LGBT Policies  | Poll Results | Advocate.com

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Results for the following question: Do you research a company's LGBT policies before buying?

Yes
 48.6%

No
 45.7%

Undecided
 5.7%

Total Votes: 473

Comments:
These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

uncorrect'un
Although I don't typically research a company before buying, neverthelless, if I am aware beforehand about the position of a company on this issue, then it will affect my purchase.

Anonymous
No. I'm too lazy - or uncommitted to our cause - I guess.

Anonymous
Companies are swayed first and foremost by financial considerations. Buying from a company that disrespects the glbt community is basically rewarding bad behavior

Anonymous
i had not thought about it before, however now that i am conscious i will not support any company that does not believe is equal rights, in every sense of the term.

Brian Newman
I figure we are beginning to come to a day and age where LGBT policies should be banned. I don't feel i need any special rights to do the things other people do. My sexual preference shouldn't come into play at any moment or time. Especially if it is something as Buying something, whether is be a sweater or even stocks.

Anonymous
I keep my ear open about these things. If I hear that a company has discriminatory policies, I move on quite quickly.

nathan
I don't because we live in a small town. I would want to because we have been the target of biogtry from our last landlord.

Robert Goodman
Yes! In America, the dollar is the most powerful way to vote. I refuse to support organizations (or politicians) who do not fully support us. Period.

Anonymous
I generally don't check, but if I happen to know of a particular company's non-LGBT-friendly policies, I'll do my best to avoid buying from them.

Jessica Kelly
Of course I do. Why would I want to buy from someone who discriminates against me? I don't have the soapbox companies stand on sometimes and rally against those I don't like but I can make my money do the talking.

Barkley
Yes - when it's feasible. I'm aware of where most major corporations stand on LGBT policies and, for example, I will buy an American Greetings card rather than a Hallmark Card because Hallmark is not very progressive in such matters. And of course I would starve before spending a dime at a Cracker Barrel restaurant.

Will Snyder
Being originally from the Grand Rapids, MI area, I was happy that Herman Miller did well. My belief in research also means that I will NOT use either GAP or Verizon products because both companies contributed HEAVILY to the Bush campaign in 2000. They did their part for the mess we're in today, econmically and politically.

Sister Candy, SPI LA
It depends on my investment in a company or product. If it's a product I use regularly or if I'm making a rather large purchase from a company, then I want to know what kind of policies my money is supporting.

Lou
Living in Palm Springs, CA. there are a lot of gay owned businesses to buy from. We are very fortunate in this respect. Prime Timers of the Desert, has approx. 900 gay members! I subscribe to the ADVOCATE, [for many years], it is a fine publication and enjoyable to read and keeps us informed on all the gay issues. My partner and I have been together for 45 years.

JKM
I always check, especially on major purchases.

Jim
Of course I don't shop at stores who discriminate against gays. However I also believe in shopping at stores and rewarding them when they change their discriminatory practices. Unfortunately we don't do such a good job at letting the community know when this has happened - i.e. Walmart who now offers dp benefits to employees.

Anonymous
No, I do not do research, but if I read something about a company on Advocate, whether it is positive or negative, that information will affect my purchase decisions.

alma
I am concerned about company's policies on LGBT issues as well as issues such as sweat shops, testing on animals and other ethical concerns.

riffraf002
We are a billion dollar market. We should support with our money products and companys that support rights for gays.

Aloha
Of course: I VOTE WITH MY $$

Dave Neven
Unfortunately, not always known esp. locally.

Kirsten Cummins
Sometimes I do. But, I also care about other issues. On the other hand, if a company is known for being open and inclusive, I am more likely to buy their products or otherwise support them.

Anonymous
Generally only with large purchases. But I do take care to shop only at large chain stores whose parent companies are gay friendly.

Anonymous
There are a number of companies we won't patronage, not only because of their anti-gay policies, but because of their politics, in general. Among them are R.C. Willey furniture (Mormon owned); Domino Pizza (anti-choice/women stance); Wendy's (Dave Thomas's anti-gay stance & pulling out of Ellen's coming out episode).

Mario
It could possibly affect my decisions if I happen to hear about their policies (if they're particularly good or bad), but I do not research them specifically.

Aivri
No, but thanks to this poll I will.

Dave
I really never thought about it....but I do some looking before buying big ticket items. Like cell phone carriers or cars.

Cindy
No, but I do research if they outsource their work to other countries. Those are the ones I won't do business with.

Anonymous
But if I hear that a company is not LGBT supportive I stop giving them business.

Steven McCarthy
Yes I do check the LGBT policy of the companies I buy from, and I suggest we contact any company that does have friendly LGBT policies and speak up! Many said they don't have such policies because nobody suggested it! The smaller the business, the easier to change started with a simple policy to not discriminate in hiring.

PDX'er - Portland, OR
I rarely "buy", but when I do need something, I only go to a store to purchase that one thing and get the heck out of there, but I do research before hand to find out if they are discriminatory or not - and not just to LGBT citizens. I gauge my shopping on environmental and humanitarian policies as well.

Anonymous
I always review a companies policies. Why should OUR buying power spend money on companies that don't support us, but worse, exploit us. Think, look and walk away. It's so easy, other accepting Companies will support us and so spend your money where it helps.

Kathy
When there are choices, it is critical to choose from a company that is supportive of our community.

Keith Andrews
I don't give my money to homophobes. Well, other than the federal government.

Anonymous
My money is spent on things that are worth it, and I am very conscious of who is recieving it. Most anti-gay people sell things that aren't something I would want anyway. I do go by country of origin, and still try to buy things Made in America. When buying imported products, I go out of my way to purchase things from only the progressive places.

Anonymous
I won't research policies before buying but if I find out that a company is gay friendly or anti-gay, it will influence my buying decisions.

Green Gay
Most companies that have "friendly" or "supportive" LGBT policies have them as a matter of PR; their actual treatment of LGBT employees is frequently at wide variance with those PR documents they smilingly call their "policies." Several years ago, for instance, I was first demoted, then fired by a company with a "gay-supportive" policy in effect, that included gays in its corporate non-discrimination policy, etc. They circumvented all their policies by saying they were dismissing me not because I was gat but because other employees found my gayness “offensive,” which thy claimed was a different matter altogether. (Happily the city’s Human Relations Commission disagreed.) So I learned the hard way that just because a company says it’s gay-friendly doesn’t mean it really is. And anyone who follows gay-related news should be able to think of lots of other examples of similar behavior by companies with PR statements, er, policies favorable to gays.

Anonymous
burts bees

Roger,New BedfordMA
It's only right to support those companies that support our right to be. Using the internet to do this research helps a great deal. If I find that a product that I'm buying doesn't support gay equality, I stop buying their products, and I spread the word among friends and family.

Bob Green
If they don't give us equal treatment why would we give them equal consideration?

Bill
But not on a consistent basis. Certain companies, Exxon you just know and would never never buy from ...

Bob
I own a business and weight my purchasing toward vendors that don't discriminate.

Anonymous
Once in a while I will try to think of that, and if somewhere has a decidedly ANTI-gay reputation, I definitely avoid them. Less so with pro-gay causing me to buy more unless they are particularly vocal about it. I have become cynical about the companies that now claim to be our friends in the name of marketing to a new niche.

georgewilburhaegler
the question does not apply to me,

Kevin Olomon
I research this but if I find out a company doesn't appear to be gay-positive, I don't then boycott them. Rather, I spend money with them or otherwise use their services in the capacity that I am able as a consumer, and I then make it known to that company that I am a gay American choosing to do business with them and ask them to consider this when they make attempts to assess their client demograph.

Anonymous
I have ceased purchasing from companies with poor LGBT policies (ExxonMobil comes screaming to mind) and increased purchases from companies with excellent LGBT policies (thank you Proctor & Gamble, Starbucks, etc.). When it comes to determining the effect of LGBT policies in the marketplace, we're the decider.

Paul
If I am aware that the company is owned , or backed by , " Christian Right " types or other outright homo - haters I give them a wide berth and advise all of my friends and family to do same . Cases in point : Carl's Jr. , Cracker Barrell and BLCAKWATER .

Jake
I wouldn't say I go out an 'research' but before I subscribed to Advocate I was an avid Diet Coca-Cola Drinker, then I notticed Coca-Cola never advertised on your pages and Pepsi did, now my refrigerator has lost it gray Diet Coke cans, and been replaced by the light blue Diet Pepsi.

John Bosch
I will go out of my way to support a gay-friendly business or equally out of my way to avoid a gay-hostile business.

Anonymous
I don't do active research. However, I definitely consider a companies LGBT policies when I come across it in magazines like yours.

Mario
Someone should release a book listing which companies are supportive of the LGBTQ community and then Id be able to do the research easily, but I dont know where to look to find out if companies are worth my time or not, however I refuse to shop at Wal-Mart!!

Anonymous
Absolutely! Like it or not, money talks ... You think these corporations on HRC's "good" list embrace pro-LGBT policies because they feel it's just the "right" thing to do? Of course not! These companies realize that money talks, and many times, LGBTs have more disposeable income than heterosexuals, who marry, have kids, need bigger houses, and more vehicles. In addition, since LGBTs are not able to marry, they we can be more dedicated to our jobs, so why not include us in thier pro-LGBT policies. By taking advantage of us - our inabilites to wed and have "traditional" families, these companies simply use us to their own advantage: get more work/dedication out of us and get us to spend our money with them. However contrived this seems, however, these pro-LGBT corporations, by embracing us - for whatever reasons, are visible to the general public. Perhaps the general public will soon follow suit and embrace our community as well. Even if it is only to use us and our fabulous abilities ... gotta start somewhere, right?

S. Keating
If I like a product, I buy it. I don't care what the company's politics are. Besides, most company's are smart enough not to make statements against gay people. We have too much buying power.

Anonymous
I research a company's LGBT policies, but in the end, my budget has to take precedence if I'm purchasing a large item. Whenever possible (which is most of the time), I will not make purchases from those who discriminate.

Terry
Not really. I do look at the list of LGBT friendly companies based on the HRC survey. I am concerned, always, about supporting a company that has obvious anti-gay practices.

Terry
Not really. I do look at the list of LGBT friendly companies based on the HRC survey. I am concerned, always, about supporting a company that has obvious anti-gay practices.

Allen
But if I hear a company has negative LGBT policies - then I do not use that company's services/products.

Anonymous
Sometimes, but I could use better sources than recent news stories. How about an article pointing out good places to search for a brand's track record on equality?

Anonymous
Yes and i believe that companies like Wal*Mart are gay friendly, heck they have guitars by First-Act,but no end to laughs from serious guitarists who put down First-Act,because the guitar sounds good when put in a distortion pedal and volume turned up to ear splitting levels.

Anonymous
Not usually and I should probably do more research. I do keep mental tabs on which companies NOT to buy from if they've been in the news for that reason.

Anonymous
yes, i do. so do my friends, and if any of us finds something out about a company, we share with each other.

Brady
My partner and I are very aware of who is anti-gay. We do not donate to charities such as the Salvation Army, the Boy Scouts, or others, nor do we give our dollars to companies we know to hate or discriminate in any way shape pr form.

rdp
Don't know how to do such research. If I know a companie is anti-gay, however, I will not buy from them.

rdp
Don't know how to do such resaerch. If I know a companie is anti-gay, however, I iwll not buy from the.

Anonymous
Why is The Advocate posting videos of gyrating women and naked tits? Better clean house boys or you'll piss off your male readers and lose market.

Anonymous
I educate myself on companies that go out of their way to be anti-GLBT -- and I avoid them and encourage others to do the same.

Steve
ABSOLUTELY!! If companies want our money they need to "come to the table" with more than the goods and services they sell. Americans have changed much of the world through economics. We can do the same thing here at home.

Anonymous
I honestly try to.

Anonymous
I honestly try to.

Pat
If we truly have billions of dollars in buying power, we have to be willing to use that power to get through to the corporations that we actually do mean business. No pun intended!

Grisha
If it is a big purchase, like a car or setting up a bank account or getting a credit card, I definitely want to know I'm not sending my money to a company that doesn't have domestic partner benefits, etc. If I'm buying a candy bar, I'm a lot less likely to go out of my way to find out about their LGBT policies. That said, if read or hear about a company that isn't gay-friendly, even if it's a small purchase, it makes a difference for me.

Anonymous
always

Joe Laux
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I don't. I do avoid the obvious ones, but, much to my distress, I'm too lazy to do the rather simple work. I hope this poll will prove to be the 'kick in the butt' I need to do the right thing for myself and my community, and make sure that I am only buying from pro GLBT companies. After all, our greatest power is in our wallets and purses!

Anonymous
sometimes.

Anonymous
My partner always laughs about the fact that there are certain Sunday ads I won't even let him peruse. Home Depot for example... Here's the Lowe's ad honey... they will match price and give you 10% lower. All my friends are fully aware I have never eaten at a Cracker Barrel and am proud of it!!!!

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