Amazon has recently made significant internal changes, including the removal of statements advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and racial equity from its publicly available corporate policies.
This marks a notable shift for the world’s second-largest employer, which also recently announced a documentary featuring First Lady Melania Trump.
According to reports, the company removed commitments to “equity for Black people” and “LGBTQ+ rights” from its website in December, along with any references to “transgender” individuals. Previously, Amazon’s site emphasized solidarity with Black employees and customers and supported initiatives addressing racial bias in policing, voting rights, and health and education disparities. These sections have since been deleted.
Mentions of transgender protections under federal and state laws, as well as references to Amazon’s health benefits for transgender employees, were also removed. This has raised concerns among employees about potential loss of insurance coverage for gender-affirming healthcare. Other statements endorsing diversity initiatives and pro-LGBTQ+ policies, such as support for the Equality Act, have been replaced with broader, less specific language.
Amazon’s revised policy now states, “We also believe that inequitable treatment of anyone — including Black people, LGBTQ+ people, Asians, women, and others — is unacceptable, and we advocate for policies designed to remove barriers to equity and create an inclusive environment for all employees.” The company also highlights its workforce’s diversity, stating, “We appreciate that our 1.4 million team members reflect the world’s diversity.”
This shift aligns with similar actions taken by other major corporations, including Meta, McDonald’s, and Walmart, following Donald Trump’s election victory.
