Huge reaction as Toyota shifts away from DEI and pro-LGBTQ events

[The_DADDY]

The car manufacturer will no longer sponsor LGBTQ parades or enforce diversity, equity and inclusion policies, prompting an intense reaction.

Toyota Motor Corp. is planning to move away from DEI and pro-LGBTQ events after recently facing online controversy, according to a new report.

 

Bloomberg reported the company sent out a memo to its US employees last week saying it will “narrow community activities to align with STEM education and workforce readiness” and no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.

 

One week earlier, anti-woke activist and filmmaker Robby Starbuck detailed several woke initiatives within the company, including funding groups that oppose laws to ban gender transition treatments on minors, forming Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) divided by race and gender orientation and sponsoring a drag queen program at a summer camp for kids.

Starbuck complimented Toyota on the decision Thursday and shared more of the memo.

 

In the message to employees, Toyota reportedly said while it will continue to “encourage an inclusive environment where diversity of thought can flourish,” the company will be primarily focusing on activities that promote the quality of the business.

 

“We will work to ensure that the activities and events are focused on professional development, networking, mentoring and volunteering — team member engagement that drives our business. Furthermore, we will work to ensure all company activities are aligned with our values and create an inclusive environment for our team members,” the memo reportedly read.

 

“I have to give the executives credit for taking this unifying action. It’s not easy to do but they’re preparing their business for future success by adopting corporate neutrality. The companies who adopt neutrality will win the future because they don’t violate the core beliefs of the consumers they rely on,” Starbuck wrote on X.

A Toyota spokesman told Bloomberg, “Starbuck’s public attack drew a few hundred queries from employees, questions from a ‘small population’ of dealers and about 30 customer calls to its call centre. He described the impact as ‘negligible’.”

 

The news was met with a strong reaction online.

 

Is this a good move for Toyota? 

Personally I reckon there will be quite a backlash. 

 

Your thoughts?

 

https://www.news.com.au/technology/huge-reaction-as-toyota-shifts-away-from-dei-and-prolgbtq-events/news-story/d9abbcd0523df3d77a859366b670c371

[cressida]

Wiser not to have supported it in the first place.

[geared]

It would probably have been better to just not say anything and not supported anything going forward, not make some public announcement.

 

Who's going to be at an LGBTQ+ event and think to themselves "Where's Toyota in all of this???"

 

Seems like they've made a rod for their own back here.

Edited October 7 by geared

[Mister M]

It seems that Starbuck is busy trying to influence corporate America to ditch various policies associated with concepts he doesn't like under the guise of 'freedom'.

He also like's to make allegations about actors and their parenting choices.

 

Shame he doesn't do something positive with his time and money, rather than interfering in other's business. 

[hackey lad]

25 minutes ago, The_DADDY said:

The car manufacturer will no longer sponsor LGBTQ parades or enforce diversity, equity and inclusion policies, prompting an intense reaction.

Toyota Motor Corp. is planning to move away from DEI and pro-LGBTQ events after recently facing online controversy, according to a new report.

 

Bloomberg reported the company sent out a memo to its US employees last week saying it will “narrow community activities to align with STEM education and workforce readiness” and no longer participate in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index.

 

One week earlier, anti-woke activist and filmmaker Robby Starbuck detailed several woke initiatives within the company, including funding groups that oppose laws to ban gender transition treatments on minors, forming Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) divided by race and gender orientation and sponsoring a drag queen program at a summer camp for kids.

Starbuck complimented Toyota on the decision Thursday and shared more of the memo.

 

In the message to employees, Toyota reportedly said while it will continue to “encourage an inclusive environment where diversity of thought can flourish,” the company will be primarily focusing on activities that promote the quality of the business.

 

“We will work to ensure that the activities and events are focused on professional development, networking, mentoring and volunteering — team member engagement that drives our business. Furthermore, we will work to ensure all company activities are aligned with our values and create an inclusive environment for our team members,” the memo reportedly read.

 

“I have to give the executives credit for taking this unifying action. It’s not easy to do but they’re preparing their business for future success by adopting corporate neutrality. The companies who adopt neutrality will win the future because they don’t violate the core beliefs of the consumers they rely on,” Starbuck wrote on X.

A Toyota spokesman told Bloomberg, “Starbuck’s public attack drew a few hundred queries from employees, questions from a ‘small population’ of dealers and about 30 customer calls to its call centre. He described the impact as ‘negligible’.”

 

The news was met with a strong reaction online.

 

Is this a good move for Toyota? 

Personally I reckon there will be quite a backlash. 

 

Your thoughts?

 

https://www.news.com.au/technology/huge-reaction-as-toyota-shifts-away-from-dei-and-prolgbtq-events/news-story/d9abbcd0523df3d77a859366b670c371

What is DEI ?

[The_DADDY]

Just now, hackey lad said:

What is DEI ?

Diversity 

Equity

Inclusion 

👍

[hackey lad]

Just now, The_DADDY said:

Diversity 

Equity

Inclusion 

👍

. 

[Mister M]

11 minutes ago, hackey lad said:

What is DEI ?

The devil's work apparently 

[RollingJ]

I note this is apparently aimed at the USA market, which has a somewhat different - i.e. more 'conservative' than the UK and Europe.

[peak4]

A longer answer than MisterM with backup links
Alternative viewpoint might be Fox Business story showing another success for a conservative campaigner seeking to influence corporate America.
i.e. lets bring more hate against a vulnerable minority to a town near you; so no great surprise he's being promoted.

Robby Starbuck: the activist pushing US companies to ditch their DEI vows   Financial Times, via archive.ph
Filmmaker and influencer is having success fighting what he sees as ‘leftwing’ ideology in boardrooms

Conservatives looking to reverse corporate America’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion have found a champion in Robby Starbuck, a filmmaker, influencer and “anti-woke” activist.
Though investors, Republican state attorneys-general and litigators have long pressured companies to abandon policies designed to diversify their workforces and support gay rights, few have had as much success as Starbuck.

Who is Robby Starbuck? This is the anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theorist convincing companies to drop DEI   Advocate

Corporations are basing their policies off the words of a man who believes that chemicals turn children LGBTQ+ and the COVID-19 vaccine caused Matthew Perry's death.

He began zeroing in on farming corporations in June by directing his 520,000 X followers to boycott Tractor Supply over its LGBTQ+ resources.

Before turning his attention to corporations, Starbuck made a name for himself attacking transgender people.

He and his wife, Landon, produced a documentary together perpetuating the same conspiracy theory spouted by disgraced commentator Alex Jones — that toxic chemicals are causing children to identify as LGBTQ+.

Starbuck falsely asserted that exposure to the pesticide atrazine turned amphibians "gay,” prompting male frogs to mate — a claim that has been repeatedly debunked.

The right-wing activist riding a wave of opposition to DEI in corporate America  CNN

Starbuck is both riding a wave of right-wing hostility to DEI programs and corporate advocacy on issues like climate change and LGBTQ rights and advancing the opposition himself.

Starbuck and Landon also became vocal supporters of bills in Tennessee banning gender-affirming medical care for minors and criminalizing drag shows on public property or in areas where they could be viewed by a minor.

Starbuck told CNN that corporate DEI programs — generally a mix of employee training, resource networks and recruiting practices to encourage representation among people of different races, genders, classes and other identities— are “evil” and a “Trojan horse for pushing leftism.”

Earlier this year, before Starbuck’s campaign against corporations began, the couple released a film on X baselessly arguing that companies, LGBTQ performers and liberal Americans are indoctrinating and sexualizing children.

The film, “The War on Children,”  was promoted by other right-wing personalities such Musk, Donald Trump Jr. and Republican leaders. 

But Rolling Stone reported that Starbuck and his production team misled interview subjects about the subject of the film and Starbuck’s involvement in it.