San Francisco coffee chain Philz Coffee removed Pride flags from its stores, prompting backlash from its employees.
The chain’s CEO, Mahesh Sadarangani, told the San Francisco Chronicle that the company “was working toward creating a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor.” While the chain moved to pull down the flags, the company’s “longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged,” Sadarangani added. “This is a change in how our stores look, not in who we are. Our allyship runs deeper than what is on our walls. It shows up in who we hire, how we treat one another and in our annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which returns this June as it has every year. Unity is fundamental to how we operate.”
A Change.org petition has since been created urging the coffee chain to raise the Pride flag.
“The Pride flags within the stores hold deep meaning and value to both staff and visitors, symbolizing that these locations are safe and welcoming spaces for all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,” it reads. “In todays society, businesses have an essential role in fostering inclusivity and support, and displaying the pride flag is a simple yet remarkably powerful demonstration of that role. Removing these flags risks alienating a core group of team members and loyal customers who see Philz not just as a coffee shop, but as a place where they are embraced and celebrated for who they are.”
“We ask the leadership at Philz Coffee to reconsider their decision and reinstate the pride flags across all their locations,” the petition says.
