Bowdey: CEOs Fled 'Equality Index' After Americans' Pronoun Pushback

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Bowdey: CEOs Fled 'Equality Index' After Americans' Pronoun Pushback​

Billy Davis
Feb 13, 2026

"Human Rights Campaign, the left-wing lobbying group once feared by corporate America, is getting noticed for what it’s not accomplishing in 2026 with its buzzwords such as “equity” and “diversity,” and accusatory labels such as “homophobia” and “transphobic.”
CNBC appeared to be the first news outlet to notice corporate participation in the “Corporate Equality Index” has dropped dramatically.
How much of a drop? The 2026 list shows a whopping 65 percent drop in Fortune 500 companies compared to the 2025 list, from 355 big names to just 131 corporations this year.
CNBC said the biggest name to drop from the Corporate Equality Index is Walmart, the world’s largest retailer.
Walmart was awarded with a perfect 100 score on the Index in 2023 before announcing a year later it was dropping controversial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, initiatives.
Other big names to drop out are automaker Ford and Lowe’s, the home improvement chain, and Tractor Supply."

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Bowdey: CEOs fled 'Equality Index' after Americans' pronoun pushback

Human Rights Campaign, the left-wing lobbying group once feared by corporate America, is getting noticed for what it’s not accomplishing in 2026 with its buzzwords such as “equity” and “diversity,” and accusatory labels such as “homophobia” and “transphobic.”

afn.net

 

[dwb]

Corporate executives have a financial responsibility to shareholders to maximize profits and provide for long term stability. DEI and other "equity" programs provide the opposite. Placing unqualified people in positions of power weakens companies and lowers profits. Decisions are based more on emotion rather than sound economic principles. Silly pronoun usage certainly plays a part, but lack of profits is the determining factor.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Corporations were being compelled into DEI by the likes of Black Rock and Vanguard who often are majority shareholders in corporations. Even so, as dwb shares, going DEI was contrary to Board Members fiduciary responsibility to corporate owners, the stockholders, despite the pressure applied by the likes of Black Rock and Vanguard.

The insurance that Boards purchase does not cover Board Members when they act contrary to their fiduciary responsibilities. I'm surprised that the type of lawyers that seek out class action lawsuits haven't jumped on this and gone after Boards/Members for their legal failures. Most Board members are wealthy...

 

[Hol]

This shift to reject DEI is huge, and the Lord used Robby Starbucks in a major way.

Part of the compromise came in a tricky guise as radical liberals insisted on holding a place at the decision table as stakeholders. Shareholders are finally waking up!

 

[Tall Timbers]

This shift to reject DEI is huge,

In the US it exploded after Affirmative Action was ruled unconstitutional. DEI is Affirmative Action on steroids.

 

[Batman]

CEOs only did this stupidity for $......their own $ and the profits for the business that keep them in their own $. They could have pushed back this stupidity on their own but refused to do so. They let some very corrupt people and movements bully their businesses when they knew right from wrong. Filthy lucre makes people filthy for sure.