Companies with Anti-Gay Policies
I'm a big believer in voting with our dollars. Many businesses do more than just provide a product or service. Some donate money to political candidates or to various causes; for instance, A-1 Self Storage, a California-based company, recently donated a great deal of money to the campaign to make gay marriage illegal in California. Companies also provide a working environment for their employees, and this may be a welcoming, inclusive environment, or it may be an environment in which gay employees experience discrimination or must fear for their jobs. Companies may offer health insurance benefits to same-sex couples or they may reserve those benefits for heterosexual couples only. The choices made by companies affect not only their customers and employees, but society as a whole.
As employees, as consumers and customers, we get a say. We vote with our dollars. We can choose to support companies that support equality for all people and let those that do not support equality know that we will not be giving them our money.
Keep in mind that while federal law prohibits discrimination in the workplace on the basis of race, religion, age and disability, federal law does not protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination. In some isolated areas of the country, state or local laws offer some protection. In most places, however, companies can fire gay employees just because of their sexual orientation, or their perceived sexual orientation; companies can have written policies like that of Cracker Barrel, which states that, "It is inconsistent with our concept and values, and is perceived to be inconsistent with those of our customer base, to continue to employ individuals in our operating units whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values." We can use our buying power, though, to encourage companies to treat all employees fairly even if not required by federal law.
List of Companies with Anti-Gay Policies:
A-1 Self Storage
Auto Zone
Babies R Us
Boy Scouts
Celestial Seasonings
Chick-Fil-A
Cinemark
Cracker Barrel
Dole
Domino's Pizza
Exxon Mobil
Gold's Gym
Humana
John Deere
Keebler
Kellogg
Meijer
Purina
Radio Shack
Salvation Army
Sam's Club
Toys R Us
Urban Outfitters
Walmart
Sources:
Human Rights Campaign Foundation. http://www.aglbical.org/HRC%20Buyer%20Guide.pdf. Buyer's Guide.
Pink Panthers. http://pinkpanthers.tumblr.com/post/618605551/boycott-these-anti-gay-companies-do-not-give-them-your. Boycott These Anti Gay Companies.
The Blaze. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/is-chick-fil-a-really-anti-gay-business-takes-heat-for-christian-values/. Is Chick-Fil-A Really Anti-Gay?
Published by Kelly Morris
I am a former social worker and in that capacity, worked with teens and their families to address issues like domestic violence and school violence. I now make my living as a freelance writer. My work has... View profile
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26 Comments
Sign in to CommentWith this list i can now go to all these companies and help them support anti-gay! Sad that more and more people are condemning them selves to hell. such a waste.
I did work for astoria pointe* drug detoxs center* astoria oregon* as soon as thy find out your gay or lesbian .. thy will fire you or thy will make your life a living hell (i resigned)
Thy will ask you to do a drug test and take it to another room and tell you that you failed the test and tell every one (staff and clints) that you failed the drug test .
thy will call you in the office for a meeting with the ceo-larry, cfo-milt and manger -becca (we dont hire gay people here)
** thy still refuse pay me for my last week i worked there)
The justification for Domino's references Tom Monaghan and Dave Brandon; both have nothing to do with the company in any ownership or management role.
Emma, none of the companies you say are "not" anti-gay. There should be NO negative points on the guidelines. ONLY pluses.
Emma Murdoch: You apparently didn't actually check the guidelines of the Human Rights Campaign and their point system. With 100 being the highest, all of the companies YOU listed were around 60. Look those up again, focusing not on the "+" but the "-". Then, you'll see what each company is NOT doing that makes them anti-gay rights.
Really surprised to see Celestial Seasonings on this list. Very disappointing, to say the least.
Well I know who to support now.
Now tolerate that if you are about peace and tolerance. It's my money, don't judge me where I choose to spend it.
Okay, I'm just going to post the actual Human Rights Campaign workplace equality ratings for some of the companies that have been misrepresented here. Apparently, no one else is willing to look up the actual track record of these companies with the LGBTQ community.
Humana:
http://www.hrc.org/apps/buyersguide/profile.php?orgid=161&catid=1229#.UB2S9_ZmTJU
Celestial Seasonings:
http://www.hrc.org/apps/buyersguide/profile.php?orgid=1457&catid=1223#.UB2TN_ZmTJU
Wal-Mart/Sam's Club:
http://www.hrc.org/apps/buyersguide/profile.php?orgid=1192&catid=1236#.UB2TgfZmTJU
Toys R' Us:
http://www.hrc.org/apps/buyersguide/profile.php?orgid=1185&catid=1236#.UB2UGvZmTJU
Keebler (Kellogg's): Scored 100 on workplace equality
http://www.hrc.org/apps/buyersguide/profile.php?orgid=1471&catid=1223#.UB2UdvZmTJU
Before you blindly accept what is posted on a Yahoo blog, and boycott these companies, make sure what's being said is actually true.
No one is shoving a "gay agenda" down anyone's throat. Anyone in this great country of ours is free to hate anyone they want. Just as I am free to withhold my money from these companies by not buying their products, and free to inform others know what these companies stand for.
I'm not telling you or anyone else that they should not patronize these companies. If you're comfortable with them using money from your purchases to support groups that actively work to damage the rights of gays and minorities, then go ahead. The majority of U.S. citizens, and the rest of history, think that's wrong. But do what you feel is right.
"Why can't we agree this is a personal issue?" It is a _very_ personal issue. No one is stopping people from patronizing these companies. But I'll be damned if I'll let them use _my_ money to support their very personal attack on something I believe in.
Humana Healthcare received an outstanding workplace equality rating of 90 by the Human Rights Campaign. They do not deserve to be on this list.