by Joe Siegel

EqualPride, publisher of such LGBTQ publications as The Advocate and OUT, has had to deal with the resignation of a member of its’ board of directors recently due to his association with President Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.

Jay Katari, a MAGA supporter and businessman, resigned as the company’s strategic advisor for growth and innovation one day after reports of his political affiliation raised an alarm among the company’s staff and readership.

Journalist Kevin Ortega-Rojas broke the story on his blog on September 14, 2026.

According to Ortega-Rojas, Katari previously donated $10,000 to Utah anti-LGBTQ former-Attorney General Sean Reyes, a Republican. Katari also makes fun of pronouns on his Instagram bio, listing his own as “dude/bro/guy/man/Jedi.”

Ortega-Rojas reported that Katari has “publicly embraced Donald Trump and MAGA politics,” posting photos in his MAGA hat, amplifying MAGA imagery, and mocking former President Joe Biden. Katari, his wife, and children follow most of Trump’s family members on social media. Katari also follows senior Trump staffers.

In a statement published Monday afternoon via Instagram, the editorial team of The Advocate, Out, them, Pride.com, Out Traveler and Plus wrote: “Our editors became aware of concerning reports this morning that Jay Katari, one of the board members of our parent company EqualPride, may have espoused beliefs that are antithetical to the mission of our brands.”

“Per a news article from journalist Kevin Ortega-Rojas, the editorial team only recently learned of Katari’s expanding role and had no information about his background or past political statements prior to today. Please know that Qatari’s position has not influenced our reporting,” the statement noted.

EqualPride’s website had stated that Katari’s role was to help the company “expand its reach, strengthen its commercial partnerships, and develop new sources of recurring revenue. … He is passionate about using technology, strategic partnerships, and innovative business models to extend the company’s impact while protecting the authenticity and importance of its editorial voices.”

Katari’s profile has since been scrubbed from the company website as of September 15.

“I have decided to step down from the Board of Directors of EqualPride,” Katari said in a statement shared by CEO Mark Berryhill. “My intention was simply to volunteer my time and experience to support the incredible team and the important work they do for the LGBTQ+ community.”

Katari said he “never intended for my involvement to cause disruption within a community I hold dear and deeply respect,” and wished the company continued success. He did not address the social media activity related to MAGA politics behind the controversy.

As reported by The Advocate, Berryhill told employees in an August 31 email that he had “full confidence” in Katari, whose efforts would help the company grow and adapt to the changing media environment. Berryhill also wrote that Katari “genuinely loves what we do at EqualPride and believes deeply in our mission.”

The controversy seems unlikely to go away anytime soon.

Kevin Naff, editor of the Washington Blade, expressed dismay over Katari’s presence on the EqualPride board.

“The big question is how did Katari get on the board in the first place?” Naff said on September 21. “We know from their own reporting that he circumvented the usual vetting process, which raises questions about whether there are MAGA/Trump figures serving as lead investors in EqualPride.”

Mark Ariel, co-publisher and managing editor of The Fight Magazine, based in Los Angeles, was even more blunt. In a September 15 editorial, he wrote, “The defense offered by leadership — that Katari’s role is ‘strictly business’ and won’t touch editorial strategy — is an insult to our intelligence. Business strategy is editorial strategy. The people who control the capital and growth models ultimately control the lifeblood of a publication. Forcing queer journalists to sit in revenue meetings with an advisor whose political ideology invalidates their humanity destroys staff morale and erodes reader trust. … Katari isn’t just a poor fit for EqualPride — he is an insult to every journalist working in independent queer media today.”

However, Todd Evans, CEO of Rivendell Media and publisher of Press Pass Q, noted, “At least for now it seems that Equal Pride dealt with this issue head-on and as soon as it was brought to their attention. Hopefully, they will be more careful going forward as this is such an important legacy title near and dear to our community.”

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Volume 28
Issue 8