Recently disclosed internal documents indicate that Fox Corporation, the parent company of Fox News, is embracing and pushing Pride and LGBT values and practices on their employees, which might not align with its perceived conservative viewer base. The organization encourages employees to support various LGBTQ+ organizations and provides resources to educate them on related topics, triggering discussion around Fox’s corporate culture and its alignment with the company’s public image.
Under the umbrella of “Support One Another,” Fox encourages employees to contribute to the Trevor Project, Ali Forney Center, and the LA LGBT Center. However, these organizations’ methods have raised eyebrows. For instance, the Trevor Project hosts a chat room connecting minors with adult LGBTQ+ individuals. A post on TrevorSpace, the platform’s chat forum, raised concerns as a “gender-confused adolescent” inquired about purchasing a binder.
Additionally, Fox commends the Ali Forney Center’s work with homeless LGBTQ+ youths, despite allegations that the organization provides cross-sex hormones to these individuals, potentially resulting in sterilization. Similarly, the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s video of a mother surprising her trans daughter with her first hormone dose prompted concerns, despite its removal by YouTube.
In a bid to foster inclusivity and understanding, Fox leadership recommends employees read memoirs by trans activists and books featuring LGBTQ+ themes. Among these, “Fairest,” details a boy’s journey to womanhood with graphic sexual acts littered throughout the book.
Another book, “Red, White, and Royal Blue,” depicts a fictional gay relationship between the Prince of Wales and the president’s son, which also “devolves into gay erotica.”
Beyond reading, Fox encourages employees to attend a Pride event sponsored by Ben & Jerry’s and urges them to engage with platforms such as the “Queery” podcast and TED Talks concerning LGBTQ+ issues.
However, not all Fox employees agree with this stance. To track employees’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Fox employed an artificial intelligence (AI) platform, Eskalera. As per the Fox leadership, Eskalera was introduced to deepen employees’ understanding of identity and explore nuanced DEI concepts. The AI platform generates a “peer comfort index” and “diversity index,” drawing data from various sources, including email and payroll systems.
However, the aggressive promotion of progressive ideals appears to have created a disconnect between some Fox News employees and their audience, leading to open hostility from some employees towards the viewers. In various social media posts, these employees appear to challenge traditional conservative views and express support for controversial groups.
These revelations raise questions about the alignment of Fox’s corporate practices with its viewer base. Critics question whether the organization’s executives are fully aware of these practices, are trying to comply with local laws, or if they simply support these initiatives. The role of Fox’s major institutional shareholders, BlackRock and Vanguard Group, has also come under scrutiny, with suggestions that they could be driving this shift towards progressive values.
