The CEO of BarkBox apologized after a “disrespectful” internal message about the company’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month campaign surfaced online.
Why It Matters
Companies like BarkBox, a monthly subscription service that provides dog products and services to pet owners, have for years voiced support for the LGBTQ+ community and featured products celebrating Pride Month in June. However, some have argued that businesses should stay neutral on issues like LGBTQ+ rights to avoid alienating more conservative consumers.
There have been large protests against companies that have participated in Pride Month celebrations in recent years, including Bud Light and Target.
The LGBTQ+ community and its allies view Pride Month as a critical celebration of the community’s progress in securing victories, such as same-sex marriage and other legal protections. But it’s also a call to action to continue advancing rights and tolerance, particularly amid recent spikes in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and hate crimes.
GLAAD, a LGBTQ+ media advocacy group, reported there were 2.5 anti-LGBTQ+ incidents each day in 2024.
What to Know
BarkBox CEO Matt Meeker responded to the backlash the company faced over the internal message in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday morning.
The internal message, which was posted to Reddit earlier this week, stated that the company planned to pause paid ads for the Pride products and that the “current climate makes this promotion feel more like a political statement than a universally joyful moment for all dog people.”
“I apologize. A few days ago, an internal message from a BARK team member was released on social media. The message was disrespectful and hurtful to the LGBTQIA+ community, and as the CEO of BARK, I’m responsible for that,” Meeker wrote. “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 said that the Pride collection is still available online and will be “placed prominently” on the homepage.
Newsweek reached out to BarkBox for further comment via email.
The company faced backlash from some conservatives, such as Jenna Ellis, a former attorney for President Donald Trump. She posted on X last week that she decided to pause her BarkBox subscription, citing religious objections to the Pride-themed products.
Ellis told Newsweek on Wednesday that in response to the statement, she planned to cancel her subscription and that the company should not “double down on political virtue signaling” to regain trust.
BarkBox said its 2025 Pride merchandise, including products such as “Slay the Dragon Queen” and “Pride March of the Penguins,” would be available only through optional add-ons, not as part of standard subscription boxes.
The situation has sparked backlash from both conservatives, who want companies to stay neutral, and LGBTQ+ advocates, who view the company’s stance as a retreat on its support for the community, as many companies appear to reduce their Pride campaigns this year.
What People Are Saying
Alexis Nikole Nelson, a forager, cook and social media influencer, on X: “My former employer paused all marketing on Pride toys and cancelled donating the proceeds to a great org because… *checks notes* … a single bigot doesn’t understand how BarkBox works? You literally have to CHOOSE and PAY MORE for the Pride toys. Happy Pride, gang.”
Jenna Ellis told Newsweek: “The CEO’s apology is disappointing. Rather than listening to reasonable concerns from his own leadership about neutrality and broad customer respect, he seems more concerned with appeasing backlash from a small woke segment. If BarkBox truly valued inclusion, they should stay neutral and respect all customers—not just those aligned with the CEO’s apparent politics.”
GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, in a statement in May: “Support for LGBTQ people and employees remains a business imperative that bonds companies to consumers and unites our country. Companies and leaders must listen to consumers who are demanding that brands prioritize values of freedom, inclusion and growth over rank politics. With LGBTQ, Black, and Hispanic consumers growing exponentially, companies that bow to opponents of inclusion will miss out on key growth segments.”
What Happens Next
BarkBox’s CEO said the company will continue to highlight the products on their website and increase donations to an organization supporting the LGBTQ+ community.
The debate over LGBTQ+ Pride Month will likely continue over the coming weeks.
The post BarkBox CEO Apologizes for ‘Disrespectful’ Message About Pride Merchandise appeared first on Newsweek.
