Its mid April, but Anil Ukarande, founder of Yutak Trust — an organisation working for the LGBTQA+ community in Pune — is yet to get any clarity about corporates who would participate in the upcoming Pune Pride in June. “Last year, by this time we had almost everything ready – on who is going to participate and which company would participate with their company banner, but this year we have no idea. The companies who were so enthusiastic about diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) have turned cold,” he said.
Ukaranade says this was expected after US President Donald Trump returned to power. “Many Indian companies whose headquarters are in the USA are waiting for clarity — but from what I have been given to understand is that they are going soft,” he said.
Its not just the Pride march which has seen corporates sing a different tune – from funding to sensitisation sessions, Indian offices of US-based companies have all of a sudden gone silent. This follows a similar practice in the US where companies have stopped their DEI initiatives post Trump’s second stint at the White House.
One of the first acts that Trump undertook after taking oath was to scrap the third gender option. USAID, the global fund which used to fund a lot of DEI initiatives, was also scrapped. Companies fund these initiatives through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, which they are mandated to spend as per the law. Funding for gender equality has been mostly in the tune of Rs 50 crore – Rs 80 crore and had peaked to Rs 119.83 crore in the fiscal year of 2022-23.
Corporates, Ukarande said, normally start their planning in February and start talking to organisations like Yutak. “Its not just about the pride – mostly throughout June they hold sensitisation workshops – but this year we have not been approached much. They are either waiting for clearance from the US headquarters or might have scrapped their plans,” he said.
Rahul Upadhyay, co-president of Interpride — an international organisation which coordinates Pride intitiatives in over 70 countries — said that worldwide, corporates have dropped out. Upadhyay, who is also the founder and director of Gandhinagar Queer Pride Foundation (GQPF), said, in smaller cities funding have all but dried up.
“Last year I conducted over 20 sensitisation workshops in corporates as well as educational institutes but this year corporates have all but vanished,” they said.
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In a city like Gandhinagar, where awareness and sensitisation is low, a young organisation like GQPF, which was registered in 2022, has seen a crunch in funds, making it hard to conduct operations.
GQPF, organises free HIV testing as well as tie-ups with ART (anti-retroviral therapy) centres for people who test positive. “Our work includes distribution of free condoms, counselling and helping queer couples and individuals who face violence,” they said. The Indian Pride Festival is their flagship event and finding sponsors for the same has become difficult.
Upadhyay, was critical of what they said was “tokenism” among corporates. “When they require something done, they approach us, but when we want some help they do not even answer our emails,” they said.
In Pune, MIST LGBTQ Foundation has also been facing problems since USAID funding was rescinded.
“In anticipation of the pride month, corporates used to place bulk orders for merchandise like Pride flags or badges… we have seen them drying up,” said Shyam Konnur, founder-director of MIST.
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As many organisations grapple with funding issues, Humsafar Trust, a 25-year-old organisation, might have a way out. Vivek Raj Anand , CEO of the Trust, said, they have decided to redraw their strategy to help them fund activities they are into. “We have decided to monetise our property for Gulabi Mela – which is a land mark event for us. We will hold this Mela in various cities and invite sponsors,” he said. Anand mentioned that of late many Indian MNCs have also opened up about funding DEI initiatives and they are also to tap the same.