REI Statement: Support for the LGBTQ+ community throughout Pride Month and beyond
Jun 2, 2023
Each year, Pride Month is a time to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of the LGBTQ+ community, while acknowledging the continued fight for equality. In 2023, more than 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced and at least 70 have passed state legislatures across the country. These legislative attacks have fueled hateful rhetoric and efforts to further intimidate and marginalize the LGBTQ+ community, with Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) trans, non-binary and gender-expansive communities experiencing the brunt of these actions.
At REI, we are committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive, and affirming space for all people. We condemn these actions and recognize the material, emotional, and economic impacts of the current environment are felt deeply by the LGBTQ+ community. REI has long celebrated Pride Month, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to doing so. Additionally, the co-op has taken steps to specifically ensure transgender and gender-expansive employees, members, customers, and partners are seen and validated every day. This includes:
- Supporting LGBTQ+ employees. Throughout Pride Month and beyond, we are focused on ensuring that LGBTQ+ employees feel safe, seen and supported at the co-op. Some efforts include:
- Celebrating Pride Month: Together with our PRISM employee resource group, which supports LGBTQ+ employees, we are celebrating Pride Month throughout the entire co-op. This includes events that celebrate LGBTQ+ joy, and resources for all employees to learn more about the history of Pride and ways to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.
- Maintaining a safe and respectful environment at all REI locations: The co-op's Safe Spaces Policy sets clear expectations that REI does not condone discrimination of any kind from customers, members, or anyone in our community spaces. The policy provides managers with specific tools and guidance—including bystander intervention training—to uphold our anti-discrimination values in all REI locations.
- Supporting transgender employees: The co-op has engaged in numerous efforts to foster an atmosphere where employees feel comfortable living and sharing their gender identity and expressions. This includes honoring employees' chosen names, providing optional digital and physical pronoun pins for all employees, and providing in-depth resources to help managers and employees maintain a welcoming and supportive environment for transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive people. Additionally, as many current legislative actions target gender-affirming healthcare, we expanded our plans to ensure employees can receive this care no matter where they live. In addition to expanded mental health benefits, REI provides travel and lodging reimbursement to employees and enrolled eligible dependents who must travel to access gender-affirming, reproductive, and infertility care and prescriptions.
- Celebrating stories of LGBTQ+ people in the outdoors. Over the past few years, the co-op has featured a variety of films that elevate LGBTQ+ groups and voices through our in-house content arm, REI Co-op Studios. Across films, podcasts and editorial programs, the studio develops and produces stories that entertain, enrich, and explore the power of time spent outside, while complementing the co-op's broader climate and racial equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments. Our latest is the release of The Right to Joy: a short documentary celebrating the joy of cycling through the lens of Izzy Sederbaum.
- Taking collective action to support the Equality Act. The continued attacks on LGTBQ+ rights underscore the urgent need for federal non-discrimination protections to finally extend to all LGBTQ+ people. The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education and more. Join us in urging Congress to pass the Equality Act.
- Longstanding partnerships with organizations working to achieve LGBTQ+ equality. REI provides more than $500,000 in annual support for advocates at both the local and national levels who are working to ensure our society is safe, equitable and inclusive for everyone. Join us in supporting organizations like The Venture Out Project and TranSending that specifically support the transgender community.
We will continue to work to ensure LGBTQ+ people feel welcome in the outdoors, in our commmunity and in our locations.
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About the REI Co-op
REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of 24 million members who expect and love the best quality gear, inspiring expert classes and trips, and outstanding customer service. In addition to the co-op’s many stores across the country, outdoor enthusiasts can shop at REI.com, REI Outlet or the REI shopping app. Everyone is welcome to shop REI, but members who join the co-op enjoy a range of benefits. More than a retailer, REI is a purpose-driven and values-led company dedicated to enabling life outside for all.