Starbucks says no nationwide ban on pride decorations

"BREAKING: In the middle of Pride Month, Starbucks BANS decorations in stores across the United States," says a June 13, 2023 tweet shared by Starbucks Workers United, a unionized collective of Starbucks staff.

The claim was amplified by conservative commentators, who framed the purported ban as a victory.

"Breaking: Starbucks has banned Pride decorations in its stores halfway through Pride Month, the company’s workers union has revealed. Leftwing Trans activists claim this means Starbucks is 'caving,'" says a June 13 tweet shared by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

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Screenshot of a tweet taken June 21, 2023

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Screenshot of a tweet taken June 21, 2023

 

More examples of the claim with missing context can be found elsewhere on Twitter, Facebook and TikTok.

A surge in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and disinformation surfaced around pride month in June, and companies including Target and Bud Light faced boycotts and attacks by far-right groups for promoting LGBTQ products and personalities. This led to threats of violence after political commentators shared false claims.

Starbucks is the latest company to face controversy. Union workers have petitioned to maintain pride decorations -- claiming this was encouraged in past years and speculating that the recent LGBTQ backlash prompted a reversal.

"In stores across the country, Starbucks has refused to let workers decorate for pride and is also taking down pride flags. This is contrary to previous years when workers were allowed and even encouraged, to put up pride decorations without incident," says a June 13 press release shared by the workers union on Twitter.

But Starbucks says there is no companywide ban on these decorations and maintains that the LGBTQ community has its "unwavering support."

A company spokesperson told AFP in a statement: "There has been no change to any policy on this matter and we continue to encourage our store leaders to celebrate with their communities including for US Pride month in June. We're deeply concerned by false information that is being spread."

Starbucks Workers United claims employees in several states have been told by managers that they cannot put up pride decorations, including in Oklahoma, amid safety concerns after bomb threats made against companies that have recently come under fire for LGBTQ partnerships, the union told Forbes.

AFP visited several local Starbucks locations in Washington, DC where pride-themed decorations were on display. We also reached out to Starbucks Workers United, but a response was not forthcoming.

More of AFP's reporting on LGBTQ-related misinformation is available here.