Starbucks’ workers’ union alleged the coffee chain banned in-store Pride decorations halfway through Pride Month — but Starbucks alleges that no such policy exists.
Starbucks Workers United tweeted on Tuesday: “In the middle of Pride Month, Starbucks BANS Pride decorations in stores across the United States” — accusing Starbucks of crumbling under pressure from anti-LGBTQ consumers that have been fired up in recent weeks
In the thread that ensued, the union — which represents more than 40,000 workers across 325-plus Starbucks outposts, according to its website — tweeted that workers confirmed the ban.
“This seems to be the first year the publicly ‘pro-LGBTQ+’ company has taken this kind of stance,” it added.
However, Starbucks spokesperson Andrew Trull denied the reports to The Post on Wednesday.
“We unwaveringly support the LGBTQIA2+ community,” he told The Post.
Trull continued: “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 especially as it relates to our inclusive store environments, our company culture and the benefits we offer our partners.”
Meanwhile, workers in Oklahoma were reportedly ordered to remove rainbow paraphernalia from multiple stores, with leadership telling baristas “It was a safety issue related to the recent attacks on Target,” Starbucks Workers United spokesperson Casey Moore told The Daily Beast.
Target, which has been on the receiving end of anti-Pride attacks since it released its Pride merchandise — which features clothing for infants and “tuck-friendly” swimwear for women — most recently received bomb threats for “betraying the LGBTQ+ community.”
The Washington Post reported that Target stores in Oklahoma, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Louisiana received threats, though no explosives were discovered.
Weeks prior, the cheap-chic retailer stripped its shelves of Pride merchandise, with executives citing worries about workers’ safety.
Starbucks workers in Massachusetts, meanwhile, claim they were told “they didn’t have any labor hours to decorate for Pride” in a move to seemingly avoid the same fate as Target, The Beast reported.
And in Madison, Wis., workers posted on Instagram about having to strip the coffee shop of Pride decorations because they weren’t “welcoming for everyone.”
Starbucks has publicly marketed a pro-LGBTQ+ agenda, including with an ad in India featuring a trans actress that promotes inclusivity.
The two-minute video shows a supportive mother and wary father meeting their daughter, played by a transgender Indian actress, at a Starbucks.
The father has not seen his child since her name was Arpit, before her transition.
The father is visibly struggling with accepting his daughter when he gets up to order coffee.
The barista then announces the drinks are ready for “Arpita,” a more feminine spin on the daughter’s pre-transition name and an indication that the father is working towards acceptance.
This story originally appeared on NYPost
