Proud Boys Inspire Sunglasses Company's Donation to Pro-LGBTQ+ Causes

After seeing their sunglasses on the faces of Proud Boys, the company decided to donate to causes fundamentally opposed to the hate group's mindset.

Christopher Wiggins

Christopher Wiggins is The Advocate’s senior national reporter in Washington, D.C., covering the intersection of public policy and politics with LGBTQ+ lives, including The White House, U.S. Congress, Supreme Court, and federal agencies. He has written multiple cover story profiles for The Advocate’s print magazine, profiling figures like Delaware Congresswoman Sarah McBride, longtime LGBTQ+ ally Vice President Kamala Harris, and ABC Good Morning America Weekend anchor Gio Benitez. Wiggins is committed to amplifying untold stories, especially as the second Trump administration’s policies impact LGBTQ+ (and particularly transgender) rights, and can be reached at christopher.wiggins@equalpride.com or on BlueSky at cwnewser.bsky.social; whistleblowers can securely contact him on Signal at cwdc.98.

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Christopher Wiggins

November 02 2022 4:10 PM EST

May 31 2023 3:13 PM EST

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In reaction to seeing their sunglasses on the faces of members of the Proud Boys who were disrupting a drag fundraising event in North Carolina, the manufacturer has said it will donate money to LGBTQ-friendly causes.

Clad in their yellow and black colors, members of the far-right radical white supremacist group donned distinctive sunglasses outside an event in Sanford in images shared on Twitter last Sunday.

Protest photographer and astrophysics professor at Elon University Anthony Crider posted a series of photos showing the scene where these men stood to menace patrons and LGBTQ+ supporters.

\u201cSixteen Proud Boys have shown up in colors to protest a drag show brunch in Sanford, NC.\u201d
— Anthony Crider (@Anthony Crider) 1667144434

On Monday afternoon, sunglasses manufacturer Pit Viper tweeted that the company had seen its products modeled by members of the hate group and indicated that the company stood firmly against extremism.

"Reminder: if you spread hate while wearing Pit Vipers, we will use your money to combat your efforts. #pitvipergivesafuck," the company tweeted alongside some of Crider's photos.

\u201cReminder: if you spread hate while wearing Pit Vipers, we will use your money to combat your efforts. #pitvipergivesafuck\u201d
— Pit Viper (@Pit Viper) 1667239262

Included in Pit Viper's tweet was a receipt for a $200 donation to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremism and monitors hate groups like the far-right Proud Boy extremists.

The tweet was retweeted and liked thousands of times.

According to Raleigh NBC affiliate WRAL, the group had assembled to protest a Halloween drag event held to raise money for a local LGBTQ+ resource center.