The Trillion Dollar LGBT Market Niche

A portion of the crowd at PrideFest 2017

When I was fired from a large local law firm after I came out in mid-life - a gay partner it was said would offend the sensibilities of the firm's "conservative" client - I made a concerted effort to market to the sizable LGBT market.  Who better to address the legal concerns of LGBT citizens than a gay attorney who knew about bigotry and discrimination first hand (hence my win as the best attorney in Outwire 757 recent reader's choice awards).  As part of that effort, I was a founder of the local LGBT chamber of commerce, Hampton Roads Business OutReach ("HRBOR") In the years since, both locally and nationally, more and more businesses have discovered that smart business means marketing to the LGBT community and other minority communities, e.g. the Hispanic-American community. Some businesses have suffered the attempted wrath of Christofascists who regularly have called ineffective boycotts against national companies advertising to the LGBT market, but have been undeterred (and typically saw they earnings increase).  A piece in Inside Business underscores why marketing to the LGBT community makes sense.  The explanation is ultimately simple:  LGBT individuals make up a trillion dollar market and have money to spend.  Moreover, they are loyal to those who are LGBT friendly - locally, I can tell you which law firms to avoid if you are LGBT - and engage in word of mouth promotion of merchants and professionals that they respect.  Here are some article excerpts:

Rainbow flags [could] be seen on the streets of Hampton Roads as the region prepare[d] for a series of celebrations for the LGBTQ community, wrapping up a month of gay pride celebrations.

Hampton Roads PrideFest alone expect[ed] 25,000 to 30,000 visitors from across the Mid-Atlantic for Saturday's festival in Norfolk's Town Point Park. Many of these visitors have booked hotels for the weekend and restaurants, stores and other tourism-related businesses expect big business.

The estimated purchasing power of LGBTQ adults in the U.S. ranges around $1 trillion. Witeck Communications released a study last year that showed a four percent increase to $917 billion while the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce estimates buying power at $1.7 trillion.

The Hampton Roads region is no exception. In fact, a 2015 Gallup study ranked the Virginia Beach-Norfolk metropolitan area as 12th out of 50 metropolitan areas with the highest proportion of LGBTQ adults (4.4 percent of our population). Old Dominion University's 2016 State of the Region Report estimated the LGBTQ working-age adult's average income in Hampton Roads totaled $2.017 billion, about 4.8 percent of total income of adults between the ages of 25 and 64.

This large purchasing power isn’t because LGBTQ adults are earning more than their heterosexual counterparts. In fact, studies cited in the State of the Region show gay men and lesbian women earn about five and nine percent less, respectively, than their heterosexual male coworkers.   Rather, this purchasing power comes from large disposable incomes due to the fact LGBTQ households often have two full incomes without any children and related expenses . . .

Much of this disposable income goes toward travel, hence the interest of the tourism industries. Virginia Tourism Corporation data shows LGBTQ visitors stay longer and spend more than their non-LGBTQ counterparts.

The Downtown Norfolk Council emailed local businesses with a list of suggestions on how to make the most of the gay pride festival and potential customers. Suggestions included showing off rainbow clothes, flags, signs, drinks and food along with offering discounts to people who wear rainbow colors in support. The council even offered to distribute rainbow flags and necklaces for free.

Ryan Downey of the Hampton Convention and Visitor Bureau said although there is nothing in Hampton that is exclusively for the LGBTQ consumer, the bureau hosts occasional meeting of local business owners to discuss LGBTQ events and efforts.

Pride events have included a river cruise, in which all proceeds went to ACCESS AIDS, and a historical feature on growing up gay in Hampton Roads called “Our Story, Our Time” presented by the Hampton History Museum.

The Virginia Beach Convention and Visitor's Bureau has produced an in-flight video for American Airlines featuring LGBTQ locals along with photos of LGBTQ couples, to market weddings at the convention center and the city's ViBe district.

The ViBe district boasts the Rainbow Crosswalk at 19th Street and Cypress Avenue. Virginia Beach leadership, all the way up to the mayor, has embraced this intentional, organic symbol by a local artist . . . .

Several organizations aim to help businesses overcome the marketing costs of advertising themselves as a destination for LGBTQ consumers.

The Hampton Roads Business OutReach aims to give local businesses national exposure. Tracy Skinner, the outreach group's president, encourages businesses to become certified as an LGBTQ business enterprise through the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in order to do business with larger corporations like Hilton and American Airlines.

Similarly, the Virginia Tourism Corporation urges business to add a free listing at Virginia.Org, which reaches 13 million annually. It also offers an extensive LGBTQ tourism resource guide. 

LGBTQ acceptance has been on the rise in the last decade since the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." Although many are encouraged by the growing acceptance, tourism industries of competing cities have struggled to “break through the noise.” . . . "It’s not enough to just slap a rainbow flag on something and check the box.”

As the article notes, locally, the LGBT community is over a $2 billion market.  What savvy business owner would not want to pursue that type of market?

Winners of the 2017 Outwire757 "Best of" Awards

New York City Trip - Day Four; Back to Virginia

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Yesterday afternoon we walked around the West Village and checked out shops - I purchase some cowboy boots at a great vintage clothing shop on 14th Street - and the Monster Bar before heading to our friend's new place in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn.  Before venturing to a wonderful called Maison Premiere, we had drinks on the roof top deck of her apartment building and enjoyed the view of Manhattan in the distance (see photo above).  Overall, the feel of the area of Brooklyn we were in felt much like the Village given the abundance of shops and restaurants.

Today, we spent more time walking around Manhattan and went by the United Nations and had lunch near Grand Central Station before returning to my brother's apartment and heading to the airport.  Overall, we did our part to boost the New York economy!!  Below is a great shot of the Chrysler Building that I took while walking down Lexington Avenue.

We arrived safely back in Hampton Roads this evening and now I will have to recover from the funk that always over takes me after we have traveled to somewhere progressive and gay friendly.  Yes, we have a nice life here in many ways, but being a fourth class citizens makes one weary at times.  Especially, when you experience progressive and dynamic places where gays are truly equal.  If circumstances were different, I leave Virginia forever in a heartbeat and shake the dust off my shoes.

Lexus Releases First LGBT-Themed Ad

I suspect that shortly the spittle will be flying by the bucket full in the corridors of The American Family Association and among the bitches at One Million Moms in reaction to a new ad from Lexus that carries a LGBT theme and even includes a shot of the HRC equality symbol in the commercial. 

Of course, any sane advertiser and business would want to seek out a share of the LGBT community's purchasing power.  Nevertheless, I'm sure that will not stop hysterical, spittle flecked boycott threats by the Christofascists against any programing that carries this ad.  After all, in their minds, only they have special rights and the rest of us are supposed to be invisible.  Kudos to Lexus.

Berenstain Bears Distances Itself from Chick-fil-A

After having been kicked to the curb by the Jim Henson Company and the Muppets, Chick fil-A has moved to use a series of books from the Berenstain Bears series instead of the Muppet puppets.  Apparently, the Berenstain Bears are less than pleased to find themselves associated with bigotry and discrimination.  What to do?  Place at statement on their website and Facebook page distancing themselves from the Kids Meal deal:

Our publisher, HarperCollins, is marketing several of their Berenstain Bears titles through a kids' meal promotion at Chick-Fil-A scheduled for August. This program was in development for over a year. We were unaware of any controversy involving Chick-Fil-A until July 25th.

The Berenstain family does not at this time have control over whether this program proceeds or not. We hope those concerned about this issue will direct their comments toward HarperCollins and Chick-Fil-A.

 

 

The Cathy family is entitled to believe whatever they want.  Meanwhile, the rest of us are free to call them out and condemn bigotry when we see it.

Target Selling Same Sex Union Cards Nationwide

The list of boycott targets for American Family Association and the One Million Bitches crowd just got longer.  I can just imagine the spittle that will be flying when these gay haters realize that Target has added cards for same sex unions to their greeting card inventories nationwide.  Maggie Gallagher and Linda Harvey will have a cow and Robert Knight may well blow a gasket.  With a huge national retailer like Target making this move, it's yet another sign that over the longer term the hate "family values" groups and professional Christian set are losing the marriage equality battle.  Here are highlights from LGBT Nation:

MINNEAPOLIS — Placed on greeting card racks under the headings of “For two special men” and “For two special women,” Minneapolis-based Target Corp. is now stocking greeting cards to celebrate same-sex unions.

The gay-themed greeting cards hit Target stores nationwide last month, just weeks after the retailer began selling gay pride-themed t-shirts online, reported the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

The cards are addressed to: “Two very special women, one very special love” and “Mr. & Mr.” and included greetings which include “…a love story whose time has come! Congratulations.”

Company spokeswoman Molly Snyder said that “Target is focused on diversity and inclusivity,” and now offers a range of greeting cards that appeal to a variety of audiences, including the LGBT community.

The cards are made by Carlton Cards, a unit of American Greetings, whose spokeswoman Patrice Sadd said the company and Target jointly decided to offer “wedding cards relevant for everyone.”
The move is the latest step by Target to appeal to gay and lesbian consumers.

In November, Minnesotans will vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Target has not yet taken a position on the amendment, and said it’s going to remain neutral, having been burned by its political involvement in the past.

Support JC Penney - Go Shopping!

I've posted a couple of times about the Christiannist onslaught and boycott effort against retailer JC Penney because (1) the company hired Ellen Degeneres as a spokeswoman and (2) because the company included a photo of two gay dads in the Father's Day catalog (see the image above).  The haters are apoplectic because JC Penney acknowledges that gays exist and that we have family values too.  Our family values, however, are not based on fear, self-inflicted ignorance and hatred of others who are different from ourselves.  I have also encouraged LGBT consumers to spend their money at JC Penney  as a way of saying "thank you" to the company for not knuckling under to the hate merchants and Christofascists.

Today I took my own advice and ran by the local JC Penney store before heading down the street to a 4th of July party at a neighbor's home that looks out across Hampton Roads harbor with a panoramic view of the harbor and the U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet at the Norfolk Naval Base.   JC Penney is not a high end designer stre, but I was able to find some nice things and left the store with five items that included some designer names at a great price.  In fact,  wore the Joseph Abboud shorts I bought to today's party.

We as a community need to support those who don't surrender to the demands of our enemies.  I for one will continue to target my spending toward gay friendly companies and businesses.

Support JC Penney - Sign the "Thank You" Message

One of the objectives of this blog is to support the rights of LGBT citizens and also to expose hypocrisy be it in politics, religion or sometimes even in LGBT organizations.  One of the biggest groups of hypocrites one sees nowadays is the hate filled and fear and bigotry motivated members of the so-called Christian Right - individuals I often refer to as Christianists or Christofascists so as to distinguish them from the "good Christians" if you will.    An example of their hypocrisy invokes boycotts of businesses.  When some supporters of Proposition 8 for example had their businesses boycotted or picketed by LGBT activists, the Christofascist claimed that they were being persecuted and intimidated.  But these same people have no problem in trying to threaten and intimidate businesses that do not conform to the Christianist anti-gay agenda.  Among those who almost constantly call for their Kool-Aid drinking followers to boycott gay friendly businesses are the American Family Association, a registered hate group, the National Organization for marriage, and of late the "One Million Moms" which more likely involves a handful of women who might be better described as bitches or shrews. 

One of the latest targets of the anti-gay agenda of these modern day Pharisees is JC Penney which ran the ad set out above in their Father's Day catalog.  This cad campaign followed Penny's  signing of Ellen Degeneres as a spokeswoman.   When confronted by the forces of hate and bigotry, JC Penney's basically told the bigots to kiss their ass.  And some sources suggest that the company went a step further and blogged e-mails coming from the One Million Bitches webpage.

Sum of Us has put together a webpage where a message of support can be sent to JC Penney thanking the company for its refusal to back down in the face of demands from bigots who despise the constitutional rights to freedom of religion and free speech for anyone except themselves.  Consider signing the letter here.  Better yet, go shop and JC Penney.  

How Corporations are Profiting from Gay Pride

I guess the "One Million Bitches" and Family Research Council, et al,  will soon be launching boycotts against U. S. News & World Reports.  Why?  Because the magazine is carrying an article that makes the case that supporting gay pride events is good business - something stockholders and business owners need to worry about since they cannot simply shake down simpletons and religious extremists for dollars like the professional Christian set.   The article notes "Sponsoring Pride sends out a message about a corporation's values. It can also pull in lots of new customers (and money)."  This reality is still lost on many Hampton Roads based businesses, but through HRBOR and Out in the Park, hopefully the message will start to sink in more quickly.  Here are some article highlights:

Bud Light commercials often fall into the traditional beer commercial stereotype: Gorgeous women and the bumbling men trying to win them over (beers in hand, of course). The brand plays up its heterosexual side in other ways, as well, like teaming up with Playboy for Super Bowl promotions.

To people not familiar with the gay scene, it may therefore come as a surprise that Bud Light is a major sponsor of several Gay Pride festivals taking place across the U.S. in June, LGBT Pride Month, —look no further than Bud Light's Bud Boyz model contest at Chicago's Pride festival this month.

In fact, a number of the nation's most recognizable brands are behind all of the concerts, parades, and rainbow flags. Though gay rights remain divisive in America, and only a slim fragment of the population identifies as lesbian, gay, or bisexual—around 3.5 percent, by one recent estimate—the decision to promote gay rights is simply good business sense.

[C]ompanies likely see dollar signs when they see packed streets at the local Gay Pride parade. "A larger festival is a better investment for a national company."

Absolut Vodka, Zipcar, Google, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, AT&T, Whole Foods, and Walgreen's are just a few of the companies lending their support to large pride festivals this year. The people attending the festival tend to take notice and patronize those companies.

Sponsoring pride can mean not only new business but repeat customers. "[LGBT consumers] are much more likely to be loyal to a company that markets directly to them," says Drayer.

Sponsoring Pride "most certainly" has drawn customers to Wells Fargo, says Mark Ng, LGBT segment manager at Wells Fargo. "Consumers are just as interested in a company's values as they are with our company's products and services."

And pulling back on support can mean losing the business of the festival itself, says Toms: "The bank we bank with right now pulled back as a sponsor this year. We're going to transfer our accounts to a new bank. We support businesses who support our community."

As the nation as a whole slowly comes to accept same-sex relationships, some companies are coming out of the closet as well, making their views on embracing same-sex couples increasingly prominent. JCPenney recently featured two gay dads in a Fathers' Day advertisement. One new Gap ad features two men inside a t-shirt together. Starbucks recently inspired a boycott from the National Organization for Marriage, an anti-gay-marriage group, when it supported legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in Washington.

While the travel and alcohol industries were among the first to target the gay community, some industries are dragging their feet . . . . .  along with the U.S. population, companies are increasingly willing to put their messages out there, he adds. "The reality is, the majority of Americans do support same-sex marriage," he says.

Yep, the spittle will be flying in the halls of the offices of  AFA and FRC.  Meanwhile, since its strong statement in Washington State in support of marriage equality, I've made a point to spend more at Starbucks.  I also plan on going by JC Penney and buying some summer clothes and household products.  

How Long Before the One Million Shrews Go Berserk?

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Chevrolet has joined the ranks of corporations actively marketing to the LGBT consumer.  Any bets as to how long it will be before the far right whack jobs and Christian bitches go off the rails?  I suspect that "whatever revs your engine" will launch them into apoplexy.

JCPenney Features Real Gay Couple In Fathers’ Day Ad - Christianist Heads Will Explode

While the ex-gay ministries have taken a body blow in the form of the updated Sptizer recantation and the move in California to outlaw reparative therapy, things aren't exactly sweetness and light for the Christofascists who want gays to return to an invisible status.  After already riling the "One Million Bitchs" with its ads featuring Ellen Degeneres, JC Penny has now launched a fathers' day ad that features a real life gay couple and their two children (see image above).  The Christianist heads will be definitely exploding even as the One Million Bitches have their panties in an unbelievable wad.  Personally, I love it and may need to see if there's anything at JC Penney I might want to purchase.  And if it drives the hate merchants crazy, so much the better.  Here are excerpts from Think Progress:

JCPenney has just launched a Fathers’ Day advertisement featuring a gay couple with their children, noting that the ad portrays “real-life dads Todd Koch and Cooper Smith with their children, Claire and Mason.”
The copy reads:

First Pals: What makes Dad so cool? He’s the swim coach, tent maker, best friend, bike fixer and hug giver — all rolled into one. Or two.

The ad builds on the department store’s recent decisions to stand with the LGBT community. In February, when JCPenney came under fire from the anti-gay group One Million Moms for bringing on the openly-gay comedian Ellen DeGeneres as a spokesperson, the store stood behind its partnership with Ellen. JCPenney’s CEO said that “Ellen represents the values of our company” — and with this kind of pro-equality advertising, JCPenney is continuing to reinforce its progressive values.

In response to the earlier Christianist outrage, Ellen laid out her values which are the polar opposite of the values demonstrated by the behavior of the "godly Christian" set even though they are wholly consistent with the true Gospel message:

Weddings Begin in New York State! - Robert Knight Has Apoplexy

Weddings began shortly after midnight in New York State. Pictured above are Cheryle Rudd and Kitty Lambert became the first gay married couple this morning with Niagara Falls in the background. Besides ending religious based discrimination in the civil laws in New York, same sex marriage will bring an economic windfall to the state. Bob Witeck has a piece at CNN that looks at why marriage equality is good for business. Read the article here.
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Meanwhile, Robert Knight who has made a career out of disseminating anti-gay untruths and who strikes me as a self-loathing closet case, recently had a rant in the Washington Times about the left's - read gays - assault on the nation's so-called Judeo-Christian morality. With Knight the quest to force Christianist religious beliefs on all citizens trumps everything else - even the potential default on the national debt. Here are highlights from his screed that likely would have sat well with Norway's mass murder suspect:
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Over the past 90 years, a relentless campaign has unfolded to overthrow Judeo-Christian morality and replace it with an amorality that says desires themselves validate choices.
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This campaign has been advanced largely by hijacking the rubric and moral capital of the black civil rights movement and misapplying it to volitional behavior. The changes, which move us closer to barbarism, are enforced via media that pounce on even the slightest hesitation to embrace the new immorality.
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The current target of this unholy campaign is the perversion of marriage. For the first time, a Republican-controlled state Senate chamber provided the margin of victory for a state law redefining marriage away from the man-woman requirement. Soon, there will be no bride needed or no groom for a New York marriage license.
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The left is not about to call a truce in the culture war. Sensing disarray, the Obama administration has stepped up its attacks on the moral order even while it runs our economy off a cliff.
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It’s not too late to save what’s left of marriage and to reorder public policies to strengthen rather than corrode the sanctity of the home. . . . A great reservoir of sentiment for the permanent things is waiting to be tapped. What’s needed first is moral leadership from those who purport to be leaders.
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Can't you just feel the Christian love?

Think Twice When Shopping - Who's for Equality and Who's Not

Human Rights Campaign has released its 2011 "Buying for Workplace Equality Report" and it's eye opening if one takes the time to review various categories of goods and services. Many companies that are household names are NOT as supportive of equality as one might think and in states like Virginia, the only employment non-discrimination protections are those adopted by employers. Hence why I encourage folks to patronize gay friendly employers with their business and to avoid those that do not. The LGBT community has a great deal of purchasing power and we need not give our money to companies who are hostile towards employment protections. Take the time to educate yourself on who is an ally and who is not. Here are some companies one might want to avoid:
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Berkshire Hathaway - Dairy Queen; 15
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Bob Evans 15
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Jack in the Box , Qdoba Mexican Grill; 15
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Krispy Kreme 0
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OSI Restaurant Partners - Bonefish Grill; Carrabba's Italian Grill; Cheeseburger in Paradise; Fleming's Prime Steakhouse; Outback Steakhouse; 0
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You may be surprised by some of the results.

Key West - An Amazing Get Away Spot

Taking a break from politics and LGBT issues, I wanted to give an update on our trip to Key West. That said, here's an update:

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Our trip to Key West has been very enjoyable so far and we've enjoyed soaking up the sun, visiting local restaurants, taking in the historic homes tour - we got to see the house owned by Kenny Chesney last night (pictured above - and other historical/tourism sites. We also got to see Porche (pictured at left), one of our favorite performers last night at the Bourbon Street Pub. As always, her show was hysterically funny and entertaining. An added treat has been receiving a VIP press pass from the Key West Business Guild/International Gay and Lesbian Tourism Association since I write for The Bilerico Project. The pass lets the boyfriend and me have complimentary admission to a number of sites, sailing tours, jet ski tours and other things to enhance the trip. Today is the first cooler day - highs only around 70 degrees - so we are going to visit the Audubon House, the Curry Mansion, and some other venues we have not visited on previous trips.

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One of the things I always enjoy staying at the Oasis is it's relaxed atmosphere and the fact that one meets people from all over the country and from foreign countries. An interesting guest this visit is Wilmer Vergara who owns Graphi-ko Gallery in St. Petersburg, Florida. Besides painting, photography and graphic design shirts Wilmer makes beautiful jewelery, rings, and gorgeous fused glass pendants. The boyfriend and I both bought pendants as did a number of other guests. To see some of his beautiful creations go to the new gallery link on his website.

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For those looking for a laid back get away destination, Key West is wonderful and we love the fact that we can walk or bike everywhere.

Key West - Lunch at Latitudes on Sunset Key

One of the boyfriend's clients gave us a gift certificate for lunch at Latitudes, a resaurant at the Westin Resort on Sunset Key - a short ride by motor launch from the Key West wharf - so we went there for lunch today. As the photos indicate, the weather was absolutely gorgeous and we (two friends joined us) had a wonderful time. The view above is from our table under the palm trees.
Having my own solo practice law firm, I never truly get away and today was no different. I talked by phone with the office a number of times and had to draft a purchsae and sale agreement, write some letters to clients and prepare a few other documents for clients and then e-mail them out. Nevertheless, being here in Key West with friends is a welcome relief. This evening before dinner with friends from New York we chatted with a couple from Vancouver, British Columbia who are staying at the guesthouse. I truly love this place.

Gay Weddings Boom Under Argentina's New Marriage Law

Argentina catapulted into the ranks of nations allowing full civil marriage for same sex couples back earlier in the year. In addition to underscoring the falsity of the USA's supposed constitutional guaranties to its LGBT citizens, Argentina made it clear that religion and the civil laws are separate spheres where the religious beliefs of some do not get the authority to deprive other citizens of their civil legal right to equality in all things. Now, as the Guardian reports, gay marriage is become a big business in Argentina which is aggressively marketing itself as a gay travel and wedding destination. In fact, at the NGLCC national dinner I attended last month, the Argentine Ministry of Tourism provided the after dinner entertainment and party. Here are highlights from the Guardian article:
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Five months ago Argentina became the first country in Latin America, and one of only a handful of nations in the world, to legalise same-sex marriage. Since then the country has seen hundreds of gay couples saying "I do" and the birth of a booming new economy catering for the increasingly lucrative gay wedding market. For many people, business has never been better.
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Five hundred same-sex marriages have taken place in Argentina since the legislation was passed on 22 July, with hundreds more planned for the new year. Marini says that in recent months she has seen dozens of other gay wedding planning businesses launch in the capital, with more than 300 suppliers now trying to target the gay market.
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"Attitudes have changed since the legalisation," she says. "This time last year, when we called hotels or restaurants scoping potential venues for parties or civil partnerships, we'd get told that they didn't cater for those kind of functions."
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Now, she says, everyone is desperate to get in on the action. "We get the same places calling us begging us to bring our gay clients in to do viewings. Suddenly people have realised that the gay community is enforcing its right to get married and couples are spending a lot of money doing so."
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Gay couples often far outspend their heterosexual counterparts. The wedding industry in Argentina estimates that gay couples spend up to 30% more on their big day, with budgets stretching to $25,000 (£16,000).
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[M]any of Gay Planners' and Delicias Gourmet's wedding clients have been together for decades. While civil partnerships have been permitted in Argentina since 2003, couples say the legalisation of same-sex marriage finally gives them the same rights as heterosexual couples.
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Many of Argentina's same-sex weddings take place in the capital, but services are being held across the country. . . . Alongside their event planning services, Gay Planners also offers a range of legal services for foreign clients travelling to Argentina to take advantage of the new laws.

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.

Gold's Gym Gives Money to Karl Rove Political Organization

I believe that the LGBT community needs to use its considerable purchasing power to punish companies who support anti-gay politicians. A new boycott target has emerged in the form of Gold's Gym - the chain's parent company's CEO has donated $2 million to Karl Rove's toxic "American Crossroads." Less anyone forget, Rove was the architect of Chimperator Bush's anti-gay rhetoric and also encouraged Christianists to get anti-gay initiatives on the ballot in 2004 to bring out the wingnut vote to re-elect the Chimperator. I hope members of the LGBT community will avoid Gold's like the plague and that those who expiring memberships will find a new gym that doesn't endorse anti-gay bigots like Karl Rove. Here are highlights from The Advocate:
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Robert Rowling, the CEO of the company that owns Gold's Gym, has donated more than $2 million to American Crossroads, Karl Rove's organization that works to elect anti-gay politicians, according to website Change.org.
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Among the candidates supported by American Crossroads are Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, who received a 0% rating from the Human Rights Campaign and Nevada GOP Senate candidate Sharron Angle, who endorsed a statement that said there was no evidence to suggest homosexuality was biological and that scientists who argue otherwise are flawed.
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Change.org suggests signing a petition to encourage Gold's Gym to stop supporting anti-gay politicians, which can be done by clicking here.

HRBOR August Business Networking Event

Just a reminder to local readers that the August HRBOR business networking event is this Thursday in Virginia Beach at Gordon Biersch, hosted by Meerbott Marketing. This promises to be a good event and I hope local readers will check it out. If you do not own a business but would like to become involved, contact me about HRBOR's half price associate memberships. HRBOR is a great way to meet friends and find LGBT owned or LGBT friendly businesses to meet your needs for professional services, purchases, and other things.

HRBOR July Third Thursday Networking Event:

At Gordon Biersch

Host: Kelly A. Meerbott: Meerbott Marketing

http://www.meerbottmarketing.com/

Date: August 19, 2010

Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Cost: Free to Members, Guest fee $15

Location: Virginia Beach Towne Center

4561 Virginia Beach Boulevard
Virginia Beach, VA 23462-3015
(757) 490-2739 Parking: Plenty of FREE parking

Featured Non-Profit: TBA

Please Note: In an effort to go Green, we have member information on our slide presentation loop. Members and Guests are encouraged to bring any marketing materials you wish to distribute (ie: business cards, brochures and flyers) but please be prepared to take them with you when you leave.

AFA Loonies Launch Boycott of Home Depot

The Christofacists at the American Family Association ("AFA") have launched yet another boycott against another corporation which AFA claims is too gay friendly and, therefore, working to subvert society - indeed, destroy Western Civilization itself. Since AFA boycotts historically do nothing in terms of depriving the targeted corporations of any significant volume of business revenue, the real purpose of the boycotts is to (1) keep AFA in the news and appear to have some relevance, more importantly, (2) to provide a pretense for AFA to ask for money from the gullible. Since AFA's goal - besides raking in money so that the Wilmon family can live the good life like leeches - is to establish a theocracy in the USA, no credence is given to the reality that the LGBT community is a significant market segment for businesses out to make a profit for the owners/shareholders. Here is some of AFA's screed against Home Depot:
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For several years, The Home Depot has given its financial and corporate support to open displays of homosexual activism on main streets in America's towns. And, it says it will continue to do so!
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Rejecting several requests by AFA to remain neutral in the culture war, The Home Depot has chosen to sponsor and participate in numerous gay pride parades and festivals. Most grievous is The Home Depot's deliberately exposing small children to lascivious displays of sexual conduct by homosexuals and cross-dressers, which are a common occurrence at these events.
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The goal of every homosexual organization supported by The Home Depot is to get homosexual marriage legalized. BoycottTheHomeDepot provides just a glimpse of how broad its support for the homosexual movement is. The Home Depot says it is committed to furthering the homosexual agenda.
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TAKE ACTION
1. Sign the Boycott Pledge at BoycottTheHomeDepot.com.
2. Call your local store manager. Let him know that you will not be shopping in his store until the company stops supporting the homosexual agenda. You can find his number here. (click "Store Finder").
3. Print the paper petition and distribute it at Sunday School and church.
4. Extremely important! Post this alert to your facebook page (link above) and encourage others to join the boycott!
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It is important that the LGBT community let Home Depot know that its support of equality for all Americans is appreciated. Please contact Home Depot and say "Thank you" via the following means:
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You can find your local store via the Home Depot’s Store Locator function on their website:
www.homedepot.com

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You can also call the nationwide customer care department at 1-800-466-3337.

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Phone-phobic? You can also send the Home Depot an email through the Contact Us link on their main web page. It’s at the bottom right-hand side at www.homedepot.com

NGLCC Severs Ties With McDonalds Over Anti-Gay Remarks

I commented on Wednesday on McDonald's Chief of Operations, Don Thompson's, homophobic eruption and expressed my own intention of avoiding McDonalds since the corporation obviously doesn't want my money. As I interpreted Thompson's comments, Thompson believes that gays are not living in keeping with his bigoted Christian beliefs and that, as a result, we are somehow too dirty and immoral to be mentioned - indeed, even recognized as existing - in his corporation's advertisements. The photo at left is from a French McDonald's ad that Thompson says will never air in the USA. Seems that I'm not the only one who is not amused by Thompson's anti-gay bigotry and statements that by inference denigrate gay lives and relationships. The National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce NGLCC (of which HRBOR is an affiliate) has severed all ties to McDonald's in light of the homophobia that haunts the corporation's senior management. Here are some highlights from Huffington Post on the NGLCC's action:

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A couple weeks ago, McDonald's, France, released a gay-friendly commercial that encouraged patrons to "come as you are." The ad, which created a lot of buzz (mostly in America, where it wasn't -- and as we learn below, won't be -- aired), got a reception from McDonald's execs in America that was colder than day-old fries.

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In response to Thompson's comments, the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce -- the largest GLBT business group in the country with 1.4 million businesses -- has severed their relationship with McDonald's, writing in a letter:

We strongly believe that McDonald's plan to distance itself from LGBT and other diverse business segments, coupled with the release of the French TV ad, is ill advised and counter to the spirit of good business and sound ethics. We sincerely hope that McDonald's will reconsider its position and that the company will again show its support for LGBT people, our families and our businesses -- not just where it is politically expedient, but around the globe.

Barring a significant change in policy on the part of McDonald's, please consider this letter as official notice that the NGLCC will not accept future support or membership by McDonald's or any of its subsidiaries.

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A poll on the Huffington Post story reflects that some 70+% of readers believe that Thompson's statements were homophobic. I hope that Thompson's bigotry ends up carrying a noteworthy price.