Amazon removes references to 'LGBTQ+ rights' and 'black equity' from company policy
It was discovered that statements that existed on Amazon pledging its commitment to 'Black equity' and 'LGBTQ+ rights' were removed from pages on the company's website in December 2024, and that references to the word 'transgender' had likewise been removed.
Amazon removes commitment to transgender and Black rights from policies - The Washington Post
Jeff Bezos deletes 'LGBTQ+ rights' and 'equity for Black people' from Amazon corporate policies - Irish Star
https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/jeff-bezos-deletes-lgbtq-rights-34533955
Amazon Erases LGBTQ Rights Support from Website - Metro Weekly
https://www.metroweekly.com/2025/01/amazon-erases-lgbtq-rights-support-from-website/
According to the Washington Post, Amazon's website previously contained a statement saying that the company stood in solidarity with Black employees and customers and supported legislation to combat police misconduct and racial bias, efforts to protect and expand voting rights, and efforts to improve health and education outcomes for Black people, but the section was later removed.
Also removed from the website were statements expressing support for federal and state laws that would provide legal protections for transgender people, as well as statements praising the company's benefits for transgender employees. Among the statements removed was one that said Amazon 'offers gender transition benefits for transgender people that are consistent with the Global Professional Association's Standards of Care.'
In place of the above statement, Amazon has issued a statement saying it is 'committed to building a diverse and inclusive company to provide the best products and services to our diverse customer base,' and has updated its ' Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ' section to a more general statement that 'we do not tolerate unfair treatment of anyone, including Black people, LGBTQ+ people, Asian people, women, or anyone else.'
Some employees expressed concern that Amazon's removal of the gender-sensitive health benefits section may mean the company is moving away from LGBTQ+ inclusive workplace policies and that they may not be able to get gender-sensitive health insurance in the future, but an Amazon spokesperson said, 'We offer the same benefits today.' The Amazon spokesperson added, 'The company continually updates its policies on its website to reflect updates to various programs and roles.'
The change, combined with President Donald Trump's decision to revoke a previous administration's executive order on diversity, equity and inclusion on his first day in office, raised concerns that it was an attempt to court conservatives who view pro-diversity efforts as 'racist' or a form of 'racism.'
President Trump immediately rescinds about 80 executive orders from the previous administration, scrapping AI regulations and LGBT equality initiatives - GIGAZINE
Another large technology company, Apple, has reportedly asked shareholders to oppose a proposal by a conservative think tank to eliminate its diversity, equity and inclusion program, which is expected to be voted on at Apple's annual shareholder meeting on February 25, 2025. Meanwhile, Meta has announced that it will eliminate its diversity, equity and inclusion program, which is used for hiring, training and supplier selection.
Meta scraps diversity, equity and inclusion program following fact-checking - GIGAZINE
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