Publications aimed at LGBTQ+ audiences face discrimination from advertisers, editors warn

Source: The Guardian

Sun 31 Aug 2025 02.00 EDT
Last modified on Sun 31 Aug 2025 02.01 EDT


Publications aimed at LGBTQ+ and other diverse audiences are facing “good old-fashioned discrimination” as advertisers avoid them after political attacks on diversity and inclusion campaigns, editors have said. Senior figures at publications aimed at the gay community and other minority groups said a previous “gold rush” to work with such titles was over.

There has been a backlash in the US over corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in the past 18 months, which has led to some big names rolling back their plans. Tag Warner, the chief executive of Gay Times, said his publication, which had been growing digitally in the US, had lost 80% of its advertisers in the past year. It has also lost in excess of £5m in expected advertiser revenue.

Warner, who has led the outlet since 2019, said his title’s growth had been accompanied by an enthusiasm from brands to embrace LGBTQ+ audiences. He blames an anti-DEI drive in the US for the dramatic shift.

“I know that media and marketing is also going through a challenging year anyway, but when we’re thinking about other organisations that don’t talk to diverse themes, they’re not nearly as impacted as we are,” he said. “This is just good old-fashioned discrimination. Because discrimination doesn’t have to make business sense. Discrimination doesn’t have to be logical. Discrimination is discrimination.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/aug/31/lgbtq-media-advertising-editors