Preference for Pro-LGBT Companies Carries over Into LGBT Business Purchasing Decisions

I have frequently urged those in the LGBT community to flex our collective purchasing power as a means for advancing full civil equality. Many members of our community indeed do so and target their purchases towards corporations and vendors that have pro-LGBT policies and/or that actively court the LGBT community as customers. Likewise, many in our community (I certainly do) make an effort to boycott businesses deemed lacking in their acceptance of LGBT citizens and/or their treatment of LGBT employees. A new study now demonstrates that LGBT individuals in decision making positions in the business world - lesbians in particular - carry these practices over into how and from whom they purchases supplies and services for businesses they own or for which they exercise purchasing decisions. The message to the larger business community is clear: acceptance and fair treatment of the LGBT community not only wins more LGBT consumer dollars from LGBT individuals, but it also means more business dollars as well - even from companies not ostensibly LGBT owned. Conversely, when a company caves into bigotry from groups like the American Family Association, they lose both GLBT consumers, but also LGBT owned businesses and businesses wherein purchasing decisions are made by LGBT individuals. Here are some highlights from the report findings:
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Very likely to give preference to LGBT vendors:
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• Majority of respondents (70%)are likely to give preference to LGBT-­owned/LGBT-friendly vendors when purchasing at work.
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• Lesbians more likely than gays to give preference to LGBT-owned/LGBT-friendly vendors (45% were extremely likely, compared with 32% of gays)
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• Nearly half of owners (45%)are extremely likely to give preference to such vendors.
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In addition, the study found that 73% of LGBT individuals making purchasing decisions for businesses will, if aware of a resource, use it for finding LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly companies before placing purchase orders. Clearly, anti-LGBT discrimination can and does indeed carry a finacial price to non-LGBT friendly businesses. It's a message that needs to be disseminated far and wide.