Yesterday, @Primark and @stonewalluk announced a partnership where Primark sell their 'Pride range' across the UK and western Europe and donate 20% of profits to Stonewall. I asked some questions, but got no answers. So I'll try again. A thread 👇 
First, according to his Twitter timeline, the buyer for this range @glenrules is currently in Bangladesh, where homosexual acts are punishable by life imprisonment. In which countries was the range manufactured?
There is no 'acceptance without exception' if the people producing these products are facing prejudice, discrimination and state-sponsored homophobia every day. (Here's @ILGAWORLD's index on Asia ilga.org/downloads/2017…)
Second, how will @stonewalluk use the funds to support the Pride movement? Primark Newcastle will be selling this range; just last week @northernprideuk announced their event was being scaled back due to a lack of funds.
Third, why is the range being sold in cities where @stonewalluk are not attending the Pride event? In some of these cities, the Pride is itself selling merchandise, and this could harm their sales.
Fourth, have either @stonewalluk or @Primark had any conversations with Pride organisers in any of the cities where this range is being sold? Were their views taken into account?
Fifth, do @stonewalluk think it's appropriate to be setting up a partnership that will be in direct competition to Prides who sell their own merchandise? Merch sales can be an important income stream and Prides struggle for money every year (whereas Stonewall has a £5m reserve).
Sixth, what activities do @stonewalluk undertake in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Spain or Portugal? I've never seen them at a Pride there and it seems odd for LGBTI people in Lisbon, Paris, Antwerp, Madrid or Amsterdam to be funding a UK charity.
And finally, do @stonewalluk have any plans to give *strategic* support to the Pride movement (UK or abroad) in the next year? It would be a great way to invest the many thousands of pounds they raise from this partnership.
Why does any of this matter? Because @stonewalluk are endorsing @Primark and, to the person on the street, that will mean that the whole LGBTI movement is endorsing Primark. Prides will get questions about this and we need answers.
For the record, I don't oppose corporate involvement in Pride. In fact, I think it's a force for good. But there are legitimate questions. Let's hope for some answers.
The end! 🏳️🌈
The end! 🏳️🌈
Clarification: it’s 20% of sales, not profits, that’s going to @stonewalluk. So it’s even more than first thought.
I’m now getting messages and calls from journalists. Seems this has legs.
There's a statement coming from @UKPrideNetwork on this in the next hour.
Here's the statement on the @UKPrideNetwork website. ukpon.lgbt/2018/05/22/132…
Ah, I've had an email from Primark's CSR team. It just contains the same text as their PR piece from yesterday. I've asked specific questions about the countries of origin, and whether Primark had contact with any Pride organisations.
I find @stonewalluk's silence deafening. They have criticised Prides - run by vols - for not responding quickly in the past. Today their huge staff team have been instructed to say nothing and not respond. They don't like their own feet being held to the fire, that's for sure.
This @Primark t-shirt in aid of @Stonewalluk was made in Turkey, third worst European country for LGBT people. Last year, three Prides there were banned, and activists arrested. And Ankara's governor has banned all LGBT events.
Imagine that. Imagine living in a country where you have to hide your sexuality, for fear of violence, reprisals or worse. Imagine working in Primark's factory, churning out this stuff. That is not acceptance without exception, by anyone's standards.
It’s now over 24 hours and not a word from @stonewalluk. They were always keen to communicate when I was a donor and supporter.
To those of us with legitimate questions about their @Primark partnership, their attitude appears to be 🤐 and 🖕🏽. Contemptible.
To those of us with legitimate questions about their @Primark partnership, their attitude appears to be 🤐 and 🖕🏽. Contemptible.
The story (with tweets from @MattHemes and @MrDanielBrowne) is now making the news in Italy. gay.it/primo-piano/ne…
Anyway, this is what Pride looks like in Turkey. Banned, attacked by police, tear gas and rubber bullets, activists detained. Hope they made it back to work on Monday, in the @Primark factory producing t-shirts for @stonewalluk.
UPDATE: @Primark have confirmed that their @stonewalluk products are produced in Turkey, China and Myanmar.
I've already posted about the gross human rights abuses of LGBTI people in Turkey. In China, homosexuality is legal but organisations like @stonewalluk are banned by law.
And in Myanmar, homsexual acts are illegal, punishable by up to ten years in prison. And according to @ILGAWORLD, there have been recent arrests. ilga.org/maps-sexual-or…
There now can be NO DOUBT about the ethics of this dodgy deal between @stonewalluk and @Primark. And yet Stonewall remain silent. How long can they keep showing utter contempt for us, ignoring our questions and pretending there isn't a major, major issue?
I think it's now quite legitimate for Pride organisers to ask people NOT to wear this Primark range at their Pride. Pride is a human rights event; these products represent gross human rights violations. #NoPrideInPrimark @UKPrideNetwork
It's very clear there is absolutely #NoPrideInPrimark
As lessons in how-not-to-do-PR, and how-to-not-answer-questions, this from @stonewalluk takes quite some beating. stonewall.org.uk/our-work/blog/…
They have said nothing, NOTHING about how they will support the Pride movement (NB: Stonewall being there selling t-shirts is not support), and nothing on the production of @Primark’s revolting Pride range that’s produced in countries where it’s illegal to be LGBT.
Prides should ask people to boycott this awful @Primark range, and not support oppressive human rights abuses. I imagine some Prides will also be discussing whether or not @stonewalluk should even *be* at their Prides. #NoPrideInPrimark
The subtext to @stonewalluk’s *blog* on this mess is, ‘We know Primark produce this stuff in countries where being gay lands you in jail. But we’re organising six youth pride events, so that’s okay.’ It’s offensive. #NoPrideInPrimark stonewall.org.uk/our-work/blog/…
This issue is not going to go away. As one of the founders of @UKPrideNetwork (though I am no longer on the Board there) I’m confident they won’t take @stonewalluk’s pathetic blogpost today as an answer. We will stand up to this hypocrisy. #NoPrideInStonewall
I’ve learned that a trustee of Stonewall has resigned (or is about to do so) over this tawdry deal with @Primark. I know and have huge respect for the person concerned and have asked them if this rumour is true. #NoPrideInPrimark
Stonewall, by partnering with Primark, are supporting a country that abuses its LGBT people. This excellent piece by @CharlottEngland lifts the lid on life for people in Myanmar, where Primark make their Pride range. #NoPrideInPrimark refinery29.uk/2016/06/112097…
It’s time that @stonewalluk and @ruth_hunt offered a meeting with me, @UKPrideNetwork and perhaps others, to discuss this fiasco and find a way forward. They have all my contact details; I await their contact. #NoPrideInPrimark
Primark's Pride Range Is A Disgrace - There's #NoPrideInPrimark. huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/theres-n…
The @UKPrideNetwork and @EuroPride have asked for a meeting with the head of @stonewalluk, but the request has been refused. They have offered a meeting with a more junior director, which isn't acceptable. We hope for a change of heart overnight. #NoPrideInPrimark
Pleased to report that @ruth_hunt HAS now agreed to meet with @UKPrideNetwork and @EuroPride to discuss these serious issues. The meeting will be in the summer; in the meantime both orgs will consult their members for their views on Stonewall and their activities at Prides.
In the meantime, there remain a number of unanswered questions from this thread. I have again asked @stonewalluk to comment on the gross human rights abuses suffered by LGBT people making their @Primark range.
