Bangladesh, May 14 -- The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), long recognized as a dominant force in LGBTQ advocacy, is facing a torrent of criticism following a report by the Media Research Center (MRC) that alleges its flagship Corporate Equality Index (CEI) operates not as a neutral assessment of inclusivity, but as a mechanism for enforcing political conformity. According to the MRCs analysis, the CEI rewards companies that adhere to a specific progressive ideology while penalizing those that prioritize free speech and diverge from HRCs worldview-particularly on matters related to gender identity and online discourse.

The CEI is widely utilized by corporations eager to showcase their LGBTQ-friendly credentials, especially in an era where En...