LGBTQ Google employees ask SF Pride to remove the company from celebrations

[Deleted member 3812]

Multiple LGBTQ Google employees are requesting SF Pride to remove Google/Alphabet from sponsoring and participating in SF Pride on June 30th because they have no firm commitment from Google corporate to improve YouTube and other Google products, that instead, they are told to wait, they have also been told that peaceful protests are a violation of Google's code of conduct:

https://medium.com/@BanGoogleFromPr...ancisco-pride-board-of-directors-f8164486c2e4

We do not make this request without serious consideration of the alternatives. We have spent countless hours advocating for our company to improve policies and practices regarding the treatment of LGBTQ+ persons, the depiction of LGBTQ+ persons, and harassment and hate speech directed at LGBTQ+ persons, on YouTube and other Google products. Whenever we press for change, we are told only that the company will "take a hard look at these policies." But we are never given a commitment to improve, and when we ask when these improvements will be made, we are always told to be patient.

We are told to wait. For a large company, perhaps waiting is prudent, but for those whose very right to exist is threatened, we say there is no time to waste, and we have waited too long, already. We are no longer content to wait.

We receive apologies that we may be upset about the policies and practices to which we object, even as we are told that leadership stands by those policies. We are told to wait quietly, while executives state this position in interviews with the press¹.

Even as this discussion was ongoing, we watched and waited as others petitioned you to take the very action we now ask for². When some of our fellow employees expressed concern that they might not be able to march in the parade if such a petition were to succeed, we opened a genuine dialogue, and ultimately together proposed a compromise: to protest from within the contingent, allowing employees to express their disagreement with the company's position, from the parade. But Google has now informed us that this is a violation of our communications policy, a part of the company code of conduct³. They claim the contingent is their official representation, and we may not use their platform to express an opinion that is not their opinion. In short, they rejected any compromise.

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The Verge article about this:

https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/26/...Pride to remove the company from celebrations

LGBTQ employees within Google are petitioning San Francisco Pride to kick the company from its official festivities this weekend. "[We] urge you to revoke Google's sponsorship of Pride 2019, and exclude Google from representation in the San Francisco Pride Parade on June 30th, 2019," reads a Medium post with the full petition, posted to the site on Tuesday. The name includes close to 100 signatures of employees who "are compelled to speak," despite potential repercussions.

The petition, which is addressed to San Fransisco Pride's board of directors, was first reported by Bloomberg. Prior to the petition's public existence, a source told The Verge it was "extremely controversial" within the Gayglers group, but it had already collected dozens of signatures by Tuesday night.

The Pride controversy is the latest in ongoing unrest from some LGBTQ Google employees, following YouTube's refusal to ban conservative pundit Steven Crowder from the platform after the repeated homophobic harassment of Vox journalist and video host Carlos Maza. (The Verge is part of Vox Media, which also owns Vox.) In addition to spurring a larger conversation around moderation and harassment, some employees feel the company has lost its right to participate in Pride proceedings.

Earlier this week, The Verge reported that Google would not allow its employees to peacefully protest recent policy decisions while marching with the company in any official capacity. Internally, employees were told that any form of protest — including signs or T-shirts — as a representative of Google would violate the company's code of conduct. If employees want to protest, they are allowed to do so on their own.

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[Lant_War]

I imagine they won't be employees for much longer, but they're doing the right thing.

 

[Mona]

the call is coming from inside the house

 

[echoshifting]

I'm a little surprised SF Pride hasn't made a move on this yet, to be honest. Maybe I don't understand the particulars but it seems like Google has gotta go.

 

[Deleted member 3812]

I'm a little surprised SF Pride hasn't made a move on this yet, to be honest. Maybe I don't understand the particulars but it seems like Google has gotta go.

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The Verge got statements, essentially, SF Pride admitted that Google/YouTube needs to improve but they will not remove Google:

In a response given to The Verge on Wednesday, SF Pride said it will not remove Google from its celebrations. "As we commemorate the roots of our movement in resistance, we also understand that San Francisco Pride has become synonymous with the values of inclusion and acceptance," the statement reads. "In the spirit of community and growth, we confirm Google as a continued participant in the 2019 SF Pride Parade. Together as a community we will continue our progress, and together we will protect our hard-won civil rights victories."

Although SF Pride agrees that "Google and YouTube can and must do more to elevate and protect the voices of LGBTQ+ creators," the organization says that it's "found that Google has been willing to listen to this criticism and is working to develop appropriate policies" moving forward. "Google has been a considerate partner of SF Pride for a number of years, and has historically been a strong ally to LGBTQ+ communities. Google has long offered substantial benefits to their same-sex couple and transgender employees, and shown valuable public advocacy, opposing unfair legislation targeting LGBTQ communities, particularly trans individuals."

"Google has marched in the San Francisco Pride Parade for more than a decade and we are excited to continue our tradition this weekend," a Google spokesperson told The Verge in response to SF Pride's decision. "We are grateful for SF Pride's partnership and leadership."

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[Deleted member 18360]

I sent an email to SF pride when the whole Maza/Crowder thing blew up urging them to ban alphabet, but unfortunately don't expect much to come from this.

Honestly it's time to reappropriate pride, weakass faux support from corporate interests and police presence are killing the legitimacy for me.

 

[Deleted member 15440]

corporate sponsorship of pride parades is garbage to begin with

say no to rainbow capitalism

 

[Deleted member 18360]

corporate sponsorship of pride parades is garbage to begin with

say no to rainbow capitalism

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Word.

 

[echoshifting]

Time to reappropriate pride, weakass faux support from corporate interests and police presence are killing the legitimacy.

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Absolutely this. Enough is enough.

 

[subpar spatula]

sounds like sf pride likes money more than pride?

 

[hordak]

Well parades aren't free and someone has to pay for the setup, operations and cleanup?

 

[LL_Decitrig]

This would be a chance for SF Pride to strike a meaningful blow for equality, in the true spirit of pride. It's a shame if they apparently won't take it.

 

[Slayven]

The Verge got statements, essentially, SF Pride admitted that Google/YouTube needs to improve but they will not remove Google:

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Hmmm you can tell what segment of the spectrum that statement came from. Did they just copy and apst what Google PR told them ?

 

[Slayven]

We are grateful for SF Pride's partnership and leadership."

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Goddamn, that is a slap in the face.

 

[Stinkles]

Don't be... Hmm can't remember exactly...

 

[Pekola]

Funny how easily people forget what pride is about.

It wasn't google who threw the first brick at Stonewall. And it won't be google who supports you when someone hateful decides to malign you.

 

[DOT_mjo]

corporate sponsorship of pride parades is garbage to begin with

say no to rainbow capitalism

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This. This. This.

 

[wenis]

corporate sponsorship of pride parades is garbage to begin with

say no to rainbow capitalism

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bingo. haven't participated in years, don't need to waste my time with it when there are better events happening all year around locally in san francisco for groups that will genuinely receive help and support from a community and not just a time for a bunch of suits to wear a rainbow badge for a day and for everyone else to take advantage of the party scene for their own means.

 

[Deleted member 7130]

I'm glad to see justice prioritized over corporate image. Even from within the corporation. Insurgency for the win!

 

[Surakian]

Well parades aren't free and someone has to pay for the setup, operations and cleanup?

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That's why you have admission fees and donations or sell merchandise or get the support of local businesses or genuine well-off members of the community and allies. How much money do you think pride started off with initially? It didn't start with a ton of money, that's for sure, but it still managed to be what it was for years until corporations came along to hop in on the fun and capitalize on it.

 

[jim-jam bongs]

In a response given to The Verge on Wednesday, SF Pride said it will not remove Google from its celebrations. "As we commemorate the roots of our movement in resistance, we also understand that San Francisco Pride has become synonymous with the values of inclusion and acceptance," the statement reads. "In the spirit of community and growth, we confirm Google as a continued participant in the 2019 SF Pride Parade.

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oh no guys we can't discriminate on the basis of a corporation's continued inaction on threats to our community, that'd go against our values

 

[Futureman]

Besides the YT stuff, are there other reasons for this?

I think it should be noted in the Verge article that this petition was pretty controversial among LGBTQ Google employees.

 

[golem]

I think it should be noted in the Verge article that this petition was pretty controversial among LGBTQ Google employees.

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It shouldn't surprise anyone that plenty of people are willing to stand up for corporations working actively against their own interests, especially here on resetera.

 

[Futureman]

It shouldn't surprise anyone that plenty of people are willing to stand up for corporations working actively against their own interests, especially here on resetera.

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True that many people in the company would probably be afraid to speak up if they were afraid it could affect their livelihood.

I like Google a lot overall and wish YouTube would just be spun off as a separate company or something.

 

[Mortemis]

oh no guys we can't discriminate on the basis of a corporation's continued inaction on threats to our community, that'd go against our values

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Reading that felt like a slap in the face. Who thinks like that? Inclusion and acceptance of companies? Really?

 

[JesseEwiak]

corporate sponsorship of pride parades is garbage to begin with

say no to rainbow capitalism

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https://www.buzzfeednews.com/articl...oprorations?bftwnews&utm_term=4ldqpgc#4ldqpgc

A vast majority of LGBT people (76% approve, 15% don't care) are OK with rainbow capitalism, so why do you think a small amount of leftist LGBT folks should overrule everyone else?

 

[LL_Decitrig]

A vast majority of LGBT people (76% approve, 15% don't care) are OK with rainbow capitalism, so why do you think a small amount of leftist LGBT folks should overrule everyone else?

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I won't say I'm nostalgic for the days when the only allies were on the left, but at least we didn't have to live with complete wank like this. Pride started as an insurgency, and won on its own terms. If anybody is now saying Pride should stop pushing for justice and equality, for any reason at all but especially for concern about revenue or relations with sponsors, they completely misunderstand the whole point of Pride.

The meaning is in the name.

 

[JesseEwiak]

I won't say I'm nostalgic for the days when the only allies were on the left, but at least we didn't have to live with complete wank like this. Pride started as an insurgency, and won on its own terms. If anybody is now saying Pride should stop pushing for justice and equality, for any reason at all but especially for concern about revenue or relations with sponsors, they completely misunderstand the whole point of Pride.

The meaning is in the name.

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So, it's impossible to fight for justice and equality as a LGBT person unless you disagree with the vast majority of LGBT people?

 

[You Are Viewtiful]

While YouTube's initial respond was awful and worthy of a ban, did they not eventually demonetize him? What do we want Google to do?

 

[Book One]

Besides the YT stuff, are there other reasons for this?

I think it should be noted in the Verge article that this petition was pretty controversial among LGBTQ Google employees.

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that's a pretty massive 'besides'

 

[LL_Decitrig]

So, it's impossible to fight for justice and equality as a LGBT person unless you disagree with the vast majority of LGBT people?

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No. What I'm saying, which I thought was fairly obvious, is that when we started our only allies were on the left, and this didn't compromise our ability to talk truth to power. Now that the oligarchs have their foot in the door, their allies want us to shut up and stop rocking the boat, lest that money stop flowing.

 

[Vincent Alexander]

So glad I finally switched my search engine and am staying away from anything Google as much as possible. Just have to find a new email provider and migrate shit over.