Has Pepsi gone 'gay'?

One of America's favorite soft drink brands has donated more than a million dollars to homosexual groups – and refuses to give to organizations opposes to homosexuality, one group claims.

Pepsi gifted $500,000 to the Human Rights Campaign, or HRC, a group that described itself as "America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality," the American Family Association reports.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation gave PepsiCo a 100 percent rating for the fifth year in a row on its 2009 Corporate Equality Index – a system that ranks employers on a scale from 0 to 100 percent on their treatment of LGBT employees, consumers and investors.

PepsiCo has also given $500,000 to the Straight for Equality program run by Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or PFLAG.

"We are delighted to continue our partnership with PFLAG," announced Jacqueline Millan, director of PepsioCo Corporate Contributions. "The Straight for Equality in the Workplace training program is unique in that it is promoting the necessary message of inclusion to untapped groups within the local community, and that is a crucial step towards building a healthy work environment."

According to a PepsiCo bulletin, the company also won a Workplace Excellence Award at the Out & Equal Summit on Sept. 15 – an annual event that promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workplace equality.

PepsiCo requires that its employees attend sexual orientation and gender identity/expression training. It also has an employee-resource group for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender called Equal.

"The PepsiCo LGBT network (EQUAL) represents 160,000 employees worldwide and its four chapters span all company brand holdings," PepsiCo reveals.

Diet Pepsi participates in 2004 'gay' parade in New York

In 2002, the company amended its equal employment opportunity statement to include sexual orientation. In 2004 it added "gender identity and expression," and "domestic partner benefits." PepsiCo also offers insurance coverage for transgender employees, including leave after surgery, counseling, hormone therapy, medical visits and surgical procedures.

On June 29, 2004, online magazine "The Gully" documented PepsiCo's participation in the 35th annual Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade on New York's Fifth Avenue following its formation of Equal. Floats featuring drag queens and "muscle boys" promoted 80 "gay"-friendly businesses. Pepsi employees jogged the route next to the company float, giving away cans of Pepsi alongside members of the local "gay" softball league.

In 2002, PepsiCo's Doritos brand released a "gay" tease commercial with Enrique Iglesias, where the singer appeared to be falling in love with a man in his audience. The viewers quickly learn that Iglesias is after the man's bag of chips.

In 2003, PepsiCo's Lay's potato chips released a satirical commercial showing four men watching football on TV. They make concerted efforts not to touch one another – immediately pulling their knees back when they touch and recoil when their hands reach for the same soda bottle. When their team scores a touchdown, the men are rolling all over the couch and hugging.

In Canada, a "bisexual" man came out of the closet on a commercial and declared his love for Pepsi and Diet Pepsi. In a more recent spot aired in the UK, a man drinks a Pepsi to find courage to ask someone out. He passes up two women and expresses interest in a man.

The "gay" community cheered when the company featured "Queer Eye" star Carson Kressley, gaping at an attractive man on the street in its 2005 Super Bowl spot.

PepsiCo, a company that owns Frito Lay, Tropicana orange juice, Gatorade and Quaker oatmeal, was one of the first sponsors of PrideVision, a 24-hour gay TV network launched in Canada.

Also, Diet Pepsi scored No. 2 behind Absolut vodka as the most popular brand in a 2005 gay.com survey. In the same year, the company sparked major controversy when the soda giant's president likened the U.S. to a middle finger.

Upon hearing news that its major competitor, Diet Coke, was also entering the "gay" market, PepsiCo spokesman Dave DeCecco told Commercial Closet in March 2007, "We were first. We recognized the importance of the gay market and hope that the community will reward that."

"PepsiCo has refused a request by AFA to remain neutral in the culture war," writes AFA Chairman Donald Wildmon in an e-mail alert. "The company indicated that it will continue major financial support of homosexual organizations."

AFA wrote to PepsiCo two times, on Oct. 14 and Oct. 29, asking to meet with the company to discuss its support of homosexual groups. According to the group, PepsiCo refused to discuss its ongoing support and promotion of homosexuality.

PepsiCo's Paul Boykas responded, "Among the values promoted by the PepsiCo Foundation is ensuring a work environment that is respectful and where associates are valued for their contributions."
Now Wildmon is seeking people who will contact PepsiCo and ask it to "stop supporting the gay agenda."

PepsiCo's DeCecco told WND he would "look into" the issue of the company's alleged refusal to support organizations that oppose homosexuality. However, he never responded to requests for comment.

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