For Pride Weekend, Bar Bans Budweiser Due to 'Donations That Fuel Hate'

Budweiser’s no bud of theirs.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Stonewall Inn, it’s a famed gay bar in Manhattan.

The Greenwich Village tavern was the location of 1969’s Stonewall riots, considered to be a seminal moment in the fight for homosexual liberation.

And due to shady circumstances, a liquid’s getting liberated — the establishment’s bouncing products by Anheuser-Busch.

So if you want a Busch beer, so far as the establishment’s concerned, you’ll have to head for the mountains.

And why?

As reported by The Hill, it’s related to June being Pride Month.

It turns out the alcohol producer’s pushed cash to politicians allegedly opposed to the LGBTQ cause.

In the words of the outlet, per data from the Keep Your Pride Campaign, “Since 2015, Anheuser-Busch has donated $35,350 to anti-LGBTQ legislators.”

Over six years, that’s a drop in the bucket — Forbes indicates that, as of May, the Belgium biggie boasted a market cap of over $134 billion.

The beverage behemoth’s contributions were to congresspeople in Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

In a statement, Stonewall Inn co-owner Kurt Kelly stumped for the Equality Act and stomped on Anheuser-Busch:

“We’re horrified to see so-called allies supporting lawmakers who would make life harder for anyone in our community. We urge [the company] and [others] doing this to publicly commit to stop donating to anti-LGBTQ politicians and use their lobbying power to support the Equality Act.”

Meanwhile, Pride Month seems to be getting more attention than ever.

As I wrote previously, I ordered a pizza last week, and the box bore an LGBT sticker.

We’ve got Prideful cereal…

Kelloggs Launches Gay Pride Cereal That Encourages Buyer to Choose Characters’ Pronouns https://t.co/8vS322daAn pic.twitter.com/0Rbz9kaCsk

— Blacklisted News (@BlacklistedNews) May 25, 2021

Prideful pitchers…

⚾️ History making from the San Francisco Giants – the first @MLB team to wear #Pride uniforms! 🙌 https://t.co/wOCuxtAEK2

— Sports Media LGBT+ (@SportsMediaLGBT) June 6, 2021

The LGBT at Langley…

In celebration of #Pride Month, our front entrance @NASA sign is all lit up with alternating rainbow colors! The illumination serves as an ongoing symbol of support, hope and unity for all of us. 🏳️‍🌈 pic.twitter.com/Q6NsAYNL3O

— NASA Langley Research Center (@NASA_Langley) June 23, 2021

And a gay Raider:

Las Vegas Raiders DE Carl Nassib comes out as gay

He also announced a $100K donation to the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth. pic.twitter.com/5Xobd9s0pp

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 21, 2021

And in Times Square, the feeling is festive:

Times Square Colors in celebration of #PrideMonth

📍Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York City pic.twitter.com/OBnOjdTNlR

— Noel Y. Calingasan • NYC (@nyclovesnyc) June 23, 2021

It’s sure to be even more lit this weekend — it’s NYC’s Pride Weekend.

And that — incidentally — is when Budweiser will get the boot.

From The Hill:

[S]tonewall…is banning Anheuser-Busch…during New York City’s Pride weekend because of the company’s donations to lawmakers behind bills that it says target transgender youth.

It sounds as if Bud may be back on the bar starting Monday.

If they don’t wanna support the products, why serve ’em again?

And if the drinks are so popular that the Inn will go back to offering them, why deprive Saturday celebrants of the fantastic flavor?

Presumably, they’ve got their reasons.

Either way, Anheuser-Busch covers a lot of territory.

Here’s but a taste:

Budweiser

Bud Light

Michelob Ultra

Stella Artois

Busch Beer

Natural Light

Estrella Jalisco

Landshark Lager

In a press release to The Hill, Anheuser-Busch said it’s partnered with multiple LGBTQ groups.

And:

Our company and our brands are focused on making a positive and lasting impact when it comes to issues of equality.

Nonetheless, Stonewall Inn co-owner Stacy Lentz didn’t beat around the Busch. She kicked it in the can:

“You can’t turn your logo rainbow on social media, call yourself an ally, and then turn around and make donations that fuel hate. There are really no excuses, and companies like Anheuser-Busch need to own up to what they’ve done.”

Budweiser, get wiser, bud.

In the meantime, at the Stonewall…Anheuser-Busch is being stonewalled.

-ALEX