General Motors was also mentioned.
June is Pride Month. There are many parades, and other events throughout the country. Last week, Toyota joined other large brands to sponsor LA Pride. This is one of the biggest events in the country. Data For Progress identified Toyota and its franchisees as the biggest corporate donors to anti-LGBTQ+ political candidates just weeks before.
The Pride Corporate Accountability Project was an activist group that compiled a list of companies and the contributions they made to politicians who oppose or have opposed legislation such as the Equality Act. This would prohibit discrimination against people based on their gender identity or sexual orientation. This data provides even more detail, identifying companies that sponsor Pride events. Toyota, its franchisees, contributed $601,500 to the total of $601,500 between 2019 and 2022.
Source: Data For Progress
The automaker’s participation at Pride events is an admirable step. However, simultaneous donations to people in power preventing progress in human rights is a bizarre juxtaposition.
The majority of the money came from Toyota Gulf States Inc. which is an independent distributor of Toyota cars and gave $580,000 to Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The governor has been a strong opponent of the Equality Act, and has taken numerous actions against LGBTQ+ Texans in his tenure. Recently, the governor ordered state officials investigate trans youths who undergo gender-affirming surgery as “child abuse”.
The same Toyota franchisee group also donated $15,000 to Texas Attorney-General Ken Paxton. He was criticised for comparing Austin Pride to “human sex instruction” and alleging that it violated Texas law.
When asked about their comments, a spokesperson for Toyota Motor North America stated the following:
“Please note that the vast majority of political giving attributed ‘Toyota to’ is not connected to our company (Toyota Motor North American, or TMNA). TMNA does not have any financial control, influence or control over the management of political donations, and all but $5,000 of these contributions were made by other companies. We respectfully request that the referenced company be clarified.
McKenzie Wilson, Data For Progress Communications Director, responded that campaign finance researchers often lump franchises together.
She said, “Most corporations use a complex network state-specific PACs and subsidiaries, franchises etc. To obfuscate corporate giving and allow them more to give than they would otherwise if there are spending or contribution limits.
This is not a rare occurrence in the automotive industry. General Motors, a company that signed Human Rights Campaign’s business statement against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, also donated to those politicians who voted for such measures. Abbott again was the main recipient of contributions totaling $48,500 in the past three years.
A GM representative acknowledged that the company had signed the HRC statement. He also said that political contributions are made to those officials whose ideas most align. This could be interpreted as implying that Greg Abbott could also be included.
“The GM Employee-Funded PAC supports the election U.S. Federal and State Candidates from Both Sides of the Atlantic. They promote sound business policies, support American Workers and understand the importance a strong domestic auto industry in our pursuit of an all-electric future. GM has been vocal about its commitment to the LGBTQ community and is a signatory to the Human Rights Campaign’s Statement Opposing Anti LQBTQ State Legislation.
It’s no surprise that Toyota and General Motors have different business interests in the country. As we look back at the social progress made during Pride month, it is important to remember that corporate sponsorship and support can come with a price.
