What's Up, Zuck? Even Shrek Knows You're Ditching Pride!

Once Upon a Time in Silicon Valley...

Alright gather 'round you donkeys! Shrek's got a story for ya and it ain't no fairy tale. It's about that fella Zuckerberg and his Meta muck. Seems like just yesterday he was all buddy buddy with the SF Pride folks. Executive Director Suzanne Ford remembers Zuck personally calling to make sure Facebook – back when it was just plain old Facebook – got a spot in the parade. Like a desperate fella begging for a crumb of acceptance. But now? He's gone quieter than a mouse in a church!

The Plot Thickens (Like Swamp Mud)

Back in '15 SF Pride almost gave Facebook the boot because of their silly 'real names only' policy. The LGBTQ+ folks were rightfully steamed – bad guys were using it to bully transgender users and others. Zuck fixed it then even called up the then Executive Director George Ridgely himself to get back in the parade. But now after Meta slimed those diversity programs and loosened up on content moderation? Well let's just say the relationship's gone sour like milk left out in the sun or me after someone's disturbed my swamp!

He's Making Friends in High Places!

Word on the street – or in the swamp anyway – is that Zuck's been trying to cozy up to President Trump. And since Trump's been poking around DEI initiatives Zuck's been running scared like a gingerbread man with a short temper. Ford hasn't heard from Zuck or his Meta minions since SF Pride gave 'em the ol' heave ho in March. What happened to "Some of you may die but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make" attitude?

More Companies Cutting Ties Ogre My!

Meta ain't the only one ditching SF Pride. Anheuser Busch Comcast Diageo Nissan… all gone! Ford says it stings extra bad since SF Pride's practically next door to Meta and the whole tech circus. Alphabet the parent company of Google bailed too. "Creative and wonderful people want to come to San Francisco — it's not the drinking water — but they come here because you can be yourself here," she said. "You can love who you love you can be who you are and you don't have to march to any certain drumbeat."

Money Talks and Sponsorships Walk

Tech companies used to cough up a big chunk of SF Pride's funding – about 15%. But now their budget's down $180,000 all because corporate sponsors are scarcer than a handsome prince at a goblin convention. Apple Amazon and Salesforce are still chipping in but the silence from the rest of the tech world is louder than Donkey singing off key. Even OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman who’s part of the LGBTQ+ community and married in 2024 has been quiet. It's painful according to Ford because Sam is a member of our community and he certainly has resources.

Scared Shrekless!

The real reason these companies are backing off? Fear! Fear of lawsuits fear of Trump's wrath fear of a social media smackdown. Amy Dufrane from HRCI says everyone's pulling back from DEI quicker than me from a bad onion. Some companies are even donating anonymously so they don't get a royal ogre ing. But Ford's holding out hope saying the door's still open for Zuck to come back and make things right. "We have got to leave space for people to change we got to leave space like if at Meta there's a leadership change or they come to the realization that this is just bad the track they're going down is wrong," Ford said. "I want to leave space for them to come and have a discussion with us and to show us that they are in line with our values."