Dutch Shell Oil, the corporation behind Shell gas stations, has come under fire as part of the ongoing Brunei boycott over the nation’s anti-queer laws.
Though headquartered in the Netherlands, Shell maintains the largest foreign workforce in Brunei, and a joint venture with the nation’s government responsible for 90% of the country’s oil and gas revenue. Petrochemicals rank as Brunei’s largest export, responsible for more than half the nation’s GDP.
Related: The Sultan of Brunei’s son is very gay-friendly apparently, but is he gay?
Though Shell has long supported LGBTQ employees–the company has partnered with the Human Rights Campaign, sponsored Pride events, offered same-sex partner benefits and displayed the Pride Flag at corporate offices–the company’s shareholders have begun to voice concern over new laws in Brunei which punish gay sex with the death penalty. Shareholders worry that the new laws might compromise Shell’s 3,500 employees based in the nation.
Dutch Shell released a statement affirming the company’s “core value of respect for people means that we respect all people, irrespective of gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation and all the things that make people different.”
The controversy over the Brunei laws has already triggered boycotts in a number of nations, including the United States. Celebrities like George Clooney and Ellen DeGeneres have already encouraged a boycott of a number of posh hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei.
Paul Nadolski
I’d love to know when we’re going to start boycotting other anti-gay countries that have the death penalty for gay sex, that also have luxury resorts and lots of oil. I’m looking at you, UAE and Qatar. Also Saudi Arabia and Iran. Until we start boycotting ALL countries that punish gay sex with death, then boycotting Brunei alone is very hypocritical IMO.
dean089
The U.S. and a variety of countries already have massive sanctions against Iran, so a boycott would be like pissing in a river. As for UAE, Qatar and, especially, Saudi Arabia, any kind of negative attention would be labeled by both Republicans AND Democrats as anti-american and dangerously radical. You might as well criticize Israel and see how far that gets you (hint: not very).
Toofie
Gotta start somewhere. Any protest of any homophobic regime is welcome.
Creamsicle
This is exactly why people are focusing their stupid boycott on luxury hotels that most people can’t afford anyway. Progressives get to feel woke without actually sacrificing anything.
Divestment from Brunei would have a meaningful impact, but then we’d have to confront our hypocrisy across the entire world. Private petroleum companies aren’t going to pass up on a chance to make millions, and oil production in Brunei isn’t going to stop. If Shell leaves, then some Arab or Asian conglomerate will replace them. If they can’t get a foreign company to do it, then Brunei will create a state operated petroleum company instead.
Don’t get me wrong. I think that people should be divesting from Brunei and other anti-gay countries. I just know it’s not going to happen, because then we’d start paying more at the pump and actually needing to confront our own hypocrisy.
Wicked Dickie
But isn’t the US…nvm
dean089
Yeah, there’s that. Meanwhile, Brunei has been brutally anti-gay as long as there’s been a Brunei, so why suddenly does everyone care? Oh, right, some straight Hollywood celebrities started a boycott so now it’s important.
Toofie
It’s new laws they just instituted. That why there’s focus on them.