a chance to connect, share stories and enjoy the outdoors. Attendees are encouraged to bring a favorite drink or snack to share. Registration is required. Sandhills PRIDE will also mark its 10th anniversary with a trivia night June 25, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Rec Room, 750 SW Broad St. in Southern Pines. The event will include games, community building and birthday celebrations highlighting a decade of LGBTQ+ advocacy in the Sandhills. Government Watchdog Reporter Claire C. Carter can be reached at ccarter@
