LGBTQ+

Nike has come under scrutiny by some homophobes in recent for years for the company’s embrace of the LGBTQ community. Recently some anti-LGBTQ activists brought their homophobia to a shareholder vote.

It didn’t go so well for them.

Nike’s legendary BeTrue line of shoes, shirts and other apparel was not only a groundbreaking celebration of Pride by a sports-apparel company, but it also funded LGBTQ advocates in sports and beyond.

No doubt, some anti- gay people who decided to buy Nike stock saw a vulnerability growing over the years. The all-time high price for a share of Nike stock came on Nov. 4, 2021 and hit — albeit briefly — $179.10 on that day.

Since then, the company’s stock has crashed. Today, each share is about $36, down about 80% from its high just five years ago.

So at a recent shareholders meeting, some homophobes took the opportunity of the tumbling stock to take aim at the LGBTQ community, and Nike’s long-standing LGBTQ efforts like BeTrue. Some members drew together to propose the company examine its LGBTQ outreach, including support of the trans community. The goal, of course, was to end such outreach and support.

“The proposal was backed by Inspire Investing, a Christian investment firm, and submitted on behalf of shareholder William C. Cunningham,” Edge Media wrote. “It asked Nike to evaluate and report on the legal, financial, competitive and reputational risks associated with its charitable support.”

Former college soccer player Sophia Lorey recorded a message targeting trans athletes that was played during the meeting, in support of the effort to stop Nike’s relationship with the LGBTQ community, according to the New York Post.

So how did it all go?

The homophobes and transphobes were the biggest losers, with the proposal getting support from only 1% of the votes cast by shareholders.