Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Comcast NBCUniversal Celebrates Pride Month
Update: Read our statement on the June 15 US Supreme Court ruling
June 1st traditionally kicks off the annual celebration of Pride for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, however, our country has been experiencing social upheaval triggered by the senseless killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbrey, and Breonna Taylor. Out of respect for our employees, our customers, and the communities we serve, we are posting the blog today. The LGBTQ+ community has long fought for equality and social justice and stands side-by-side with the Black community and other minorities who are appealing for reforms, equality, and a reaffirmation of their civil and human rights. You can read about our comprehensive multi-year plan to allocate $100M to fight injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender identify, sexual orientation or ability here.
At Comcast NBCUniversal, we believe a diverse and inclusive company is a more innovative and successful one, which is why Diversity & Inclusion is so important to our culture and business. For our customers, we provide year-round access to diverse programming, however, special moments, like Pride Month, provide us with an important opportunity to go above and beyond to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community’s remarkable contributions to American culture and history.
Comcast NBCUniversal is proud to support LGBTQ+ culture during the 50th anniversary of Pride Month this year through the curation of new programming, grant giving, and employee outreach. Here is a snapshot of what we’re doing:
Xfinity TV’s ‘LGBTQ Film & TV’ Destination and Free Preview:
The ‘LGBTQ Film & TV’ destination brings together all of the LGBTQ film, TV, music, and web content available on Xfinity X1 into one place. During Pride Month, the destination will also curate a selection of award-winning movies, documentaries, biopics, and television series featuring LGBTQ programming firsts available through NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock such as Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Will & Grace, and A Little Late with Lilly Singh, music from Pandora, Music Choice, and Billboard, and Xfinity Hangout collections, featuring LGBTQ Editor Scott and queer talent. Finally, X1 and Flex customers can watch the Equality Florida LGBTQ Voices #BlackLivesMatter Town Hall, which is also available on the destination via YouTube.
In addition, during the week of 6/8 – 6/14, Xfinity will offer a selection of free LGBTQ programming from a variety of subscription video on demand services including: HereTV, Revry, and Dekkoo.
X1 and Flex customers can access the destination by saying “Pride” into the Xfinity Voice Remote or across devices via Xfinity Stream. Content availability may vary across Xfinity TV platforms (X1, Flex, and the Xfinity Stream app).
Comcast Newsmakers, our news and public affairs platform will celebrate Pride month by revisiting conversations with leading voices in the LGBTQ equality movement. From advancing transgender visibility to creating a culture of belonging, the collection features interviews with equal rights advocates on the forefront of LGBTQ acceptance and inclusion. Experience the full collection on Xfinity On Demand by saying “Comcast Newsmakers” into your Xfinity Voice Remote, or watch for free at ComcastNewsmakers.com.
FandangoNOW is celebrating Pride Month with a curated list of films from Rotten Tomatoes’ Rainbow Tomatoes list, an editorial hub offering helpful guides to LGBTQ entertainment recommendations – including the 200 Best LGBTQ Movies, 100 Essential LGBTQ TV Series, 30 Essential Queer Horror Movies, 30 Essential LGBTQ Documentaries, and more. Stream the content on FandangoNOW here.
Also, USA and SYFY are partnering with the leading non-profit LGBTQ advocacy organization, GLAAD, for a multiplatform campaign spotlighting positive representation all month long. Throughout the month, GLAAD will support USA and SYFY’s multiplatform Pride campaign via their social handles, across digital platforms, and with PSAs featuring resource and donation links. Additionally, on USA, linear marathons will be wrapped with custom content featuring BD Wong. Between the two networks, this campaign will feature Pride-themed marathons, custom short-form videos, fan testimonials, PSAs, all-new podcast episodes and a variety of fresh editorial. See more here.
Pride is more than a month – it’s all year long with Xfinity:
COVID-19 Response
Comcast NBCUniversal recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a far-reaching impact on all communities throughout the U.S. Unfortunately, the LGBTQ+ community is facing unique challenges. According to data collected by the Human Rights Campaign, “LGBTQ people are at greater exposure and risk of both economic and health complications than non-LGBTQ people because of the types of jobs they are more likely to have, because of their experiences with poverty and lack of paid leave, and because of the health disparities they have compared to non-LGBTQ people”. To support the community’s response to these inequalities, NBC Out will launch 2020 Pride Honorees on June 1st, honoring twelve LGBTQ individuals helping in the fight against COVID-19. Comcast NBCUniversal is also a proud sponsor of PowerOn, a non-profit who works directly with LGBTQ-exclusive or supportive homeless shelters and other supportive organizations working with LGBTQ communities that have little or no access to technology to provide equipment and training needed to access the Internet, which is now more important than ever. To further educate the public about the impact of the pandemic, we sponsored 4Ward Miami's South Florida Pride Collective Digital Festival on May 9th – 10th, 2020, which raised money to support the local community. Read our comprehensive COVID-19 response here.
2020 Census Grant
Comcast NBCUniversal is committed to ensuring that people of color and hard-to-count communities, including the LGBTQ+ community, get counted in the 2020 Census. As a part of that commitment, we’ve awarded a grant to The National LGBTQ Task Force, which supported the launch of their “Queer the Census/Be You. Be Counted.” digital communications campaign. This donation allowed their messaging to reach a broad LGBTQ+ audience through targeted social media and digital advertising.
Employee Resource Groups
At Comcast NBCUniversal, we strive to create a safe space for our employees through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which allow employees to connect with one another and share a collective experience related to heritage and culture. OUT, Comcast NBCUniversal’s LGBTQ-focused ERG, helps support and promote an inclusive and collaborative company culture, founded in 1986 as one of the nation’s first LGBTQ-focused ERGs. In celebration of Pride Month, OUT members will come together to enjoy virtual convenings that include a three-part career development series, a virtual discussion with a national bestselling author, and a virtual panel with community leaders who will discuss topics such as the history of Pride parades, what authenticity means in the workplace, and LGBTQ representation in the media, and more.