End Pinkwashing Now: Drop Unethical Sponsors at Leeds Pride

We, the undersigned, demand an end to corporate pinkwashing and unethical sponsorships at leeds pride, in particular: Jet2, First Direct, and Walker & Morris for their links to the defence industry and William Hill due to the gambling industry disproportionately affecting the LGBTQ+ community, especially racialised LGBTQ+ people.

Jet2 and First Direct (owned by HSBC) also have links to companies which are profiting from apartheid and genocide in occupied Palestine, such as: Boeing, Chevron, Caterpillar, Palantir and BDS targets like McDonalds and Coca-Cola.

Additionally, HSBC invests heavily in animal agriculture which is harming animals, indigenous people, public health and the environment.

The origins of pride are in protest and liberation. Pride is a commemoration of the Stonewall Riots where queer people, many of whom were People of Colour, fought back against raids and violent policing in their communities. At this present time of widespread resistance, pride events should reflect these origins instead of existing as a corporate parade to bring revenue into the local economy.

We want Leeds Pride Community Group Ltd to:
· Drop First Direct, Jet2, William Hill and Walker & Morris as sponsors due to their unethical and exploitative business practices
· Take measures to commit to more ethical sponsorship (or no sponsorship, community funding, or downsizing etc) in the future.
· Publicly acknowledge the on-going genocide in Palestine
· Stop working with cops and create new ways of keeping the community safe instead of policing it
· Prioritise actual inclusion of marginalised lgbtqia+ people of intersecting identities (people of colour, refugees, disabled people etc) instead of focusing on profits and sponsorships. We suggest that you give members of the aforementioned groups decision making power within your company.