In a video posted to the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) on August 28, notorious conservative influencer and anti-DEI activist Robby Starbuck — the architect behind the latest wave of anti-DEI — backlash took credit for and celebrated Ford’s (F) scaling back of DEI initiatives implemented shortly after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis Police officer in 2020.
The Dearborn-based automaker followed a long line of companies, including Tractor Supply Co. (TSCO) , Microsoft (MSFT) , Lowe’s (LOW) , John Deere (DE) , and Harley Davidson (HOG) , in rolling back its DEI initiatives in fear of a larger boycott of their respective companies products and services.
Related: Ford execs make DEI U-turn, detour from ‘woke’ past
Seeing Ford and other companies’ announcements as trophies of his corporate victories, Starbuck used the end of the video to threaten the C-suite executives of companies with DEI policies with the same fervor of a crime boss in a Scorcese movie.
“Do not wait for me to come for you. I do not want to come and expose every company, but if I have to, I will,” Starbuck warned. “This is within your control. Do the right thing for your company, and cut out the wokeness.”
“Our movement is growing into a behemoth; you cannot stop us. We will inject sanity back into corporate America. The question for you as an executive is whether you want to do it the easy way or the hard way.”
It’s time to expose Toyota.@Toyota has been one of the most trusted brands in America but they’ve gone totally woke.
Here’s some of what we found:
• Toyota sponsored a drag queen program at a summer camp for kids identifying as LGBTQ+.
• Toyota opposes laws that ban sex… pic.twitter.com/bmcWPftjT4
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 26, 2024
Starbuck’s latest target
In a post on X on the morning of Sept. 26, Starbuck launched a new anti-DEI campaign against Japanese automaker Toyota (TM) , in an attempt to expose what he sees as a company “gone totally woke,” pointing to the automaker’s sponsorship of LGBTQIA+ events and initiatives, vocal action against anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation and “preferential treatment for “diverse” suppliers.”
In a 13-minute and 40-second video attached to the post, Starbuck outlined his attack against Toyota, which was mainly motivated by their support of LGBTQIA+ initiatives. He pointed to Toyota’s support of Camp Brave Trails, a summer camp for LGBTQIA+ youth, its participation in Dallas Pride, and the automaker’s perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index for 15 consecutive years.
“The Corporate Equality Index is one that scores corporations, basically on how woke they are,” Starbuck said in the video. “So the 100 score that Toyota has for 15 consecutive years means that Toyota is actually funding transitions for not just their employees, but also for the children of employees in states where it is legal.”
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Additionally, he blasted the automaker for joining the HRC in opposing legislation that is oppressive to transgender youth, specifically those referring to gender-affirming care.
“So the bills they are opposing are the ones like the one we got passed here in Tennessee that bans sex change surgeries, hormones and puberty blockers for children,” Starbuck emotionally reiterated. “So if you are a Toyota driver or customer, you have to ask yourself, ‘Why is Toyota so interested in making sure that it is legal for children to get sex changes?'”
“I think that’s weird. I personally do not feel comfortable giving my money to a company that is supporting and pushing for children to be able to get sex changes.”
Later in the video, he blasted the company for supporting the Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention and crisis intervention for LGBTQIA+ youth, Toyota employee ESG groups, which have made Toyota recognized as a top company for LGBTQIA+ employees, and having a supplier program that he bills as “discrimination.”
Toyota signage at a dealership in Richmond, California
Toyota responds
In a statement to Bloomberg, Toyota said the LGBTQIA+ programs highlighted by Starbuck in his post and video were led by employee groups and not the automaker.
“Not every activity is sanctioned by the company, and we have over 14 affiliates and 116 chapters and over 8,000 members in our ERGs,” a Toyota spokesman told Bloomberg in a statement.
The spokesperson also told Bloomberg that Starbuck’s post hasn’t prompted a review of policies for these employee groups, but the company periodically evaluates its strategic investments.
Related: Ford execs make DEI U-turn, detour from ‘woke’ past
Starbuck’s Toyota campaign follows his successful campaign against Ford. The Blue Oval’s DEI walk-back was a detour from its prior commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community, which led to an actual boycott nearly 20 years ago.
In March 2006, a full-scale boycott was launched against Ford and its subsidiaries by the American Family Association (AFA) and more than 30 other conservative, Christian and “family values” advocacy groups over similar efforts Toyota is currently being blasted by Starbuck for; efforts that an AFA director described as “promotion of the homosexual agenda.”
The boycott actually affected the company so much that 75 Ford dealers in Texas collectively penned a letter begging then-Ford CEO Bill Ford to give in to the group’s demands, pleading that the boycott was hurting their businesses. By year’s end, Ford would lose $12.7 billion, and its stock price dropped more than 14%, the lowest in 20 years at that point, due, in part, to the boycott.
TheStreet has reached out to Toyota USA for additional comment and clarification.
Toyota Motor Corporation trades under the symbol TM on the New York Stock Exchange. Toyota Stock is down 3.47% since the opening bell, trading at $182.79 per share at the time of writing.
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