Why Gays Are Good for Business

I have written here and here about how backwards the Hampton Roads area is socially and culturally and its overall unwillingness to embrace diversity and tolerance. With a population of 1,658,292 people one would be inclined to expect a somewhat sophisticated population, but old ideas and too much deference and pandering to conservative religious elements continue to plague the area. Added to this is smothering atmosphere is the self-imposed closet that haunts the large numbers of gays in the local military forces under DADT - a phenomenon that spills over into the private employment sector as well. The result: a brain drain of the college educated and a natural reluctance on the part of progressive businesses to locate in the area.

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Some have recognized that things need to change if the area is to prosper long term. As a result, in January, 2011, a group of senior communication, public information and public affairs professionals from government, military, key employers, businesses, colleges and universities will hold a meeting to discuss and collaborate on issues that will hopefully help address the negative findings of a Brookings Institute study that found Hampton Roads to be “old, slow and not too bright” and in need of action to address “brain drain” and a lack of economic AND cultural diversity.

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Given this background, I found this video clip from the NGLCC national dinner - which I had the privilege of attending as a representative of HRBOR, currently the only NLGCC affiliated chamber of commerce in Virginia - to be of interest. It looks at why gays are good for business. Would that more of the business community and political leadership would buy into this concept. Here's the clip.: