Several major Danish companies and organizations have chosen to withdraw their support from Copenhagen Pride. This comes after a period of increased politicization of the event, which traditionally has been a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. Dansk Industri (Danish Industry), one of the largest business organizations in Denmark, has announced that they will no longer support Copenhagen Pride. “With the increased politicization we have experienced this year, it is our perception that Copenhagen Pride is currently not the inclusive community it was originally intended to be,” states Kinga Szabo Christensen, Director of Public Affairs at Dansk Industri.
Similarly, A.P. Møller-Mærsk and Novo Nordisk, two of Denmark’s largest companies, have also announced that they are ending their partnerships with the pride event. “In such partnerships, we expect a high level of predictability and an undisturbed focus on the issue the partnership concerns,” writes Maersk’s press department. The background for this decision appears to be Copenhagen Pride’s handling of political issues, including their statement of solidarity with the Palestinian people and the subsequent communication regarding their political stance.
Lars Henriksen, chairperson of Copenhagen Pride, has apologized for the organization’s communication, which he describes as insufficient. Dansk Industri emphasizes that they have had a good dialogue with Copenhagen Pride over the years and hope that the organization in the future will be able to focus more directly on the rights of sexual minorities and inclusion. “We are happy to resume our support if the Pride organization can ensure a full focus on the rights of sexual minorities and inclusion in the future,” says Kinga Szabo Christensen from Dansk Industri.
This development raises questions about the balance between political engagement and maintaining an inclusive community within the framework of cultural and social events such as Copenhagen Pride.