Amazon’s modifications mirror similar actions taken by other major companies after Trump’s election victory, including Meta, McDonald’s, and Walmart
Amazon has recently made several major internal changes, including removing statements advocating for LGBTQ rights and racial equity from its public listing of corporate policies. This is a bold move for the second-largest employer in the world, which also just announced a documentary with First Lady Melania Trump.
The deletion of previous statements pledging to commit to “equity for Black people” and “LGBTQ+ rights” were removed from a page on the company’s website in December, as were any mentions of the word “transgender,” according to The Washington Post.
References to federal and state laws that safeguard transgender individuals, along with mentions of the company’s health benefits for transgender employees, were also omitted.
Amazon’s decision to eliminate the section on gender-affirming healthcare benefits has sparked concerns that employees may lose insurance coverage for gender-affirming treatments. Other statements regarding pro-diversity efforts, initiatives, or pro-LGBTQ public policy positions, such as support for federal legislation like the Equality Act, are gone. Instead, the major retailer has opted for a more generic statement opposing discrimination.
We also believe that inequitable treatment of anyone — including Black people, LGBTQ+ people, Asians, women, and others — is unacceptable, and we advocate for policies designed to remove barriers to equity and create an inclusive environment for all employees,” the website reads.
A once-champion of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” now says: “We appreciate that our 1.4 million team members reflect the world’s diversity.”
Amazon’s modifications mirror similar actions taken by other major companies after Trump’s election victory, including Meta, McDonald’s, and Walmart.