Why Pride in Leadership is leaving Meta’s platforms
Pride in Leadership will cease operations on Meta platforms (Facebook and Instagram), as well as X, effective immediately. This decision comes in direct response to Meta's January 2025 policy changes that fundamentally compromise the safety and dignity of LGBTQ+ people across their platforms.
As an organisation dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ leaders and aspiring leaders, we cannot maintain a presence on platforms that explicitly permit dehumanising language, discriminatory rhetoric, and calls for exclusion targeting our community. Meta’s new policies specifically allow users to:
- Describe LGBTQ+ identity as a mental illness
- Refer to transgender people using dehumanising language
- Call for the exclusion of LGBTQ+ people from professional spaces, including leadership roles
- Use discriminatory and hostile language when discussing LGBTQ+ rights
- Spread misinformation about LGBTQ+ people without fact-checking
These policy changes, coupled with Meta’s simultaneous dismantling of its Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) programmes, signal a concerning shift away from inclusive spaces and towards the normalisation of anti-LGBTQ+ hostility. For an organisation focused on developing and supporting LGBTQ+ leaders, continuing to operate on platforms that explicitly permit discrimination against our community would contradict our core mission and values.
We are also leaving X (Twitter) for the same reasons.
We recognise that online platforms play a vital role in community building, professional networking, and leadership development. Moving forward, you can find Pride in Leadership on Bluesky (@prideinleadership.bsky.social), where we will continue our mission of supporting, connecting, and empowering LGBTQ+ leaders.
We understand that many organisations and individuals depend on X and Meta’s products for their livelihoods and to maintain essential connections within the LGBTQ+ community. We acknowledge that leaving these platforms is not a viable option for everyone. However, as a professional network dedicated to developing leadership, we believe we must take this stand. Our position allows us to make this choice, and with that privilege comes responsibility.
For those who need to maintain a presence on Meta or X platforms for professional reasons, we recommend reviewing GLAAD’s digital safety guide for strategies to protect yourself in increasingly hostile online spaces. We also encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with Bluesky’s robust content moderation policies and community guidelines as you join us there.
Whilst this decision to leave these platforms was not made lightly, we believe that standing against discrimination and protecting our community’s dignity is fundamental to our role as an LGBTQ+ leadership organisation. We will continue to advocate for safe, inclusive digital spaces where current and future LGBTQ+ leaders can thrive.
Our final posts on Meta platforms and X will direct community members to our website and Bluesky presence. We look forward to continuing our important work of supporting LGBTQ+ leaders in spaces that respect and protect our community’s fundamental human dignity.
Now, more than ever, we need morally courageous leadership from both LGBTQ+ people and allies alike. The path to equality has never been easy, but together we have the power to create change. When companies choose to enable discrimination, we must choose to stand together. Every act of resistance, every voice raised in support, every leader who steps forward to protect our community matters. This is a moment that calls for bold, principled leadership from all of us – LGBTQ+ people and allies united in the fight for dignity, respect, and safety for all.
Further support and resources
Pride in Leadership offers lots of support designed to develop and empower LGBTQ+ leaders:
- Our online and in-person events
- Our Mentoring Scheme for LGBTQ+ leaders and aspiring leaders
- Leadership Training for LGBTQ+ colleagues
- GLAAD’s digital safety resources:
For questions or concerns about this, please contact us through our website or connect with us on Bluesky