In a move that represents the way corporations treat Pride Month when it’s no longer profitable to them, dog toy subscription service BarkBox has come under fire for giving into anti-queer pressure with its June box.
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Former Trump lawyer and senior policy advisor for the anti-queer American Family Association Jenna Ellis recently shared on X how a BarkBox customer service representative expressed how they “understand and respect” her anti-LGBTQ+ beliefs, which she uses her religion to justify.
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In her replies, a fan also revealed a separate conversation with a customer service representative, who revealed that the Pride Month theme is an “optional add-on” that “not all pup parents may be interested in.”
In the days following, a former employee of BarkBox and progressive TikTok star Alexis Nikole Nelson posted an email – initially shared on Reddit – revealing that BarkBox will “pause all paid ads and lifecycle marketing pushes for the Pride kit effective immediately,” with Nelson adding that subscribers have to “choose and pay more for the Pride toys.”
“While celebrating Pride is something we may value, we need to acknowledge that the current climate makes this promotion feel more like a political statement than a universally joyful moment for all dog people,” the email reads before comparing Pride Month merchandise to that themed around Tr*mp’s “Make America Great Again” campaign.
Nelson also confirmed in her replies that they had a recent Harry Potter tie-in, which she vocally opposed given JK Rowling’s hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community.
Matt Meeker, the founder and CEO of BarkBox, made a statement responding to these accusations on X, where he called the leaked email “disrespectful and hurtful to the LGBTQIA+ community,” and apologized. “I do not agree with the content of the message. It wasn’t good. It doesn’t reflect our values, and I’m deeply sorry that it happened.”
He went further, advertising the Pride Collection on their website and mentioning that they will donate 100% of the revenue from this collection to a “worthy organization supporting the LGBTQIA+ community.”
“I sincerely apologize and know that message was unacceptable and hurtful. We always welcome honest criticism from our community and heard everyone who reached out. I know a statement can’t fully rebuild trust and connections with people, so we’ll have to earn that again over time. I hope we can start with a sincere apology.”
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