THE LGBT+ wing of the Scottish Greens has threatened to pull out of the Edinburgh Pride march if the organisers don’t make a public apology for accepting a sponsorship from the oil giant ExxonMobil.
In an open letter the Rainbow Greens demand that the capital’s Pride organisers sign the Fossil Free Pride Pledge, which commits Pride committees to an ethical sponsorship policy - including not accepting money from fossil fuel companies.
They are also calling for a public apology to be made to Scotland’s LGBT+ community for accepting the sponsorship in the first place.
Additionally, the letter points to comments made by the event’s marketing director Jamie Love, which they say fail to “adequately show trade union solidarity”.
Commenting on the predicted disruption to Pride due to the railway workers' strike, Love said that while the cause the strikers are fighting for was “worth it” the inconvenience caused would “impact our community, whose needs are just as important”.
Rainbow Greens have as a result called on the organisers to publicly apologise to the RMT union and make a donation to their strike fund.
The letter has been signed by over a dozen groups, including LGBT+ Labour Scotland and the Stop Cambo campaign
If the organisers fail to meet their demands Rainbow Greens will pull out of Edinburgh Pride and march from the Edinburgh Pride meeting point to Waverley station where they will join the RMT picket line.
The letter states: “Pride should serve LGBT+ communities, not enable those companies who profit from climate catastrophe to co-opt our movement to rainbow wash their own image.
“Ahead of Pride month this year, ExxonMobil has banned their offices from flying the LGBT+ flag due to concerns over political neutrality. This demonstrates that ExxonMobil considers equality as a political stance, rather than a fundamental right.”
Regarding the RMT strikes, the letter continues: “It is important to recognise it is companies like ExxonMobil who have triggered a massive cost of living crisis due to the price hike on energy.
“The cost of living is one of the core reasons RMT is on strike at this very moment. The cost of living crisis is an issue that disproportionately affects the LGBT+ community, too.
“We also must recognise that it is our colleagues in the RMT who will be responsible to help ensure a just transition away from fossil fuels.
“Solidarity is important to all of us. Right now trans people are faced with the biggest campaign against their rights by the British media and the UK Tory Government in recent memory.
“We also recognise the RMT is subject to one of the biggest campaigns against their conditions in recent memory from the UK Tory Government and the British press as well. In these uncertain times marginalised groups must come together.
"We would like to meet with the Edinburgh Pride organisers to discuss these demands as soon as possible.
"Otherwise, we will regretfully pull out of the fossil fuel-sponsored protest and instead march from the Edinburgh Pride meeting point towards Edinburgh Waverley RMT Picket Line to show our comrades the solidarity this movement is famously known for.”
Edinburgh Pride has been approached for comment.
