Multiple D.C. LGBTQ+ bars pull Jack Daniel's orders over distiller's retreat from diversity & inclusion

The owner of Pitchers and A League of Her Own, two popular LGBTQ+ bars in Washington, D.C, is cutting ties with Jack Daniel's over its decision to abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

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Once his current stock of Jack Daniel's is gone, Dave Perruzza won't be ordering more. The gay business owner's move comes in response to Jack Daniel's parent company, Brown-Forman, withdrawing from the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index and eliminating its workplace and supplier diversity goals—an about-face from its previous commitment to inclusion.

On Friday, after customers informed him of the company's pull-back, Perruzza took to Facebook to clarify his stance:

"So, once we sell what we have you won't see Jack Daniel's at Pitchers or ALOHO anymore. We carry Bullet but what would be another great alternative?"

Jack Daniel's bows to anti-DEI pressure

Jack Daniel's once prided itself on LGBTQ+ inclusion, partnering with Pride events and diversity programs. But in August, Brown-Forman announced it was abandoning DEI efforts, citing "legal and external pressures" — a move widely seen as caving to right-wing backlash against corporate inclusivity.

The decision is part of a broader corporate retreat from DEI programs, with companies such as Google, Target, McDonald's, Meta, Walmart, and Harley-Davidson making similar moves. Critics say many businesses are shifting their stance to avoid political scrutiny and to curry favor with the Trump administration, which has aggressively dismantled federal DEI initiatives.

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LGBTQ+ bars and consumers push back

Perruzza's decision to drop Jack Daniel's could signal a broader consumer backlash against brands retreating from DEI efforts.

LGBTQ+ consumers wield an estimated $1.4 trillion in buying power, according to a U.S. Census report that was deleted after Trump took office in January as part of his purge of any reference to gender identity in government documents, but it remains available on the Internet Archive. History has shown that brands that alienate this community can suffer financially. "Our money speaks volumes," Perruzza said.

He is now looking for a whiskey brand that aligns with his values. One strong contender is Uncle Nearest, a Black-owned whiskey company named for Nearest Green, the enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how to distill whiskey, Perruzza said.

Will Jack Daniel's respond?

The Advocate contacted Jack Daniel's and Brown-Forman for comment on Perruzza's decision and the broader LGBTQ+ backlash, but they did not respond.

For LGBTQ+ businesses and consumers, Jack Daniel's reversal raises a larger question: Will more bars and businesses follow Perruzza's lead, and will the brand realize its mistake before it's too late?

For now, Perruzza, who said his businesses spent more than $1,000 a month on Jack Daniel's products is clear on his choice.

"There's plenty of bourbons out there that are very gay-friendly that I can switch to," he said.