Home Depot Hammered for Response to Fox News ‘Nail in the Coffin’ Story
A backlash erupted on social media platform X directed at Home Depot following its association with an LGBTQ program linked to an article by Fox News. The article scrutinized Home Depot’s collaborations, notably with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), over a program that provides LGBTQ education to elementary students, including lessons on “pansexual” identities and being ”nonbinary.” In response to the controversy, Home Depot stated that they ended their partnerships with HRC in 2023 and emphasized their previous funding aimed at preventing bullying through educational conferences.
However, many users critiqued Home Depot for engaging with divisive political issues, suggesting that the company should focus on its core business and funding vocational programs instead. Critics pointed out the construction industry’s lack of LGBTQ representation and raised concerns about the appropriateness of Home Depot’s involvement in political matters.
Notably, Home Depot’s co-founder Bernie Marcus, known for his conservative views, has previously criticized political correctness and expressed disdain for the current administration, indicating a potential disconnect between the company’s actions and its leadership’s beliefs. The situation highlights the challenges companies face in navigating social issues while maintaining their public image and business focus.
Users on the social media platform X hammered The Home Depot for its response to a Fox News story about alleged ties to a wildly progressive social program.
Fox News called the discovery a “nail in the coffin” for Home Depot in its Wednesday X post.
“Home Depot is under the microscope after partnering with an LGBTQ program that provided elementary students with information on ‘pansexual’ identities and being ‘nonbinary,’” Fox News’ post read.
In the Fox Business article this post linked to, Home Depot’s “Diversity Partnerships” were put under a microscope, including a disturbing school program arranged by the Human Rights Campaign.
According to Fox Business, the HRC “Welcoming Schools” program sees students educated on LGBT terms, also offering LGBT resources and lesson plans to further this goal.
“A simple way to explain this to students is that when a baby is born, a doctor or midwife looks at their body/anatomy and says they are a girl, boy or intersex,” one lesson plan said.
“However, babies can’t talk yet, so they can’t tell us how they feel. When they start to talk, they may say they are a girl or a boy, both or neither.”
A spokesperson for the home improvement chain told Fox Business that its partnerships with HRC ended in 2023, and directed further questions to the HRC.
Home Depot was quick to react, posting a response six minutes after the original post was published.
“The Home Depot stopped working with HRC last year,” the company wrote in a reply to the Fox News X post. “In the past, we had funded … two conferences that trained educators on how to prevent bullying.”
The Home Depot stopped working with HRC last year. In the past, we had funded two conferences that trained educators on how to prevent bullying.
— The Home Depot (@HomeDepot) August 28, 2024
Users were quick to dismiss Home Depot’s protest, instead questioning why the company became involved with polarizing political issues in the first place.
After all, the construction industry is not known for its LGBT representation.
Others questioned why Home Depot didn’t instead fund apprenticeship or training programs instead of a progressive initiative.
Well, I would strongly suggest you stick to your home improvement business model and stay out of politics altogether so you investors don’t suffer.
— Sherry L Moran (@SMoran48602719) August 28, 2024
Bullying and anti-bullying has been around for ages. Why partner with HRC on this? Were there no others?
— WhosYourDaddy (@WhosYou42922607) August 28, 2024
You shouldn’t be doing that either. Why aren’t you helping support job programs and apprenticeship programs?
— Gabrielle Clark (@GabsClark5) August 28, 2024
While Home Depot may be struggling with its image and political positioning, the co-founder’s own beliefs are well-known in conservative circles.
Bernie Marcus, who helped launch Home Depot with Arthur Blank in 1979, is no fan of President Joe Biden and has lamented the grip of woke authority on America.
“We used to have free speech here. We don’t have it,” Marcus said last year. “The woke people have taken over the world. You know, I imagine today they can’t attack me. I’m 93. Who gives a crap about Bernie Marcus?”
Marcus blamed Biden for much of the country’s current economic troubles and openly endorsed former President Donald Trump.
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