NASCAR’s automotive partner, Toyota, has announced that it will stop sponsoring LGBTQ events after coming under attack from an anti-DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) activist on social media, for its “woke” initiatives.
Toyota has long played a strong role in NASCAR, most recently supplying cars to Legacy Motor Club, a Cup Series team co-owned by seven-time champion and Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson, as well as other major teams like 23XI Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing.
The Japanese manufacturer entered the sport in 2000 with the V6-Celica Goody’s Dash program, though it only lasted a few years. Seven years later, it made its NASCAR Nextel Cup Series debut in 2007 with eight drivers but finished the season winless. However, Toyota bounced back in 2008, securing 10 victories.
According to a Bloomberg report, Toyota is reassessing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and plans to discontinue sponsorship of LGBTQ events. In a memo sent to its 50,000 U.S. employees and 1,500 dealers, the global brand announced that it would also cease participation in prominent rankings by the LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign and other corporate culture surveys. In the future, Toyota intends to focus its community activities on STEM education and workforce readiness.
KANSAS CITY, KANSAS – SEPTEMBER 29: Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 Monster Energy Toyota, and Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Premier Security Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Presented… KANSAS CITY, KANSAS – SEPTEMBER 29: Ty Gibbs, driver of the #54 Monster Energy Toyota, and Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Premier Security Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET at Kansas Speedway on September 29, 2024 in Kansas City, Kansas. Toyota, has announced that it will stop sponsoring LGBTQ events after coming under attack from an anti-DEI activist. More Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Toyota’s statement follows a social media campaign launched by anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck, who urged customers to boycott the company due to its support for LGBTQ events and initiatives. Toyota clarified that the LGBTQ programs in question were organized by employee groups rather than being directly endorsed by the company itself.
The report indicates that several companies have recently faced scrutiny from Starbuck for their “woke” policies, including Toyota. In response, firms such as Lowe’s, Ford Motor Co., and Harley-Davidson have announced plans to scale back their DEI initiatives, particularly those aimed at LGBTQ groups. Notably, Ford and Tractor Supply Co. have chosen to withdraw from the Human Rights Campaign rankings.
On Thursday, a Toyota spokesman stated that Starbuck’s public criticism prompted around 30 customer calls to the company’s call center, a few questions from dealers, and a few hundred inquiries from employees. However, he described the overall impact as “negligible.”
But, Eric Bloem, a vice president at the Human Rights Campaign, warned companies that knee-jerk decisions to abandon DEI efforts would result in a long-term negative impact on the business’s future. He said:
“Short-sighted decisions to abandon DEI initiatives will have a lasting, negative impact on business success in a future where more people than ever are identifying as LGBTQ+.”