Corporate America is abandoning queer causes rather than risk conservative backlash (Tampa Pride canceled Florida proves the point).
Florida’s LGBTQ+ community is facing another devastating blow. The Tampa Pride Board announced Friday that all 2026 Pride events are canceled, including the beloved Pride Festival and Diversity Parade.
This isn’t just about one celebration. It’s about the systematic erosion of queer visibility in Florida.
Corporate Sponsors Flee Anti-LGBTQ+ Climate
The cancellation comes down to money—specifically, the lack of it. Corporate sponsors are abandoning Pride events across Florida as Governor Ron DeSantis continues his assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
“A lot of sponsors told me, DEI, is the reason they can’t do it,” former Tampa Pride President Carrie West told local media. Companies that once proudly supported LGBTQ+ events are now too scared of political backlash.
Translation: sponsors are too scared to support LGBTQ+ rights under Governor Ron DeSantis’s regime.
This cowardice has real consequences. The board couldn’t secure enough funding to operate in 2026. They’ve also had to dump West after 12 years of leadership.
Organizations across Florida are losing crucial funding as companies distance themselves from diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. This corporate retreat isn’t happening in a vacuum—it’s a direct response to DeSantis’s systematic dismantling of DEI programs.
DeSantis’s War on Pride Continues
This isn’t Tampa’s first cancellation under DeSantis. In 2023, the organization canceled its Pride on the River festival after the governor signed legislation targeting drag performances at events where children might be present.
“We are afraid if we did go through with this (DeSantis) would come in with his gestapo,” West said at the time.
The fear tactics are working exactly as intended.
Meanwhile, St. Pete Pride—the Southeast’s largest LGBTQ+ festival—vows to continue despite losing up to $175,000 in sponsorships. Their president Byron Green-Calisch understands the harsh reality: “Businesses do weigh that risk: Am I going to be retaliated in this moment if I choose to support or engage?”
Erasing LGBTQ+ History One Crosswalk at a Time
The Tampa cancellation comes as DeSantis escalates his war on queer visibility through another chilling tactic: painting over rainbow crosswalks across Florida. Cities face September deadlines to remove LGBTQ+ street art or lose millions in state funding.
Perhaps the most heartbreaking example happened in Orlando. State crews painted over the rainbow crosswalk outside Pulse nightclub in the middle of the night—the same memorial honoring 49 people killed in the 2016 mass shooting. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer called it “a cruel political act” and noted the crosswalk actually enhanced safety for memorial visitors.
Community members fought back. They used chalk to restore the rainbow colors. State crews returned and painted over it again. That’s the level of vindictiveness Florida’s government will sink to—repeatedly destroying a memorial to mass shooting victims.
Tampa Pride canceled Florida 2026 events sends a chilling message. When corporations abandon LGBTQ+ communities to protect their bottom line, everyone loses—except the politicians who profit from division.
About The Author
Anthony Cifone is the co-founder of GoQueer, a fast-growing LGBTQ+ travel newsletter and media brand dedicated to helping the queer community get the most out of their travels. From insider tips to the latest travel news to the popular Hot 10 Deals list published every Sunday, GoQueer curates everything travelers need to plan unforgettable trips to the most welcoming and vibrant places on the planet.
Through GoQueer, Anthony and his team reach tens of thousands of subscribers and followers every week,
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