FH Out Front Blog

Google Steps to the Plate, Now What?

Yesterday, Google joined Cisco, Kimpton Hotels and the Gates Foundation in increasing pay to gays and lesbians to make up for the approximately $1,000 difference gay couples pay in domestic partnership taxes in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts. 

So… what does this mean? Is this the case study we share with our employers to do the same or to our oppressors to validate our “marriages?” Do we just hang this up on our wall of accomplishments and hope that others follow suit? Just what does it mean that Google has returned one of the best results to its employees?

It means that talented gay and lesbian individuals power one of the most common household names, that the keywords you typed into the Google search bar has been routed to find your #1 response by someone who could be queer. Google is outing itself as a company with approximately 700 gay and lesbian employees and validating their equal rights as citizens of this country. It raises the profile of gays and lesbian in the workforce.

What can these companies do to keep the momentum?

They should continue to promote their policy by seeking opportunities so speak with gay and lesbian media (and general media as well) on the important decision to vouch for progress for the gay and lesbian community. This will create additional loyalty and showcase them as thought-leaders in diversity issues.

They can keep the momentum by encouraging partners and vendors to do the same. Yes, this sounds a bit like advocacy work – which is far off each company’s agenda in terms of gay and lesbian issues – but I am willing to bet each of these company’s LGBT employee groups would be willing to start this conversation.

What would you advise? What would you like to see? All comments are welcome!

Welcome to the mainstream

German TV can be quite frustrating for an LGBT audience. More or less all you get to see are straight characters with very few exceptions once in a while. Sure, there are the dailies with the LGBT characters but for reasons of quality I would rather neglect them at this point.

So it was quite a step forward when in November 2008 the first German dedicated LGBT TV station started airing its program. The station, called TIMM – Television, Internet, Media for Men –claimed “We love Men.” Too bad that, apparently, German men didn’t like TIMM as much as the TV station liked us. In April, the station entered bankruptcy and ever since stopped airing its program over satellite and cable.

So how could this happen after decades of gay German men complaining that mainstream TV did not, or at least not on a regular basis, dedicate to their interests? The station was run as non-pay TV depending more or less solely on commercials. The managers of TIMM did not really have a choice because pay TV is a miserable business in Germany where several investors have gone bankrupt over it. That is quite a difference to the situation of the U.S. TV station here! or Logo. In Germany, a niche audience is not willing to pay for a program which is aimed at their specific needs.  But why is that the case?

The debate after the announced bankruptcy offers two views: a gay and a straight one. The gay perception is that the TV station itself is a good idea yet the way it was run was not appealing enough. Hardly any of the shows were actually produced for a German audience. The vast majority of the program was bought from abroad. You may want to argue that LGBT-related issues are somewhat universal. And yes, I totally agree that LGBT stories are universal but as I previously wrote in another post, it is about how you tell the story, about how you reach your audience and respect regional differences. For example, Noah’s Arc surely was an entertaining show, but the plot was simply not close enough to the German audience for anybody to identify with the show and actually keep watching it. I guess Frankfurt and L.A. are separated by more than just 6,000 miles. In contrast, the few shows that were actually produced in and for Germany enjoyed quite positive reception both by critics and the audience.

The straight argument is that the LGBT community does indeed feel comfortable with the program they are offered by the general TV stations. It was written that “we” had finally arrived in the mainstream media with LGBT characters addressing us as an audience. A special niche has become obsolete, and so on. The whole discussion culminated in the finding that LGBT emancipation had come to an end altogether.

In my view, the discussion about the bankruptcy of TIMM shows one point very clearly. While the LGBT community still sees a need for specialized media offerings due to the fact that the mainstream does not offer certain content, the general public considers our struggle of acceptance as over. This is similar to the annual return of the Pride discussion. Do we still really need Pride? While you will find very few members of our community say that Pride has become an anachronism, a large proportion of the general population will tell you that LGBT has made it in the middle of our society and we don’t need to raise awareness for us anymore.

This is a bit of a worrying development to me because it nicely demonstrates that according to the wider public opinion the LGBT community has enough rights already. The general tenor seems to be: “We gave you enough already, so shut up and welcome to the mainstream.” Quite displaced is this point of view, since hate crimes still happen on a weekly basis. Last week, in Berlin a gay man was stabbed in the back for holding hands with his boyfriend. This incident has only been reported by LGBT media. The mainstream media remained silent. Once again: Welcome.

What do you think about specialized media? Do we still need them or are you satisfied with the attention mainstream media pay to our interests?

 

Tony Pride

Happy Monday, all! Apologies for being MIA on the blog of late-- it's been one of those months where vacation took me away from my responsibilities on here. Rest assured, I am back!

The Tony Awards were last night. You know the Tony Awards-- the annual theater award show where random presenters with no connection to Broadway (read: this year, some New York Jets player and Raquel Welch) give "Best of" awards to high-profile shows and actors and often overlook some lesser-known, but well-deserving productions. This year's festivities were hosted by Sean Hayes. You know Sean Hayes, of "Will & Grace" and Newsweek fame. He and "Promises, Promises" co-star Kristin Chenoweth had some fun at Newsweek's expense at the beginning of the show-- as the photo shows here.

What I love about the Tony Awards is that for three hours, television audiences are exposed to different works of art. While this year spent too much time on Green Day and the cast of "Glee," there was still ample opportunity to soak in some fantastic performances and more importantly, truly heartfelt acceptance speeches by winners. And from what I can observe, the Broadway community is all about acceptance. Several of the winners last night acknowledged their partner, and many of the performers participate each year in the "Broadway Cares" project to help fund HIV research and education. It's certainly the gayest of our award shows, but I love that CBS commits each year to bringing the Tonys to the rest of the world, regardless of ratings. Not everyone can afford a pilgrimage to the Great White Way, but sitting down with your family and watching a performance of "La Cage aux Folles" is the next best thing.

From a marketing perspective, I would have loved to see more of corporate America recognize the majority demographic viewing the show last night and tweak the advertisements to appeal to this specific community. Think about the Super Bowl. Many companies create ad campaigns that incorporate both the game and the viewing audience (remember how Betty White reclaimed her fame this Super Bowl?). How great would it have been last night for advertisers to incorporate the show and the LGBT community in the spots that aired. Granted, there may have been some as I forwarded the first half on DVR, but I hope that we see more LGBT campaigns during the Tony broadcasts in the future.

Speaking of marketing, we're taking our "ButtOut Ohio" project to Columbus Pride this weekend to share the campaign with the LGBT community. I plan on taking some photos at the event and will share my thoughts next week about how companies are using Pride as an opportunity to engage with us.

Have a great week.

(Photo courtesy of Sara Krulwich/The New York Times)

More From Nick Vivion and Unicorn Booty on LGBT Communications in the Age of Social Media

And we're back today with the second half of our conversation with Unicorn Booty's Nick Vivion about his business, the LGBT consumer and social media. And speaking of leveraging digital and social media for the gays, take a look at the video at the end of this post and a recent write-up on how Nick and his partner Kevin are using social media to help uncover the reason behind YouTube's selective removal of their video today.

5. Besides Unicorn Booty, what are your thoughts on how businesses should communicate with and engage with LGBT consumers? Is digital and social media the best channel?

Unicorn Booty is of course the only way to reach LGBT consumers.

Of course that's not true!  I am platform agnostic - just use what works.  What works for us is all digital and social media. Why pay $50,000 for a full-page ad in the Advocate when you can create an interactive experience that really engages your target audience for a fraction of the price? The majority of other media - print and television - are over-priced and not as effective.  People keep doing them because that's the status quo, but you really can't measure the impact of a print ad beyond circulation. The exciting (and very scary!) thing about digital/social media is that you can measure everything! You know how long someone spent on the site, where they want, if they bought anything.  You know what they think of your brand. It's all right there, and you can't hide from it.  That makes advertising much harder, because rather than just doing a "media buy" and crossing your fingers, you actually have to deliver results.

The funny thing about this tension between traditional and new media is that many businesses are still stuck in a sales mentality.  Will it drive sales? Will it boost my revenue? This is a dangerous mentality to have, because social media is about less tangible relationship marketing.  There are 1.37 billion influence impressions online every day (Forrester).  It's not just about sales, it's being a part of a whole new world where priorities have shifted from your desire to sell to your customer's desire to be engaged. You are not always going to be able to measure the sales impact of your social media efforts, but you CAN measure engagement, which lays out the path to increased brand awareness, affinity and authenticity as you meet consumers on their terms.  

6. What challenges have you experienced or seen other businesses face when communicating with the LGBT market?

As I mentioned earlier, the LGBT market is diverse.  You cannot create one campaign "for the gays" and expect it to resonate community-wide.  That's dangerous territory, and if you haven't ever marketed to the LGBT community before get some help!  If you offend the community, it has a very long-term memory.  So go slow, think twice and ask someone who knows what their doing!

For us, our biggest challenge is distilling our message down to its core so that it resonates with the widest swath of the LGBT community as possible.  We really do want to appeal to the community as a whole.  For us to succeed in our mission to strengthen our community through supporting gay-friendly businesses, we need to have as many people as possible on-board.  Once we reach the tipping point, it becomes increasingly impossible for businesses to have an anti-gay agenda.  $825 billion is a lot of money: A bailout-sized chunk of cash ready to be put behind equality-minded businesses.  
Communicating this vision is the most challenging thing facing us right now, because it applies to both our interactions with consumers and the companies that we are contacting about being featured on our site.  We need the consumers to come back every day to check out the day's partner, and we need the companies to see the value in the market.  Both sides have an interest in seeing those gay dollars at work: Consumers want to see them being used positively in the community, and businesses want to see them being spent on their products.  UB is in charge of bringing this vision to both stakeholders.

7. Tell us more about your social responsibility component. Is this a crucial element for businesses engaging with LGBT consumers? How should a business communicate that or its advocacy efforts?

We give 10% of our net proceeds to a different community-chosen non-profit every quarter.  This quarter it's Seattle's Lifelong AIDS Alliance. My experience with the Mormons during No on 8 drove this decision, because I saw first-hand what can be accomplished when an entire community gives 10% of their income. People with anti-gay agendas are already giving 10% to organizations that exist to reduce our status in the world, so if we don't also give 10% then they will win, every time.  So we call our 10% commitment our "gay tithe," and are hoping to popularize the concept as we lead by example.  10% of $825 billion is $8.25 billion.  To put that into perspective, that is enough money to put every single LGBT person in the USA through private college.  If you consider what could be done with a simple 10% commitment, it's astounding.

With a community that has experienced long-term discrimination, and who is still not enjoying full equality, a socially responsible component can be a vital component to engaging LGBT consumers.  It gives you another marketing tool, but it also demonstrates that you understand the challenges still facing the community. It sends a clear message that you empathize and are committed to doing something about it.  It also differentiates you from any competition and places you more firmly in the community.
Communicating your commitment to advocacy or a particular non-profit should be secondary to your main value proposition.  You do not want to be seen as giving to a non-profit only for the good-will and self-interest of your company.  You must come at it from the heart, and mention it in a tasteful but obvious way.  You don't want to hide it, but you don't want it to be your primary selling point either.  It should be an added benefit, something that makes the consumer choose you over your competition when faced with a decision.  This doesn't mean that you shouldn't leverage the hell out of it on the back-end: Contact stakeholders, befriend members of the organization you have partnered with, use your commitment to the organization to recruit evangelists, ask the organization if you can participate in any events they have going on.  For example, we will be MCing at a Lifelong AIDS Alliance rooftop benefit next week - a great opportunity for visibility that works even better due to our 10% commitment to that organization.
We want to demonstrate that new entrepreneurs can build a successful and sustainable business while still giving 10%.  It's not necessarily a gay thing, but a human being thing.  We all have to be part of the solution, regardless of what we do for a living.

Washington Boys & California Gurls - a Music Video by Unicorn Booty from Booty the Unicorn on Vimeo.

Unicorn Booty Gives Businesses of All Sizes a New Channel for Reaching the Gays

Pride Month brings with it a renewed or heightened fascination with the LGBT consumer for marketers and communicators. To start off your week right, here's the thoughts from one of the newest, provocative businesses leveraging social media and a unique business model to reach and engage LGBT consumers.

Nick Vivion and Kevin Farrell recently founded Unicorn Booty, a social media marketing platform that connects consumers with gay-friendly businesses. Nick spoke at the Community Marketing Inc. LGBT Marketing and Advertising conference in New York back in April. I personally remember being intrigued simply by the name at first, but quickly became impressed with Nick and Kevin's business model and thoughts on LGBT consumers and communications. Read on for the first portion of our Q&A with Unicorn Booty's Nick.

1. So just what is Unicorn Booty? How did you develop the concept and the name?

It's simple: Meet gay-friendly businesses every day. Unicorn Booty is an interactive marketing platform that connects the community with gay-friendly companies, so that we can support those companies that support us. Every day we feature a different business, and we give away a product or service from that business in our Daily Gay Giveaway. We then promote them through a custom video, photos, social media mentions and a complete takeover of our homepage. Each business gets an integrated social media campaign which is shared with an engaged, active and loyal audience. And our community gets a chance to win free stuff while learning cool products from gay-friendly businesses. It's a really cool symbiotic system!

After volunteering at the No on 8 campaign in California, and seeing how well-funded and organized anti-gay groups are, I realized that aggregating the LGBT buying power is more important than ever. After looking around, I couldn't find a solid resource to learn about gay-friendly businesses. Sure there was the HRC Buying Guide, but what about the small-to-midsize businesses that many of us frequent everyday?

Unicorn Booty was born out of the desire to encourage equality by allowing all businesses to be gay-friendly.

Since we believe that supporting businesses that support the LGBT community is the surest way to real and lasting change, we had to come up with a concept that would facilitate that.  We had seen a couple of interactive marketing websites that used social media and giveaways to promote a different company every day, and we thought that was the perfect model for what we wanted to accomplish. So Kevin and I put our heads together and we came up with Unicorn Booty. As we were brainstorming the name, we wanted something that was appropriately gay, had some magic in it and suggested bounty or prizes. Everyone loves unicorns and booty has the delicious double-entendre.

2. What’s your definition of the LGBT consumer/market today? What defines them, their purchasing decisions, and their communications?

The LGBT market is in many ways like any other market: It is fractured and affected by the current state of the economy. There is no longer one LGBT marketplace. They are segmented into groups along various lines: racial, sex, age, income, preferences. "Marketing to the gays" is pretty much meaningless, because it is a nearly impossible to create meaning for such a diverse group. For example, we have a different product every day. Not every product appeals to every one of our fans. But we are doing our best to diversify and reflect the varied interests of our community.

From our experience at Unicorn Booty, the most unique characteristics of the LGBT consumer community is that they are fiercely loyal. Once you have them on your side, they become instant evangelists. Brands are pieces of their identity, and so it's increasingly important to create an emotional connection with your customer. We knew that we had a powerful brand with Unicorn Booty, and know that a strong part of our success has been our brand. We wouldn't have been able to reach 8,000 fans on Facebook in 8 weeks with a different name!

3. What response have you seen to Unicorn Booty – both from consumers and businesses? What role do you play in the communications between the two?

The LGBT community is more well-connected than their straight counterparts. We know the Web, and we use it to our advantage daily. Whether for dating or shopping, for staying in touch or finding what to do this weekend, we are using the Web to discover and connect with the world around us. I think it's the nature of being a minority: You use all the tools at your disposal to connect with like-minded folk. We are working hard to leverage this affinity with the Web, so that people can really start seeing Unicorn Booty as a place to discover cool products from gay-friendly businesses.

As such, both businesses and consumers are responding.  Businesses look to the LGBT market for their engagement, loyalty and brand-consciousness. The LGBT market is looking for businesses that reflect their community. They don't want to be marketed to, they want to feel like the business is a permanent part of their community. We are helping facilitate that connection for businesses, acting as another conduit to the gay community. By being featured on Unicorn Booty, businesses are announcing to the world that they support the gay community.

We also see ourselves as a bit like a translation service: We take the business, synthesize its' core attributes through our filter and then present them as they appeal to us as gay consumers. We are a mix between a CoolHunting-style blog and a marketing firm. Interactive marketing is all about presenting information in unexpected ways, and we are working to position ourselves as a resource to any company that wants to engage with the gay market.

4. Is this business model sustainable for other target audiences? What plans can you share on Unicorn Booty’s growth and future?

There are most definitely opportunities within other niche markets for similar services. We are always looking towards the future and how we can grow this beyond the Daily Gay Giveaway. The gay market is incredibly underserved, and as it's estimated to be a $825 billion market by 2011, we are eager to serve.  There really are no good resources for consumers trying to learn about, and spend money with, gay-friendly businesses. We want to develop into a localized resource that empowers and enables the gay community to aggregate their buying power in a fun and unique way. This isn't a chamber of commerce, but a way of life.

Definitely be sure to check back tomorrow for the rest of our interview with Nick and more on their new ways of engaging the LGBT community.

Let’s Have Some Pride

It has been more than 40 years since the Stonewall Riots, the definitive rallying point for the modern gay rights movement. A few years after the riots, gay rights organizations were founded across the U.S. and the world, and in 1970, the first Gay Pride marches took place in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. On June 2, 2000, President Bill Clinton declared June “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month” with June being chosen to remember the Stonewall riots.

As I’m sure you know, Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, or Pride, is intended to recognize the impact of the LGBT community on the world, with cities all over the world hosting parades, events, memorials and festivals. This June marks the second time that President Obama has publicly designated this as LGBT Pride month, and the first time since former President Clinton did so in 2000.

Last week, President Obama stated the advancements made for the LGBT community during his presidential tenure thus far, including eliminating the antiquated HIV entry ban into the U.S., as well as passing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and renewing the Ryan White CARE Act.

More recently, we’ve seen the U.S. House of Representatives, along with the Senate Armed Services Committee, push forward the decision to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. While the bill effectively repealing DADT still needs to pass the Senate, it’s a great step forward to end an antiquated, discriminatory and frankly, financially irresponsible policy. For a refresher on the financial implications of DADT, check out former Out Front blogger Caitlin Russell’s great article.

So my fellow allies and LGBT friends, let’s look to these as more reasons to have Pride this month. As we recognize and celebrate the great strides the LGBT community has made, let us not forget the amount of work left to be done on the journey to equality. We can’t stop striving, through our words and our actions, for the LGBT community to be afforded the same rights and responsibilities given to our straight counterparts.

As we move into the balmy days of June, I’d like to suggest that you take a moment to read some of the great Out Front coverage of the past (here AND here), and be sure to tune in this month for more updates and thoughts on Pride 2010.

Cross-border discrimination

Two months ago, I wrote about how cross-border interaction, namely the EuroPride, helps to accelerate the development of human and LGBT rights in certain countries. Today’s post deals with how reactionary thinking from the outside affects the public discourse of a society.

My last entry was about pedophilia and how we need to draw the line between it and some people’s erroneous correlations to male homosexuality. In Germany, a public discussion about this has been more or less absent despite several recently revealed cases of pedophilia.

Now this has changed and media does indeed report and discuss the issue. This is mostly due to the statements of the “secretary of state” of the Vatican, Cardinal Bertone. While visiting Chile, he claimed that there are many scientific findings supporting the thesis that homosexuality and pedophilia are indeed linked. Now I do not want to go into this issue again. My point is a different one this time.

The first German-speaking media to pick up Bertone’s statements were websites run by religious and conservative fundamentalists. From there Bertone’s statement spread to the mainstream. Now the interesting aspect is that many of these blogs are written in German but are located abroad. The blog kreuz.net is a premium example for a blog that is set up in the United States and operates from there for a German audience.

Why do they do that? It is mainly because these blogs face a problem with their legality. By all means, Germany is a liberal country with a far reaching freedom of speech, but as a reaction to our history we have established quite strict rules as to how far this right can go before it hurts democracy and the protection of minorities which is an integral part of democracy to our understanding. So in order to escape prosecution for defamation these blogs have moved to countries where they are protected by law, in particular the United States.

Lately, they have become quite successful with influencing the German discourse from time to time. They import ideas which are then discussed by mainstream media. You may argue that sooner or later the German media would have picked up the statement by Bertone anyway. You are probably right.

But the difference is that now you have a visible outlet in German language which argues against LGBT rights and people are directed to this outlet by the German mainstream media referencing it. So what should or could be done.

Obviously, we cannot restrict the Internet to an extent where we block sites we as a society do not appreciate. Apart from the inherent legal and technical problems, I have to confess that I’m not a big fan of banning ideas or the organization they are represented by from the public domain. I believe in openly engaging with these people and let arguments speak for themselves. I know that at some point certain behavior becomes unbearable for a society and the state has to act. But it is hard to draw the line and it is no easy thing to do.

Thus, we only really have one way to deal with these sites — openly engaging with these sites and using their websites as a platform for our arguments. Interestingly enough, the vast majority of comments on kreuz.net are now posted by opponents of their thoughts and stance. This is certainly a proof point that this strategy can be successful.

So a society might actually benefit from the “invasion of ideas,” even if they are reactionary. This is for the simple reason that a society which is used to liberal Human and LGBT rights sometimes forget the value of its achievements. Provocation from the outside is thus an ideal stimulus for a discussion and a reassurance that human rights and equality values are a good thing worth fighting for.

From this point of view, I would like to take the opportunity to say thank you to kreuz.net and similar websites! Thank you for reminding us all that we came a long way and that it is worth defending our achievements.

What do you think? Would you like to join me in saying thank you?

Transgender Win: American Eagle Updates Corporate Policy

Thanks to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and Make the Road New York, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting equity and opportunity for all New Yorkers, retail chain American Eagle has committed to changing its corporate guidelines and employee handbook to include transgender-friendly policies.

The retailer had an anti-LGBT policy on personal appearance for employees, requiring staff to wear gender-specific clothing. While this may not seem like a huge victory, the popular chain employs more than 2,000 people in more than 60 stores across New York State. That means that not only do current transgender employees are now allowed to wear the clothing that best expresses their gender, but that potential recruits will now not be deterred from working at the popular clothing store for fear of gender discrimination.

In addition to allowing workers to wear what they please, American Eagle has also agreed to train its staff on transgender issues, including which pronouns to use when referring to customers and fellow co-workers.

Although the change originated from a lawsuit that American Eagle decided to settle out of court on, an American Eagle company spokeswoman said “We wholeheartedly believe that transgender individuals should be treated equally.”

According to this New York Daily News article, the resulting settlement is “the first crackdown against a retailer under the section of the state's Human Rights Law that bars employers from discriminating against applicants because of their gender identity.” New York State’s Human Rights Law originally passed in 1945 was the first of its kind in the United States, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of “age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex or marital status.”

While this is fantastic for transgender persons in New York State, let’s remember that a number of states still do not have any state-level protection for LGBT employees.

Of course, the Family Research Council (see here) has come out (no pun intended) stating that this violates the rights of American Eagle and its employees by imposing “cross-dressing” policies. Bill O’Reilly also covered the American Eagle announcement (see video below), seemingly comparing transgender people to "ewoks," as well as repeatedly asking the question, “So, if your name is Fred, you can dress like Dolly Parton?”

Now I love me some Dolly Parton (ewoks are another story) but comparisons like these only serve to bolster ongoing misconceptions about transgenders, particularly about what it actually means to be a transgender person.

Transgender is the state of one’s gender identify, self-identifying as a woman, man, neither or both. It doesn’t necessarily imply any specific form of sexual orientation. The term “cross-dresser,” while not exactly defined, is a person that identifies with one sex but who wears the clothing of the opposite sex.

It’s factually incorrect to suggest that all transgender are “cross-dressers” or vice versa, and it perpetrates misleading stereotypes about transgender people. This is why the Out Front Blog continues to stress that language matters and that words have power.

That Newsweek story...

So everyone is talking about the Newsweek story. To describe it in one sentence or less, the writer (gay himself) said that openly gay actors struggle to convincingly play straight characters. He referenced both Sean Hayes performance in the revival of Promises, Promises  and Jonathan Groff from Glee as two examples of not hitting the straight mark. It's fair to say that this article, and the response to it, has been a media explosion.

Let me give my two cents. I saw Promises, Promises last weekend, and I consider myself a Gleek. I was underwhelmed by Promises, Promises,  and my friend who went with me to see it agreed that the major problem was Sean Hayes. It's not about his acting skills, or his credibility, but for my generation, he is iconically known for Jack McFarland. Good or bad, once you put such an indelible stamp on pop culture like Hayes did for almost a decade on mainstream television, it is hard to separate yourself from your character. There were so many moments during the show where Sean slipped into Jack, whether he knew it or not. From head bobbing while dancing to his impeccable delivery of lines, there was so much Jack in him. And I think audiences came to see Jack on stage. So was he convincing as a straight man pining for a woman? No- but it's not because he is gay-- it is because he made such an impression playing a gay man and his mannerisms from that character melded into this new performance. Plus the source material, not so great. It's not exactly the most macho role to begin with.

The Jonathan Groff example from Glee is interesting.  I saw Groff's breakout role in Spring Awakening on Broadway, and whether he was out or not at the time, he wasn't on my radar. His performance was so moving as a troubled teen in love that I didn't think twice about his sexuality. Now he is on Glee, and it is only now that I know he is gay. Does that make him less convincing on the show, where he pines for Rachel? No-- because the two of them have such established chemistry, and no offense, but the show is about show choirs, where my experience (three years in high school) is that everyone is flamboyantly fabulous, no matter their sexuality.

So maybe the Newsweek writer was't eloquent in the point he was trying to make. But I think the point he is making is valid. Once you come out in Hollywood, it becomes part of who you are moving forward. It is the"talking point" about you. Every interviewer will ask about it, every studio casting director will think twice about it before casting you. The fact is, in my opinion, that there are probably hundreds of actors currently in the medium playing straight while being gay, and they are doing it convincingly. The sad part is that the culture is just not quite there yet to allow someone to come out without suffering professionally. Yes there are positive cases here and there, but there are certainly also cases where the impact is deafening.

Where I struggle the most with the Newsweek story is the tone of the backlash. We come from a community where we are labeled, good or bad. It's one thing for us to disagree with someone, but it's a whole different story for us to be vicious in attacking because of a difference of opinion and to put labels like "homophobic" on someone who is a member of our own community. It saddens me that sometimes, LGBT or straight, we feel that the best way to get our opposing viewpoint across is to scream it. This might come from the 24-hour cable news cycle, full of pundits who challenge each other every night to see who can speak the loudest. And believe me, I understand that our voice has been silenced for so long, and that we are still oppressed in many circumstances. But civility is so fleeting in an age where we can instantly share our opinions to the world.

So what's the lesson in all of this? I do love freedom of speech, for both the opportunity to share your opinion and to react to others. But when the dialogue becomes so weighted in viciousness, it becomes a battle with no winners.

Most people who reacted to the original story did not read the entire piece, instead focusing on the backlash. Read it first, and tell me what you think. Do you agree?

Have a peaceful weekend.

Gay? King Says Keep It Quiet

This week, Iowa Congressman Steve King was a guest on Washington Watch Weekly, the radio program hosted by Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council (FRC). George Rekers is one of the FRC’s co-founders…you might be familiar with him.  King offered his thoughts on the upcoming Congressional vote on ENDA, or as the FRC affectionately calls it, “The Cross-Dresser Protection Act.”  King also had some wise words for the LGBT community, stating that if gays weren’t so open about their sexual orientation, they wouldn’t be discriminated against.

A few snippets of the interview, courtesy of a great HuffPo article by Alvin McEwen:

Tony Perkins: Someone could come in dressed one day as a woman or a man, the next day they come in dressed as the opposite sex.

Steve King: I can imagine someone coming in and interviewing one day in man’s clothes and come back the next day and apply for a job in woman’s clothes, and then setting up a lawsuit in a sting operation to harass our religious organizations.

King’s main issue is with people “wearing their sexuality on their sleeve” (Ed. Note –I have yet to see a gay-sleeved shirt). That ultimately leads to “entrapment legalized by ENDA,” violating the individual rights of employers to decide who to hire or fire at their own discretion.

So, clearly the FRC has major problems with ENDA, stating that it grants special rights to homosexuals, while ignoring those of employers. While I could go on for pages about the FRC and ENDA (particularly that the FRC’s assertion that ENDA would mandate the employment of homosexuals in inappropriate occupations…what exactly is an inappropriate occupation, I wonder?), I’d like to point out two of the FRC’s main issues with ENDA:

• Such legislation affords special protection to a group that is not disadvantaged.

• The issue is not job discrimination.

Now I don’t mean to get all Webster’s dictionary on you, but one of the definitions of disadvantaged is “lacking.” Can we honestly say that the LGBT community isn’t lacking the same advantages given to its non-LGBT counterparts? The ability to marry? The ability for a lesbian couple to send their child to the school of their choice

And the issue absolutely IS job discrimination. LGBT individuals should be afforded the same rights given to their straight contemporaries when it comes to employment, namely that they should not be denied a job or fired from one solely based on their sexual orientation.

When the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (and subsequent bills) made it illegal to separate school students based on race, was that giving “special” rights to non-whites? What if a teacher didn’t WANT a black student in their classroom? Or how about the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which prohibited wage discrepancies based on sex? What if an employer decided that he/she didn’t want to hire a woman? Based on FRC logic, wouldn’t that fall under “employer hiring discretion?” Yet, I can’t find a darn thing on the FRC website about the Equal Pay Act. Interesting.

While I didn’t mean for this post to focus solely on the FRC and ENDA, I do think that the FRC’s messaging, including King’s comment on being publicly out, continues to further the misconception that sexuality is a preference and that LGBTs are solely identified on the basis of sexual acts or attraction. Fostering the notion that homosexual conduct is harmful to those engaging in it, as well as being associated with negative physical and psychological health, is not only inaccurate – it’s harmful and hateful and strives to keep LGBTs in the proverbial closet.

And because I can’t think of anything better to end this blog with, I shall steal from the ever-wise, previously cited Alvin McEwen, “Closets are for clothes, not people.” 

Coming Out in the South: More Q&A with Bobby Hilburn, Executive Director, LGBT Center of Raleigh

Today, we’re concluding our conversation with Bobby Hilburn, executive director of the LGBT Center of Raleigh. Today, he’ll give us some insight into the center, its grand opening and what it means for the LGBT community.

Erin: What will the center mean for the LGBT community?

Bobby:  It will be a starting point. We have seen an overwhelming amount of interest in support so far. I hope to see the center become a busy hub of activity where ideas can grow and ultimately, where LGBT-centric/equality-oriented projects can be organized and executed. It will be a place where all people from the LGBT community, including our allies and advocates, can feel welcome and just…be themselves.

Erin: Tell me a little more about the center. What will it be like?

Bobby: Currently, we occupy about 600 square feet of space that includes an office, conference room and lounge at 316 W. Cabarrus St., downtown. With a small kitchen and a large-screen TV, we can host informal social events. The conference room can comfortably accommodate up to 16 people.

Our location is just a short walk from the Hargett St. “gay mainline” of Raleigh, as well as close to the city’s brand new convention center and the new amphitheater. Our ultimate goal is to secure space that we can call our own. We’d like a facility that can be open seven days a week, where people can drop in at any time, have coffee, view local art, sit and read or take a book from our lending library. This will be a safe and welcoming space that we hope LGBT organizations around the area will come to consider their own – and feel welcome to use for meetings, conferences, performances, etc.

Erin: What are you doing to spread the word about the center?

Bobby: Currently we are on Facebook, Twitter, and of course, we have our website. Since our funds are limited, we are so thankful to our volunteers and friends that have assisted with getting the word out to local media and bloggers.

Erin: What have been your biggest obstacles so far? Biggest successes?

Bobby: By far, the biggest obstacle right now is funding. Best moment? There have been a number of great moments. Two that have stood out are the Raleigh’s Coming Out event we held last year at Raleigh’s Moore Square Park and of course, the day we signed the lease for this new location!

Erin: Finally, tell me more about the opening…

Bobby:  This weekend is our official grand opening. The celebration will begin on May 7, coinciding with Raleigh’s monthly art walk, First Friday. The center will be hosting a collection of paintings from a well-known Raleigh artist, John Gaintenby. All Triangle residents are invited to stop by, view our space, enjoy the art work and get to know us!

To learn more about the Center and ways you contribute, please visit their website. And if you happen to be in or near Raleigh this Friday, please join me and the rest of the city in celebrating the grand opening of the LGBT Center, which will be held from 6 to 10 p.m.

Coming Out in the South: A Q&A with Bobby Hilburn, Executive Director, LGBT Center of Raleigh

As a Northern transplant, I’ve found myself pleasantly surprised, personally and professionally, by the city of Raleigh. While I had expected the hot weather and oh-so-charming accents, I was unprepared for how socially liberal and progressive the city is, especially regarding the city’s LGBT residents. Many states in the South, North Carolina included, still have NO state-level protection for LGBT employees. Southern states’ hate crimes laws also remain uninclusive of sexual orientation or gender identify.

As regular readers of this blog, we know that LGBTs are often victims of verbal and physical harassment and discrimination and we all know how important it is to have a safe, supportive outlet (be it a physical place or a person to talk with) for overwhelming or unmanageable times. And one of Raleigh’s most glaring problems was that this diverse city didn’t have an official community gathering place for its LGBT citizens.

Thankfully, Raleigh will be opening its very own LGBT Center this Friday, May 7 on Cabarrus St. in downtown Raleigh, although the center is still shopping around for a larger, permanent location. I was fortunate enough to sit down with Bobby Hilburn, executive director, and discuss the center.

As in previous Q&As, we’ve broken this post into two parts: today, Bobby will talk about his history and career path and what it means to come out in the South. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about the LGBT Center and its grand opening. 

Erin: Bobby, thanks so much for spending some time with me and OutFront! I’d like to start by mentioning that you recently quit your very lucrative job as a financial planner to take on the executive director role full-time. That’s quite a decision – I’d love to hear more about it.

Bobby: Ha, yes. I recently left my practice to become the interim executive director for the LGBT Center of Raleigh (LGBTCOR). I’m from southeastern North Carolina, one of the more conservative parts of the state, and was raised in a very traditional, conservative family.

After leaving home to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I worked abroad and traveled quite a bit before finding myself back in Raleigh. As a financial planner, I worked with many members of the LGBT community, and as a way to give back, I wanted to become more involved in ongoing efforts to create a stronger, more unified LGBT “group.”

The more involved I became in LGBT affairs in the area, the more I realized that Raleigh NEEDED an LGBT community center. I quickly discovered that this was more than a weekend activity, that it had become my passion. For me, there was no question about it – I had to take on this new challenge in order to continue building support to create and maintain a successful center. 

Erin: Being a North Carolina native, why is this center important for Raleigh, and the South, in general?

Bobby: Being gay or lesbian or bi or transgender puts you in a minority, particularly in a small Southern city like Raleigh. People act differently when minorities are not visible – they’re much more likely to discriminate the idea of something rather than the reality of something. Having an LGBT community center in Raleigh will bring much needed visibility to our community and the South, both socially and politically.

Raleigh, and the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill) have large LGBT populations, yet we’re JUST opening our first community center for LGBTs. We must not self-segregate as a community and we cannot remain under the radar to policy makers. It is vital that the LGBT community, all ages, races, ethnicities, religions, have a fixed location available to them as a place of support and celebration. It is equally important to use that we are seen by those not directly involved with the LGBT community – both allies and non-allies. I strongly believe that the center will increase our visibility and establish our presence in this city, driving support and ultimately, equality.

Erin: What does it mean to be out in the South, a traditionally socially conservative area?

Bobby: Let me tell you, it isn’t easy for many people to be out in the traditional South. It often means being ridiculed, bullied and often, ostracized simply for being gay. Let’s face it, even with recent triumphs for the LGBT community – we have a long way to go as a society. Even in progressive areas, many gay, lesbian, bi and transgendered people are still scared to be open about their sexuality, orientation or gender identity. Little by little, we’re hoping to change that  - first, we’ll open a center for LGBT citizens, and then we’ll continue to support Raleigh’s “coming out” with education and awareness campaigns.

Come back tomorrow for the second part of our Q&A with Bobby Hilburn of the LGBT Center of Raleigh.

(Photo courtesy of the LGBT Center of Raleigh)

Looking Back, and Looking Ahead

Happy Monday all. Hope you were able to enjoy the weekend.

Many thanks to Bryan for doing a great job blogging from the New York City Gay and Lesbian Marketing Conference on Friday. If you take the time to read through his posts, you'll see that we were able to network with some great minds in the LGBT space and share some best practices for outreach, and inreach, to our community. It was a terrific opportunity to hear about the latest LGBT data and trends to help inform our own work and recommendations.

As Bryan promised, I wanted to share my thoughts on the conference and key learnings. In no particular order:

• The aging LGBT community needs specific attention. Members of this community were pioneers for us and our movement, and require tailored messaging to get their attention and to retain their loyalty. Lots of opportunities for companies to be first to market in this segment.
• The young LGBT generation is a moving target. They are wiser regarding marketing strategies, and are incredibly informed and connected and don't follow the traditional LGBT media outlets. Additionally, this is a much more ethnically diverse generation. Harnessing their interest and plugging into their trusted forums is the best way to start a conversation.
• There are still opportunities for companies to be first to market in the LGBT community, especially first to market in the lesbian community. According to some of the focus group data shared at the conference, lesbians feel that we are too focused on gay men, and that a majority of clients looking to engage with this community are advertising in magazines with an 85% male demographic. We need to market with them as women first, and appeal to their interests. We need to also be very careful with imagery in the lesbian space, because this community really notices when companies are using clip art/stock imagery and "hetero-cropping" images to fit the lesbian community.
• There is no longer one catch-all LGBT demographic. It is vital that as communicators, we determine which segment within the LGBT demo that we are targeting, i.e. older vs. younger, gay vs lesbian, single vs. parents, and then tailor our outreach accordingly.
• My new favorite terminology? DINKS = Double Income, No Kids segment
• LGBT is now the term of the future, but let's make sure we don't forget about the B and T, even though there is not a lot of data out there to help guide these interactions.
• Measurement with LGBT communications is key-- make sure that you establish at the beginning how you will measure success and make sure your clients and colleagues understand the various ways you can measure your work.

Lots of key learnings, but even better, lots of great handshakes and new relationships formed. I look forward to working with Bryan to impletment all of these great ideas, and sharing more insights with you on here.

Have a great week.

  

Inreach to Outreach: Gay Marketing Trends for Tomorrow

Marketing approaches are as diverse as the LGBT community they're targeting. We're closing down here at the Gay Marketing Conference. The afternoon featured two panels -- one of LGBT media individuals and another of PR and advertising practitioners, including our very own Michael Murphy. I'll let him comment on the panels and his take on the conference next week. 

CMI and Pink Banana Media closed with trends and thoughts on how we can better outreach and communicate with our diverse LGBT market. As a side note, I saw in one of the panelist's case study the term "LGBT niche market." Maybe it's the millennial in me demanding inclusion, but the term "niche" to describe a group that represents a sampling of global diversity, I hardly see us as niche. 

One thing marketers need to remember, especially as we're pressing onward out of last year's recession, LGBT is not a quick profit. Brand loyalty takes time and requires a balanced approach of gay-friendly messages, practical benefits, LGBT sales strength and other demographic sales points. Companies' community support continues to be the highest factor in consumer preference and purchase decisions: 

• LGBT event sponsorship: 89 percent of gays and 91 percent of lesbians surveyed
• Equal employment practices: 89 percent of gays and 92 percent of lesbians surveyed 
• LGBT media ads: 86 percent of gays and lesbians surveyed 

Some final trends in LGBT marketing included in their closing remarks were:

• LGBT creative has seen a step back -- and LGBT consumers are noticing. Imagery is paramount and custom photos go a long way in visually communicating companies' commitment.
• Mainstream is slowly becoming gay. It's a top demand of LGBT millennials. Orbitz and others are including subtle or obvious gay images and references. 
• The recession did have an effect -- spending and vacation reductions happened and marketers had to get creative to track their impact. One example of tracking is digital gay-specific codes.
• Sex, romance and intimacy - which was seriously downplayed five years ago due to overplay - is slowly coming back, but with the need for relevancy. 
• Be careful with words! As Ben Finzel warned us a while ago, words can have damaging effects. Fabulous, savvy spenders, fierce -- show us! Don't tell it...because if you do, you're probably not.

From impressions to benchmarking surveys, the conference closed on the importance of measurement and finding "soft" and "hard" ways to measure success.But any way you measure this conference, it was a success in my eyes. Look for follow up posts next week from Michael and me.

Thanks for reading and following!

Meet My Partner: Linking Corporations and Non-profits in LTRs

You could probably name big brands like AT&T or Starbucks, as well as top LGBT non-profits like GLAAD and The GIll Foundation. And while we've seen more than 40 years of progress, challenges, gains, losses and change in the LGBT movement, there is still continued dialogue and understanding needed in efficiently leveraging mutually-beneficial relationships between corporations and non-profits. The sessions looked at ways to advance both entities' business objectives, brand appearance and LGBT advocacy efforts. 

The morning sessions included comments and presentations from:  

• Richard Oceguera, National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce - New York
• Scott Seitz, SPI Marketing
• Michael Tracy, Out Professionals
• Rev. Carmen Hernandez, New York City LGBT Community Centere
• Glennda Testone, NYC Center

These conversations, coupled with a delicious lunch and further discussion on corporate and non-profit collaborations, carried some common themes:

• LGBT businesses are growing and together can make significant impact in their communities and with each other (see our previous post and the findings from CMI on LGBT in businesses)
• Regional and local NGLCC chambers can help smaller LGBT businesses gain greater recognition with local corporations
• Corporations vary in their sophistication of working and partnering with LGBT organizations and businesses. SPI Marketing's case study on LGBT-favorite Absolut showcased the power of 360-degree marketing and integration with LGBT media. Multiple platforms, especially digital and blogs, can help drive national media attention and public awareness.
• Similar to united LGBT businesses, LGBT business professionals are creating a greater voice by joining together through groups like OutProfessionals. These and community center venues give individuals places to engage with each other and corporate brands who sponsor events and integrate their products/services for an experience. And we know transparent, quality experience leads to loyalty...

More to come from this afternoon, including on the debate between LGBT v. GLBT. Stay tuned.

Inreach -- Community Marketing Breaks Down the Complex Diversity within the LGBT Market

One of this great conference's organizers, Community Marketing Inc. (CMI), followed Barrios this morning. Known for their Gay and Lesbian Indices, leading materials that provide essential information about the LGBT community. In addition to typical stats on our community's buying power, loyalty and the like, they provided qualitative results from their focus groups. 

They opened up the session talking about Inreach -- the need to market and look inside at your company or target market before marketing outwardly. With that, the went through 30 minutes of important statistical and qualitative affirmation of what we've been seeing in the LGBT market. The information from their study of 50,000 self-identifying LGBT individuals is overwhelming and I can't wait to get home and download the full presentation. In the meantime, below are the highlights from this morning's discussion:

Basic Stats

• The largest portion of their respondents (41.1%) live in urban areas, giving marketers easier access through media and local events to reach our community
• LGBT and loyalty is common knowledge among marketers. The most recent study found that 51 percent are loyal to brands that are committed and engaged with them, as well as willing to try new brands (the concept of early adoption)
• Almost all - 95 percent - favor cause marketing
• The LGBT community is well-educated - nearly 70 percent have a bachelors degree or higher - and were largely unaffected by the recession, with 82 percent employed.

LGBT in Business

Our community works hard -- to serve employers and additionally in the movement for equality. This year, CMI's study found out that nearly half (45%) of survey respondents were owners or officers of their companies. With that purchasing power, 60 percent of these individuals noted they were influenced to purchase from other LBGT businesses or those that support their community. We focus so much on the Out Front Blog on business-to-consumer communications, but these stats show the importance of remembering to market to other businesses your company's commitment to LGBT equality.

Focus Group Highlights

If I say "LGBT communications" do you think of shirtless, muscled guy with immense sex appeal? If you do, you're not alone. But these images, though fading thankfully out of all LGBT ads, only touch one letter of LGBT (and actually only one segment of the G, to be honest). CMI's biggest point they drove home over and over is -- LGBT is diversity. We represent a complete slice of the world's diversity in age, gender, ethnicity and culture. There's many opportunities (and some challenges) when targeting us with communications.  Below are some notes from their discussions with the under represented "letters" and segments:

• Lesbians are largely tired and even angry of being left out of "gay" advertising that's largely male-dominated. Marketers must remember to market them as women first. Imagery is crucial, too. Check out a future post on new terms to learn the evils of "hetero-cropping" and its use in advertising to lesbian.
• Gay parents are growing in recognition, given recent legislation. In Chicago, we've seen a gay couple on the cover of Chicago Parent and the famous Food Network Hearty Boys reached out to former governor Mark Huckabee and his abrasive comments about gay adoption with an invitation to experience their family dinners. Of the survey respondents, 5 percent were gay percent and 20 percent were lesbian parents. Market these individuals through direct media such as Gay Parent and Proud Parenting.
• The under 30 focus groups really resonated with me. We're ethnically diverse, as opposed to our largely out white predecessors. LGBT millennials differ by location, are less influenced by LGBT media and look for integration of LGBT content. We don't need a separate gay advertising, show or channel -- we want to see ourselves in everyday media and marketing. And we want to see all the colorful faces of our community, too.
• Out Front's Erin Grohs recently talked about the plight of LGBT individuals older than 55. CMI covered this demographic as well. They're turned off by ads that focus on youth and sexuality, but rather prefer accurate images of older LGBT couples and individuals. They also prefer gay-exclusive locations and channels -- a stark difference from the following generation.

CMI didn't stop there and also covered other slices of our community including ethnic, personal identities (circuit, bears, etc.), professional organizations, bisexual, transgender. 

For communicators, this information echoes more general trends we're seeing -- mass advertisements and communications won't achieve the same results if you directly speak to the age, ethnicity, and interests of your target consumer.

GLAAD-itude for Amplifying Our Community's Voice

Live from New York…it's the opening keynote of the Gay & Lesbian Marketing Conference. Sitting in the front row (yes, I'm still that nerd), I met and listened to GLAAD President Jarrett Barrios' address on the organization's current efforts and the role of storytelling in bringing about equality -- whether between a mother and son or between a celebrity and the public. He opened with a story about a young man in Chicago (actually a good friend of mine -- small world) he had mentored before whose family for more than 10 years had been uninterested in his life, his relationships, his hopes and dreams.

And two weeks ago, it changed. The young man's mom asked about his being gay. And why? Two words. Ricky Martin. 

GLAAD understands the power of media to create bridges at the personal and national level. Barrios noted that while the U.S. media (and as we covered here) noted the event as "obvious" or "coming from some time," the story continues in Spanish-language media today. It continues to open that community to greater awareness of a leading celebrity's  life and sexuality, very similar to Ellen's coming out in the United States many years earlier. He also highlighted the results from GLAAD's recent study with Harris Interactive in which they found that 20 percent of those surveyed view gays more positively than they did 5 years ago.

So what led this change? No surprise, this change was largely led by individuals coming out to friends, family, and others in their community. I life lived out front and transparent is help moving the minds and hearts of America. And following personal storytelling, is the media. Barrios painted a quick and clear picture. Think back 30 years ago -- you know, Three's Company on TV, Anita Bryant and the movie Cruisin were some of the only images or quasi-images of LGBT people. The LGBT community, as many of you know, was doing so well at that time. 

Fast forward to today. News stories are growing more fair, accurate and inclusive. We've got Ellen, LOGO-TV, and major brands such as Levi's, Bertolli, Progressive and long-standing LGBT supporter Absolut with inclusive corporate advertisements that present our community in both LGBT and mainstream media. 

Barrios covered in his address and in the following Q&A many of the organization's leading work (many of which we've covered on the Out Front Blog) in recent months with CNN's story on the young boy in Arkansas who won't pledge allegiance until there's LGBT equality, CNN's error on their ex-gay story, their stance on the recent Tribeca film Ticked Off Trannies With Knives. Read more on GLAAD's work at those links -- also check out their new brand, which we totally dig!

Barrios summed it up well. We, the LGBT community,  are part of the phrases "We the people" and "United, we stand" and others that are the foundation of the United States. He place the work ahead for greater equality change on us -- as individuals and marketers within Corporate America. Equality is achieved through media and Corporate America, not legislation first.  That's what follows. 

So we'll keep being out front and hope you will too. We're changing hearts and mind. We'll lead, and (I hope, soon) the government will follow.

More too come…

True Financial Reform

There is a lot of talk about Wall Street reform this week. The financial sector has always been just outside of my comfort zone—I know enough to be able to follow industry news, but I wouldn’t call myself a dangerous expert in it (my savings account reflects this as well).

The financial reform news I have been following this week comes from London and Hong Kong. According to the Financial Times, Galileo Capital Management has launched “LGBT Capital,” a corporate advisory and investment management company focused on the LGBT consumer market. The firm will initially provide two primary services: corporate advisory and business development consultation to companies that serve the LGBT sector and a fund investing in companies providing services to the LGBT sector.

The design of the business is rooted in proprietary research and conversations within the LGBT community. According to a survey commissioned by LGBT Capital, 30 percent of LGBT sector businesses felt they needed to adopt a degree of secrecy when setting up and seeking funding. Additionally, while a majority of these businesses have expansion goals outside of their current geographic location, 80 percent lacked specialist advice on how best to secure funding.

Who will benefit from this new service? According to the story, the company will be looking for good quality businesses that give investors – gay or straight – access to a market segment whose already substantial potential is set to be boosted by expanding gay liberation in both the developed and developing markets. And, what’s really great about LGBT Capital’s business model is that the company has committed to donating 10 percent of profits back into the LGBT community.

In today’s economy, we know that many small businesses are struggling. However, data keeps showing us that the LGBT community represents an affluent, untapped market. LGBT Capital clearly recognizes the value proposition of not only working in the LGBT community, but working with the community by funding big thinkers and innovators and helping LGBT business-owners realize their full funding potential. And the company is not just capitalizing on our community—they are giving back as well. Talk about a smart “return on investment.”

What do you think about LGBT Capital’s business proposition? “Innovative” or “It’s About Time”?

Self promotion moment… Remember when I blogged that I would be presenting at the New York Gay and Lesbian Marketing Conference? It’s tomorrow—and we’ll be blogging live, providing the latest trends, case studies and best practices on marketing to the LGBT community. Mr. Blaise will be providing real-time coverage, so check back throughout the day for news. Perhaps you’ll even get a picture of me looking like a pundit on cable news. That alone is worth bookmarking.

Have a great Thursday.

Drawing the Line – Pedophilia in LGBT Communications

The German media currently have one issue which they cover more or less 24/7: sexual abuse of minors. For about a month now more and more cases are revealed in which children were abused by custodians such as priests and teachers.

Whenever cases like these are revealed I automatically hold my breath. The past showed that there was a reflex by the public and some media to link pedophilia with homosexuality because most cases involved the abuse of boys by male adults. Thus, I was very pleasantly surprised that this time the media didn’t draw that connection and was very considerate in its comments.

However, I was not so pleasantly surprised anymore when my colleague Eva gave me an article to read headlined “The Pink Slip.” The story stars the caring teacher of a boarding school who comes across as the gay version of John Keating from Dead Poet Society. Then you have the high school dropout who realizes at some point that a diploma might not be a bad idea after all. So he calls up Mr. Keating and both meet a couple of times at the teacher’s house to discuss the prospective student’s re-admittance into the boarding school.

So where’s the drama? Here it comes: Apparently, Mr. Keating came across a bit too clingy and caring during and after the meetings. The prospective student thought that the teacher acted “strangely” and was apparently irritated that the teacher openly addressed his homosexuality a couple of times. Inevitably, through various channels, the story finally reached the school administration.

Given the current media attention paid to sexual abuse it was only reasonable for the administration to check what happened when the teacher and prospective student met. In several hearings, the student repeatedly claimed that nothing inappropriate happened. He didn’t feel sexually harassed or otherwise inappropriately treated. Despite the fact that the teacher’s conduct by no means constituted a criminal behavior and is at worst inappropriate, the school administration decided that Mr. Keating will be fired if he doesn’t resign. The reason given was that his conduct was harmful to the school’s reputation. Mr. Keating decided to resign in order to avoid getting a pink slip by his employer.

At this point it has to be asked to what extend the fact that the teacher is gay influenced the decision of the administration. Of course I cannot determine this as there are no official statements by the school, but it would probably be naïve to deny any such influence. Simply, the overarching goal of the administration was to protect students from sexual assaults. But at the same time its judgment of the situation was misled by the knowledge of Mr. Keating’s homosexuality. This allows the conclusion that homosexuality and pedophilia were (subconsciously) linked to a certain extent.

Despite the very good progress LGBT communications have made to educate the public in this field, this case clearly shows that we have to go on emphasizing two aspects

1. Whether hetero-, homo-, or bisexuality, there is a very clear difference between sexual activities between two consenting adults and sexual relations between an adult and a minor. This is not a fine line! This is a line which deserves to be articulated very clearly!
2. Speak up against the prevailing stereotype that male homosexuals are child molesters per se. For example, it was good to see how sharp the media in Germany reacted when officials of the Catholic Church tried to link homosexuality and pedophilia
   

If this is clearly stated and repeated, another question arises: Should members of the LGBT community come out when they interact with children, be it as a teacher, coach or spiritual guide? Does open communication help to counter accusations in the context of sexual abuse or do these individuals become vulnerable when they come out?

Some of my friends are in this situation and I don’t know one of them who actually regretted being out front about their lives with their wards. This supports my point of view that honesty and openness work as a shield against such accusations.

In the example above, the school administration already stated regret for their hasty decision made out of fear of shattered public image.  It’s another example for why communicating the difference between homosexuality and pedophilia can make a difference.

What are your thoughts on the challenge of communicating this highly sensitive issue?

For some stats and numbers on pedophilia, please watch this video!

Link to the Blog "Waking Up Now"

LGBT Seniors Receive More SAGE Wisdom

I don’t spend a ton of time thinking about what life will be like when I qualify for an AARP card, although I have given some thought as to what I’ll look like when I’m 60-plus. I’m confident that my senior self will definitely be rocking a fly tracksuit and if I’m lucky, the same white fuzzy hair as my Grandma. One thing I do know (and no, it isn’t the fact that I will most likely NOT be receiving Social Security payments) is that my LGBT counterparts are far more likely to live in poverty and to face social and community isolation. As readers of this blog, you’re aware of the challenges facing the LGBT community today and in the future, but imagine facing those obstacles when you’re in your 60s, 70s, 80s or even 90s?

This week, SAGE (Services & Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders) released a new study titled “Improving the Lives of LGBT Older Adults,” that comprehensively examines issues facing the LGBT senior community.  SAGE is an incredibly organization, and has previously been a featured Q&A on this very blog, and it is the world’s oldest and largest non-profit agency that is dedicated to serving and advocating for LGBT seniors.

Working with the Movement Advancement Project and the American Society on Aging, the National Senior Citizens Law Center and the Center for American Progress, the SAGE report is the first major collaboration between LGBT advocacy organizations and aging organizations that examines issues facing LGBT seniors.  Focusing on three major areas, here are some highlights (or as you read them, I’m tempted to say “lowlights” as some of these findings are heartbreaking…):

• LGBT elders are less financially secure due to a lifetime of discrimination, as well as laws and programs that fail to offer the protection and support afforded to their heterosexual counterparts.

• LGBT seniors have a harder time achieving good health and healthcare. The major reasons for this have included nursing home and hospital visitation policies, as well as inhospitable healthcare environments, although the LGBT and ally community received a huge boost from President Obama when he announced new healthcare protections for LGBT citizens and families. 

• LGBT seniors are more likely to face social isolation. In addition to living alone, older LGBTs tend to feel less-than-welcome in mainstream aging groups and programs, like senior centers.

The report outlines the issues and offers solutions that will help LGBT seniors be treated with the dignity and respect they, and the entire LGBT community, deserve. So, I urge all you FH Out Front readers to stop and think – what if this was your Grandma or Grandpa? How would you want them to be treated?

 

GLAAD for the Glee-ful Single Drag Racers

Happy Monday! Or, I can't believe it's Monday! Spent the weekend on domestic chores as the BF is trapped in Germany due to the volcano. I swear it feels like a really cheesy Lifetime movie-- he's trapped over there, and I am left having to mow the lawn. And my swearing while mowing was very similar to a volcanic eruption. Come home soon.

Speaking of things important to me-- Glee has its Madonna-centric episode this week, and I could not be more excited! Even Madonna loves the show (about Madonna!). Those kids on Glee must be the hardest working cast in show business, and the accolades keep on coming in. On Saturday night, the show picked up the "Outstanding Comedy Series" award from GLAAD as part of the 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles. No surprise here-- Glee is one of the most progressive shows in terms of portraying the LGBT community in a positive-- and realistic-- light, whether that means showing how Kurt deals with being openly gay in high school, or how Rachel is raised by her two dads. Any show-choir themed show has an inherent LGBT story to tell, and I am proud of creator Ryan Murphy, and for GLAAD, for recognizing the invaluable opportunity Tuesday nights at 9PM can provide.

Glee wasn't the only entertainment program recognized on Saturday night. The film A Single Man picked up an award for "Outstanding Film," and RuPaul's Drag Race scored for "Outstanding Reality Program." Both Drew Barrymore and Wanda Sykes also picked up awards for their commitment to our community, and Telemundo walked away with recognition for Spanish-language journalism segment.

GLAAD has really turned these awards into a forum for discussing how important it is for the media and entertainment worlds to accurately portray, and include, the LGBT community in programming and news coverage. While these awards have the glitz and glamour of Hollywood red carpet events, there is an important educational overlay into using media coverage...of media coverage.. to spread GLAAD's mission of promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Thank you GLAAD!

P.S. Super-excited that the mega-LGBT musical, La Cage Aux Follies opened to rave reviews last night on Broadway. This means that we have yet another forum to talk about the importance of owning and respecting the LGBT identity. As the song from the musical goes, "I am what I am, and what I am needs no excuses." Checking out the show in May-- so I will let you know how it is!

Have a great week.

(Photo courtesy of 2010 Chris Weeks/WireImage)  

 

Powerful People

As we end yet another week, some powerful people are being recognized for their contributions to the LGBT community and their prominence in the national spotlight. And no, I'm not talking about the return of Glee or the series finale of Ugly Betty, though both merit my praise for raising awareness of our community while being consistently entertaining.

Let's start with Out's "4th Annual Power 50." This list recognizes America's most influential gay men and women. After I didn't find my name on the list (must have been #51), I spent some time reviewing those individuals who earned the spotlight. Among my favorites (with their corresponding Out descriptions):

• #50: Urvashi Vaid: "In her 25 years as an LGBT rights activist, attorney, and author, Vaid has lead the NGLTF and held positions at the ACLU and the Ford Foundation. Currently the executive director of the Arcus Foundation, a key grant-maker supporting gay rights charities, she was honored in 2009 by the Equality Foundation as an LGBT Icon."
• #30: Dustin Lance Black (friend of Bryan's): "The Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter came off the award hot last year, finishing his directorial debut, What’s Wrong with Virginia?, which stars Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly, narrating a documentary about Mormon influence on Prop. 8’s defeat, and writing a screenplay for a biopic of J. Edgar Hoover, which has attracted Ron Howard’s production team, the directorial interest of Clint Eastwood, and, in turn, super-early Oscar buzz."
• #28: Dan Choi: "With his stirring speech at the National Equality March on Washington in October, discharged Lt. Dan Choi became the face and voice of the rally and underscored the personal aspect of our political fight for gay marriage equality and the repeal of DADT. He clashed with the HRC among other gay groups when he was arrested for chaining himself to the White House gates in March, Choi continues to be the U.S.’s most outspoken serviceman."
• #24: Anthony Romero: "Under Romero’s fearless leadership, the membership of the ACLU has doubled since he started to serve as executive director in 2001, and the organization has taken to task everyone from the state of California for its ban on gay marriage to President Obama, whose administration the group is urging not to back down from prosecuting the 9/11 terrorist subjects in civilian court."
• #12: Rich Ross: "Disney reaffirmed its status as an outpost of progressiveness in the movie industry last October by making Rich Ross the first openly gay studio chief in history. Having steered the careers of both Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers as president of Disney Channels Worldwide, Ross has wasted little time in bringing in fresh blood and cutting the number of movies on the slate (C’est la vie, Wild Hogs 2). With Steve Jobs as the studio’s biggest individual investor, expect to see a radical new approach to distribution with Apple’s new iPad."
• #8: Joe Solmonese: "This year the Human Rights Campaign celebrates its 30th anniversary. As president since 2005, Solmonese oversees the largest LGBT group in the country, numbering more than 750,000 members. Despite criticism because the president does not support gay marriage per se, the HRC hosted Obama at its 2009 annual dinner, which preceded the National Equality March in Washington in October. The event garnered much-needed coverage in mainstream media and momentum and counted Lady Gaga among its guests."

Each one of the 50 individuals recognized give us the opportunity to do what we do every day-- to openly advocate for and market to the LGBT community. By using their prominence for the good of the cause, they open doors for us to follow. Their "mainstream" status takes us one step closer to acknowledgement and inclusivity. Who were your favorites on the list?

The other news about a powerful person in our community came last night. In a memo to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, President Obama ordered most hospitals in the country to grant the same visitation rights to gay and lesbian partners that they do to married heterosexual couples. This means that any hospital receiving Medicare and Medicaid money honor all patients' advance directives, including those designating who gets family visitation privileges.

Thank you, Mr. President. I can't imagine what our community has gone through specifically related to this issue-- being turned away from visiting the ones we love most in a final hour of need. To know that soon we may have the right to be at the bedside to say goodbye to someone who was our most important hello is a huge step in giving us the rights we deserve.

 

2+2=1 in Chicago

Even with Father's and Mother's Day coming up (or the fact that my wonderful mom texts, IMs or calls at least once a day), I don't typically focus on parenting or parent issues as a single, 25-year-old practitioner in the city. However, single or married with six kids, it is common knowledge that Chicago Parent is one of the biggest publications in the Windy City for families, providing parenting and education advice to Chicagoland's extremely diverse communities.

Yesterday, I literally stopped in front of the Borders windows because this month's Chicago Parent, which profiles different families, proudly featured Robert Pooley and Howard Wax with their two children Sarah and Marcus. Entitled "Two dads, two kids, one happy family," Wax and Pooley's story and decisions to have children via a surrogate is a quick read here on the Chicago Parent site.

Chicago Parent didn't just stop, though, with telling the story of how these two men created a family. Instead, they addressed the uncertain road ahead, noting the couple's concern for their children's emotional and physical protection. Pooley, who is a local physician, said in the piece, "It's up to us, society as a whole, to always support parents because in the end, what we want to do is raise good, decent children."

Falling during Census Month and the many debates around how Americans classify themselves, their marriage and their family, Chicago Parent's bold move uses a story to bring humanity and purpose to same-sex families and adoptions. All parents want to raise good children, even if it is the toughest job in the world AND doesn't come with an instruction manual. It requires sacrifice and is a big decision for many.

Yet, it is something others try to discuss as an "issue." Case in point is the current coverage of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's comments on the topic during an interview with the College of New Jersey's news magazine The Perspective. You can actually check out the interview tape over at Queerty.

I'll end by thanking Chicago Parent for introducing its readers to just one of the many same-sex families around the world. What are your thoughts on the story or same-sex families? Share them with us, or your greatest parenting advice, in the comments below.

Out Front Destination: Palm Springs

Why is it these days that I am blogging more and more about the LGBT tourism industry? Could it be that I am ready for a vacation? Countdown to May 26 is on (aka when time off begins...)!

My sister and her husband own a timeshare property through one of the major hotel chains. The deal they have is that they can exchange it for any sister property around the world. The past couple of years, they have cashed in and exchanged it for Palm Springs/Palm Desert, California, and as a family, we cashed in and joined them.

To say I love Palm Springs is an understatement. It's incredibly beautiful. I love that you can tan at the pool in the middle of the desert, overlooking the mountains. The downtown area is so eclectic and fun-- great restaurants, great nightlife, and great shopping.

The first time I ventured to Palm Springs was actually for work. Almost five years ago, I was working at a different firm and we were doing a grassroots healthcare tour, with a stop in Palm Springs. We stayed just for one night, and it was one of those nights where I was free from client responsibility, which meant that I could actually explore the town.

As a member of the LGBT community, you immediately feel at home in Palm Springs. There are so many LGBT-owned businesses, hotels and bars to welcome you to the city. And, it's not a hidden part of the town-- it's an inherent part of the business community.

And five years ago, I was still coming into my own as an adult gay male, and to be in Palm Springs and feel so comfortable and so welcoming was such a helpful part of my journey.

It's fair to say that many members of the LGBT community feel this way about Palm Springs. In an article yesterday in The Desert Sun, the reporter pointed out that Palm Springs ranks 13th in desired travel destinations for the LGBT consumer. Many small-business LGBT owners, as well as our allies in the hospitality industry, were interviewed to share their positive experience of embracing the LGBT consumer and how open Palm Springs has become for us. Many travelers are also on record detailing how this "comfort level" is a main driver behind selecting the ideal LGBT travel hot spot. Plus, they have major LGBT events-- like the Dinah Shore Weekend and the White Party.

So, I officially add Palm Springs to my list of cities that "get it"-- cities that understand the opportunity and the reward that comes with marketing to the LGBT community and involving the LGBT community in your outreach.

While Palm Springs isn't on my destination list for 2010, I certainly welcome the opportunity to visit, should anyone choose to send me....anyone?

Have a great week.  

Out Front...On the Road

Happy Friday everyone!

Sometimes we get the opportunity to take our little blog show out on the road. This weekend marks the start of an April blitz to talk about how to connect with the LGBT consumer. Here's a sampling of the great opportunities we have in store for Out Front:

• Saturday, April 10: I'll be appearing (sounds like I am a stand-up comic) at Equality Ohio's C.A.U.S.E. Conference 2010, which is described as a summit for LGBT and allied leaders in the college community working for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality. I'm excited to interact with LGBT leaders from the youth community to talk about how to ensure that the LGBT voice is heard, and more important, recognized as a critical element of our broader Ohio community. And even more fun? It's at the University of Cincinnati..it's like returning to college, except I didn't go to this college! But, Cincy is known for its awesome chili, and know it can be known for its awesome LGBT activism. Even more, more fun? It's a four-hour drive this afternoon, which means that I can perfect my version of "Don't Rain on My Parade," a-la the "Glee" soundtrack, for those fellow drivers on 71-South.
• Friday, April 30:   Super-excited to be invited to be on a PR/marketing panel at Community Marketing Inc.'s "Gay and Lesbian Marketing Conference" in New York. I'll be talking about our work bringing the Gay Games to Cleveland, but I also am jazzed to hear from my other panel members about their case studies in LGBT marketing. It's a day-long conference, with some awesome speakers. There is still time to register-- so if you are in New York, please stop by!

Apparently, April showers bring LGBT marketing flowers. It's awesome that groups like Equality Ohio and CMI host these events for professionals to learn about best practices in LGBT marketing. I love the opportunity to network and learn from others, and I hope more companies recognize these valuable opportunities to gain insight from those in the LGBT-trenches.

Hope everyone has a good weekend. And, I apologize in advance if you hear me singing/screaming as I am driving to Cincy. It's hard to be the ingenue...

Speaking with Numbers

It wasn't until Monday night that I finally sat down and filled out the 2010 Census form -- at the prodding of my more on-top-of-things roommate. In two minutes, I was done. That's it. It was two simple minutes I wouldn't have to share with my government for another ten years.

And being a single out gay man, it was pretty straightforward. However, I'm not unaware of the many important issues facing married same-sex couples and transgender individuals when it comes to this form.We all want to be counted for something -- and we should, as these numbers directly affect how our elected leadership allocates funds for our communities and the programs that serve us.

On Monday the great folks at GLAAD joined U.S. Census Bureau officials, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and others at New York's LGBT Center to unveil six new public service announcements that specifically ask LGBT people to "Be Yourself and Be Counted." They will be aired on LOGO.

One of the ads feature out gay actor and Star Trek legend George Takei with his husband Brad Altman. Takei notes this historic importance of the 2010 Census, as it is the first to recognize and count same-sex marriages. Other PSAs addressed a particular audience age demographic or segment of the LGBT population. Check out some at the bottom of this post or them all here on GLAAD's YouTube channel.

Be yourself and be counted -- it's just another way for the LGBT community to be out front and honest to bring about greater equality and change. The PSAs do a good job of helping people understand their right to define and identify their relationships regardless of some states' inequalities. It's a deeply rooted message that I hope stirs individuals to grab a pen and fill out the form.

Each one of us in the community should take those two minutes. We should "give a damn," as Cyndi Lauper's new campaign says to our straight allies (if you haven't seen it, check out Erin's rocking post on the campaign from yesterday here). Collectively, those two minutes translate into greater awareness of our presence, greater funding for services that address our unique needs and greater hope for equality.

Opponents to equality, such as those at the Family Research Council, are voicing their concerns -- which you can see here in a post from our friends at Good As You. Jeremy does a good job in the first two paragraphs echoing the message of the PSAs -- be yourself and be counted for who you are.

Take a look at the PSAs and share your thoughts. Also, take the two minutes tonight to be yourself and make a difference.

Do You Give a Damn?

On April 1, Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund launched the Give A Damn Campaign, a Web-based program seeking to educate and engage the straight community to help advance LGBT equality. The Give a Damn Campaign is for anyone who cares about LGBT equality, but as Lauper tells us, it’s particularly for the straight community. It doesn’t matter if you’re an active supporter or a first-timer or someone that hasn’t paid much attention to LGBT issues, the Give a Damn Campaign offers a way to help you get informed and get involved.

The slickly designed site, which is incredibly easy to navigate, also features a blog delivering LGBT news , items related to equality and specific ways to get involved. There is also a video section (including the one shown below) offering short clips of celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg, Elton John and the awesome Anna Paquin (who caused quite a stir this week) expressing why they care about equality, as well as a page with explanations on issues currently facing the LGBT community like workplace discrimination and the current state of gay marriage. One of my favorite parts, and a very smart addition to the site, is the “Personal Stories” tab, which allows visitors to share their thoughts on a variety of topics, including the military and faith. Easy tags for Facebook, Google and Twitter, as well as the handy “Tell a Friend” button make it simple for users to share information in any way they choose.

The Web site is bold and incredibly interactive, using Lauper’s signature look and distinct voice to urge site visitors to check out particular links and to join the campaign. Once you register, you can choose the issues you are most interested in but for me, the best part is that Lauper (who looks FANTASTIC) personally thanks you for “giving a damn.” It’s a very savvy way to add a personal touch to the site and the campaign, and for a fan such as myself, it makes me feel like a valued and important member of the program. The boldness of the campaign and the rich content on the site is prompting me to get MORE involved…and I’m already a die-hard, loud-mouthed straight ally.

So, watch the video. Visit the site. Join the campaign. Please show it to your friends, parents, co-workers, neighbors, mailman – anyone. Let’s get informed, get involved and most importantly, let’s give a damn – loudly and proudly.

(Photo courtesy of www.wegiveadamn.org)

Staying in the LGBT Loop

Happy Monday! Hope all enjoyed the unseasonably warm weekend here in the U.S. In Ohio, we were warm/hot each day this weekend, which provided an idyllic atmosphere for my first time hosting an Easter Egg Hunt for my 3 y/o niece. Is it bad that I picked out her "Hello Kitty" basket because I wanted it?!?

We've talked in the past about how important it is for businesses to walk the walk when it comes to marketing to the LGBT community. I came across an interesting story out of Florida that features a licensed therapist who became a LGBT publisher late in her career because of a life-changing event. I'll let Mary Bondi, the subject of the story, tell you about the event:

“In late 1999, around my birthday, I went to a theme park with my partner at the time. I was injured on a ride and suffered some back and neck injuries.I was bed-ridden for about three years and had to be taken care of. I became disabled and had to close my practice as well.”

The article describes how Bondi crossed paths with Dr. Joel Stein, who changed her life, and her outlook on life. “He spent 45 minutes on the phone with me and assured me he would help me get my life back. I began seeing there was a strong possibility that I could regain my life."

As she started down the road to recovery, Bondi was inspired to create a service to give back to the LGBT community. She created "In the Loop," an online community that connects the LGBT community with gay-friendly businesses and services. Bondi had been targeting the LGBT community through advertising and marketing in LGBT publications for her own business, and decided to create a more cost-effective forum to help entrepreneurs like her reach our community. She recently went to print on the first hard-copy edition of the directory, which is receiving positive feedback from subscribers and advertisers.

What I like about this story is that the idea for this community forum came from the community itself. Bondi has been an active member of the Florida LGBT community, and has been a patron of LGBT-owned businesses. She understands the importance of practicing what you preach when it comes to LGBT marketing, and now sets a great example of how the entrepreneurial spirit can have a positive impact on the LGBT community. Impressive all-around.

Have a great week!

(Image: Mary Bondi)

Sit Down, You're Rocking the Bus

Before moving back to Cleveland, I lived in New York and D.C., where public transportation is a way of life. I took the bus/metro/subway to get to work and to go around town. Here in Ohio, we have a great public transportation system, but because of where I live, I end up driving to work every day.

Part of what appeals to me with public transportation is the opportunity to see how companies use the space to market their products and services to riders. Sometimes, the ads are for public health campaigns. In France, I've seen a lot of advertisements for English classes or movies. In New York, they advertise tourism campaigns. In Toronto? Apparently they are running "homophobic ads."

Here's the story. A Christian group, known as the Bus Stop Bible Studies, has created a campaign to put "God on every bus" in Canada. Their ads feature a series of panels with twenty different “God questions” and a link to a website offering a corresponding answer to each. The ad in question, "Does God Care if I'm Gay?", linked to a Web site where the group shared its spiritual opinion about homosexuality and how being gay can be linked to the "fall of mankind."

The transportation authority in Toronto was flooded with complaints about the ad, and the group behind the campaign decided to voluntarily remove that specific question panel. The answer to the question was also removed from the group's Web site, with an apology that read: "It seems that the whole message of God’s justice and grace was being misinterpreted."

I'm certainly not going to get into a debate about the freedom of speech or the religious viewpoint on homosexuality, but I will point out that I understand the concept behind the original campaign-- thought provoking questions to drive attention. However, where I strongly disagree is when thought-provoking campaigns have an element where they are essentially judging and degrading a specific population...in this case, the LGBT community. Everyone has the right to their own opinion and belief, but to market that opinion in a public forum and to try and make the LGBT community feel bad about their "lifestyle" is something that I do not support.

As marketers, we have an obligation to do a culturally-sensitive gut check to make sure we aren't offending or degrading our audience. Do I care if Bus Stop Bible Studies cares if I am gay? Not so much.

What do you think about the ad?  

More than April Fools' Day

I have never been a fan of April Fools' Day. I hated the pranks in school, and I never really understood the purpose of it. So today, when tasked with writing an entry, I decided to do a little Web surfing to find out what else is going on in the LGBT community today.

For the LGBT community in Dallas, April 1 marks the startof "Hate Crimes Awareness Month," a project between the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and the Fahari Arts Institute to "bring attention to individuals who are or have been harassed, attacked, or even killed because of their actual or perceived ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender expression.” Other partners on this effort include Lambda Legal, the South Dallas Cultural Center, Black Cinematheque Dallas, the DFW Senators (a social organization for black lesbians),  and University of North Texas’ gay student organization, GLAD.

At the University of Florida, today marks the start of "Pride Awareness Month." The University's Pride Student Union  is commemorating its 10th annual Pride Awareness Month by hosting 25 events that celebrate self-expression and acceptance, including an amateur drag show and a queer ball. Tonight, they are hosting RENT legend and "My So-Called Life" star Wilson Cruzto kick off the month. In total, the University and the group are spending more than $25K to celebrate the month.

I'm a huge fan of Awareness Months-- they give the community something to rally around and raise awareness about an important issue. When done correctly, organizations can use the 30+ days to generate momentum for an issue, involve new audiences in a cause, and market an endeavor to the broader community and mainstream media. It's a hook to focus attention, and let's face it-- sometimes we need the focus to make things happen.

Talk to you tomorrow!

(Photo of Wilson Cruz, courtesy of WireImage)

Swept Away with Contests and Sweepstakes

Its one of the older marketing and promotion tactics in the books -- sweepstakes and contests. Businesses and marketers tie them into current or seasonal events and drive people to stores and nowadays Web sites to garner greater awareness or better yet sales. Contests or sweepstakes, depending on eligibility requirements, can also send a strong message about a company's stance on equality.

Crate and Barrel's Ultimate Wedding competition is a growing case study for marketers looking to make a statement about their company's support of LGBT equality and commitment to that target audience. With an only an hour left as I write this post, same-sex couple Gregory and Jonathan are in a close race to win the wedding of their dreams --- all thanks to the votes and support of fans, friends and Crate and Barrel fanatics.

While already a fan of the store's products, I now have a deeper respect and connection with the brand. As the marriage equality debate rages on, this company made a very visible stance in a highly lucrative area of their sales -- wedding registries -- no doubt. By allowing all couples, not just heterosexual ones, to enter the competition, Crate and Barrel demonstrated its belief and respect for marriage equality. Additionally, it elevated the personal, real stories of committed LGBT couples online, helping to combat opponents' false perceptions of LGBT individuals as being highly promiscuous and incapable of serious, monogamous relationships.

Only time will tell if Gregory and Jonathan will win the contest. However, they've already got the greatest gift -- love, and they freely shared that story with supporters and detractors alike thanks to the folks at Crate and Barrel.

Best wishes, guys -- in the contest and the rest of your life together.

It's Affirmative: Martin's Coming Out Holds Lesson for LGBT Communicators

Yes. He's gay. On Monday, March 29, via his personal Web site and Twitter handle, Latin and pop music sensation Ricky Martin came out as a gay man, performer and father. Affirming suspicions, questions and rumors that have plagued the performer for years, Martin very simply and eloquently confirmed his sexuality.

That day, the gay blogosphere lit up as did social media sites, like Facebook and Twitter. While media was a little more tempered in their coverage of the singer's announcement, social media posts and statuses echoed sentiments like this: "Ricky Martin's gay? That's not news. We've all known for years."

Maybe because I was one of those cases where others knew before me, or maybe because I tend to be more empathetic, but these posts from friends and social media strangers got me riled up. I begin to think about two aspects: affirmation and confirmation. I specifically was interested in both of these elements role in communications around a person's coming out and in general communications to gays and lesbians every day.

Obviously, the act of confirming one's sexuality("coming out") is a deeply personal journey -- different for each LGBT individual. It takes courage and can carry with it emotions and consequences that many of our straight counterparts won't have to or can't understand. It's something that, no matter peers', family's or society's suspicions, still requires a confirmation, an affirmative statement on behalf of the individual coming out. And whether at 13 or 30, that decision should be respected.

Affirmation, however, is the bigger component and lesson for LGBT communicators. All people like to be affirmed for who they are and what they stand for. By their parents, their colleagues, their bosses, their religious leaders -- it is a natural human desire to be recognized for all that you are and are striving towards. This is especially true for out LGBT people though. The struggle with coming to terms with one's own self is only magnified when it is not affirmed by our community or downplayed after our confirmation.

In LGBT communications, whether marketing a product/service or simply sharing your thoughts over a cup of coffee, remember the importance of affirmation. Appreciate the journey of that person's self-discovery and continually recognize them for the out individual they are. The benefits to them and you are priceless.

One final thought on Martin: take a look at GLAAD's statement on the Martin's coming out. While each individual coming out story has value and importance, some have an impact to large communities and cultures. I applaud GLAAD for recognizing that, affirming Martin's decision and elevating his example to a large community without many out role models.

Congrats, Ricky. Continue living Out Front and best wishes to you and your children. 

We Love our Jazz Hands...

Remember when I said Spring was here in Ohio? Apparently, I said that too loudly, because it snowed last night. Really?!?

So, we spend a lot of time blogging about ways for companies to actively market and target the LGBT community. This also applies to the non-profit community, especially in this economy where the "donated dollar" seems to be rapidly disappearing. While we statistically represent a rather affluent community, we too are challenged by these economic times.

I have the great pleasure of serving on the Board of Directors for the Beck Center for the Arts here in Lakewood, Ohio. The Beck is the largest not-for-profit performing arts and education organization on Cleveland's west side. Each year, they serve more than 75,000 residents of Northeast Ohio. It's a fantastic performing arts venue...in fact, we're going to see "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" there tonight!

As a member of the Board, I've been discussing ways to get the Beck in front of the LGBT community. We decided to create a LGBT Task Force, made up of members of the community, to help us actually reach the community. The goals of this Task Force include:

• Research the LGBT community's needs and interests in arts programming.
• Position the Beck Center as friendly to the LGBT community.
• Serve as an advisory group to shape Beck Center artistic programming of interest to the LGBT community.
• Create and strengthen coalitions with other organizations that serve the LGBT community.
• Raise awareness about Beck Center and its activities within the LGBT community.
• Represent Beck Center at various LGBT events throughout the year.

While it may seem a tad stereotypical, creating this Task Force seemed like a no-brainer to me. The LGBT community has been supportive of the performing arts community since the jazz hand was invented. Why not target this demographic to expand our audience base?

We have our first focus group meeting tomorrow. I am excited to get the perspective of the community and to discuss ways to market a non-profit organization such as the Beck. If you happen to be a reader from Ohio, let me know and you can join the Task Force!

Have a great weekend.

P.S. Bragging rights time. The Cleveland Synergy Foundation and FH Out Front are nominated for Multicultural Campaign of the Year for the Public Relations Society of America Silver Anvil Awards for our work with the Gay Games. Woo!

Medicines for a Healthy Gay Life...We Hope...

As the country warm's up, many people are beginning to head outside. And with that transition comes the inevitable focus on bathing suit season and health. Winter's over -- it's time to toss the tissues of flu season, head out of hibernation and build a better you in two months so you don't have that many body image issues while on the beach. Even here at our office building today, management is holding a health fair with every thing from fitness tips and dance lessons to a blood drive.

While we've discussed on here before the issues of blood donation bans and former restrictions on HIV+ travelers, a recent study and letter in the New England Journal of Medicine caught my attention the other day. There's another area in healthcare where gays and lesbians are being overlooked and excluded -- clinical trials on drugs.

Assistant Professor at Fox Chase Cancer Center Brian Egleston and colleagues headed up a recent study of more than 80,000 clinical trials to determine how many of these explicitly or more indirectly excluded gay and lesbian participants. Of the 243 studies identified as exclusionary, 15 percent (37) had explicit language stating as such. Another trend note was the higher likelihood of exclusion in trials sponsored by industry, covering most of the U.S. and in its third phase -- or a broader study.

It is important to note that clinical trials on medicine can have exclusions (for instance, I'm sure the makers of Yaz or Progesterone might want to exclude male studies from their tests of drugs affecting the female menstrual cycle).  However, each exclusion needs a solid scientific argument for the need for the restriction as required by the National Institutes of Health guidelines.

The researchers said, "It is likely that most gay and lesbian patients are unaware of that their sexual orientation is being used as a screening factor for participation in clinical trials. Researchers should be held to careful scientific reasoning when they develop exclusion criteria that are based on sexual orientation."

While yes another area where gays and lesbians are being overlooked, I think it speaks to another important audience we should begin engaging in greater conversations. While gays and lesbians are at a more basic level male and female human beings, there are obvious differences between heterosexuals and homosexuals -- differences which could have positive or negative effects in forthcoming medicine. What do you think?

Keep talking to your doctors, pharmacists and other medical professionals about your unique needs as an LGBT individual. A collective voice can continue making great strides in our changing healthcare landscape for gays and lesbians.

Sinnkrise of a European - Transnational LGBT Communications

This is only my second blog entry and already I encounter a “Sinnkrise,” something that is best described as “crisis of meaning” or “crisis of identity.” As you know my goal here was to add more of a European perspective to the blog, showing similarities and differences between the U.S. and European LGBT communications. Now I find myself trapped in the definition of “European.” Can a German actually be speaking on behalf of Europe or would it even be arrogant to pretend just that? After all, most Europeans love to think in stereotypes about their neighbors; Germans are free of humor but efficient, French are dingy but have great food, and Italians are lazy but are great lovers… the list is endless.

While thinking about this dilemma it came to my mind that despite this general pattern maybe there is something like a Pan-European LGBT community. This would be a community which is more or less free from living along the lines of stereotypes. It would face similar challenges in the various countries and share a common set of values.

I know it’s only March and it seems a little early to talk about Pride already. But in this context, there is hardly anything better to symbolize the unity of the European LGBT community. Orgullo, the Spanish Pride in Madrid, is something I enjoy every year and the same holds true for Pride in London.  At the same time, I haven’t been to Pride in any other German city other than Frankfurt so far. Not even to Cologne and that one is huge. I feel equally connected to the people no matter which country, be it the U.K., Spain or Germany.

This feeling of mutual acceptance was institutionalized in 1992, when the EuroPride was established in London. It was thought of as a platform for the LGBT community to exchange and discuss ideas and visions. Moreover, it was a great instrument to give those members of the LGBT community a voice in whose countries they didn’t enjoy their lives as they pleased to. Thus, the EuroPride was even more a platform to communicate universal beliefs and human rights than the national prides could ever be.

This year will actually be a special year for the EuroPride. The voice of equal and human rights will not come from a place with a long LGBT tradition. This year the voice will move to a place where the LGBT community still suffers from repression by society and politics – Warsaw, Poland.  It’s a brave move to hold EuroPride in a city where in previous years, the then mayor and now president of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, tried to outlaw Pride and ordered police to break up the march. It was only with the help of foreign visitors and international media that the Polish Equality Foundation, which runs Warsaw Pride, was able to succeed in putting on a Pride event each year despite the pressure.

So EuroPride 2010 has the potential to achieve three things:

- Be a signal to East Europe that LGBT rights are human rights. Create a deeper understanding and ease communication between the local LGBT communities and society.

- Create further awareness in Western European countries for the challenges LGBT communities still encounter in East Europe.

-  Most importantly, it will help to form a truly European voice that is heard and understood across the continent.

Coming back to my Sinnkrise and the question if there is something like a European LGBT community, I’m still a little concerned whether or not I’ll be able to live up to my own goals. On the one hand there are still so many differences in how LGBT communities are accepted across Europe. Think of Spain, U.K. and the Netherlands with equal marriage and then think of Poland and Russia on the other hand where it’s dangerous to hold hands in public. Given those very different backgrounds, a very different communications approach is essential and needed.

On the other hand, I was reminded of one of my favorite blog entries on Out Front by Ben Finzel, Say What? - Eight Words and Phrases to Avoid in LGBT Communications. It speaks of the universal taboos when communicating with the LGBT community. These eight phrases and words are true for West and East Europe and build the common grounds for a unified European LGBT communication, no matter where you are. The message is the same. It is just the way to get across that is different.

What do you think? Is there something like a European or even global approach to LGBT communications? Or is it more useful to go country by country, society by society?

Finally, Just Another Number

This weekend, the BF and I got our U.S. Census paperwork. We've each individually filled these out in years prior, but this was the first time we would fill one out together as part of the same "household."

To many, the Census form is just another piece of bureaucratic paperwork. To me, the 2010 Census represents a milestone. For the first time, the census will publish data on same-sex spouses who self-identify as married on their census forms.

You see, in years past, this level of data was both not captured accurately and not encouraged. According to reports, census officials added a category for “unmarried partner” to the questionnaire in 1990, but same-sex couples who identified as “husband” or “wife” were counted as opposite-sex married couples, as if one partner had erred in reporting his or her gender.

In 2000, Bush cited the Defense of Marriage Act and directed the Census Bureau to re-code same-sex couples who reported they were married as unmarried same-sex partners. The Obama administration has reversed that policy, allowing same-sex couples to count as married. In 2012, the bureau will use the raw relationship data from the 2010 census to publish reports on the characteristics and demographics of both unmarried and married same-sex couples.

And the U.S. Census team is making sure that the LGBT community recognizes this opportunity by advertising in LGBT publications and hosting town hall meetings.

Now I said this is a milestone, but certainly it's a small one. 45 states do not recognize same-sex marriage, but at least we count as numbers. And, the government is making sure our numbers count by marketing the Census directly to our community. It's that level of acknowledgment that can start to add up.

And while we didn't check the husband box, we did check the unmarried partner category. And that felt good.

Have a great week.

 

Gay, the European Way

I know Spring isn't scheduled to arrive until this weekend, but I have to tell you-- it's beautiful here in Cleveland right now! Sunny, almost 60 degrees-- what a way to prematurely start the weekend!

Now I know the past couple of postings I have focused on the tourism industry and LGBT marketing. Perhaps it stems from my desire to go on vacation somewhere. Regardless, I keep seeing LGBT marketing progress coming from this sector, and now, my interest is captured by some great LGBT travel products from across the pond.

London is a city I have always wanted to visit, yet never had the opportunity to do so. And apparently, they want me to come! The "tourism chiefs" in London have launched a "Gay London" iPhone application, which provides listings of bars, restaurants, hotels and attractions. Additionally, it also features a blog (unfortunately, not ours) which promises to be continuously updated with LGBT news and events for visitors to London.

In the Czech Republic, ESO Travel has released a "Pink Go" brochure, which boasts gay-friendly hotels, crusies, and LGBT-only accommodations from around the globe. But, no such hotels or houses are listed for Czech itself. According to teh CEO of the travel company, "there are no hotels or guest houses in the Czech Republic that were ready to clearly declare their gay friendliness or approach to this minority. So I think that this project may inspire other service providers within the Czech Republic and we think that definitely in the next brochure we will be able to include some wellness facilities that will be willing to label themselves a gay-friendly destination.”  

First NYC, then Houston, off to Atlantic City and Philly, now London and the rest of Europe. The tourism industry has established how trendy it is to be "LGBT friendly." You can market to us, but you need to give us discounts as well. And, even more effective, make sure you have a presence within the local LGBT community, and not just focused on those visiting your humble abodes.

Have a good weekend all. My forecast calls for shopping, sleeping, and perhaps sunning. You choose the order. 

Generation Hope

When I joined the Out Front Blog a year and a half ago, the debate on gay marriage was growing and my colleagues and I took appropriate opportunities to review the communications of both sides. During that same time too, I made it a point to look also to our future and made an impassioned commitment to cover LGBT youth and students, as they are our future Out Front communicators and leaders.

I am happy today to be covering a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education that showed freshman college students who chose the politically "far right" label are much more supportive of same-sex marriage than than the conservative Republican base nationwide. The following results come from the University of California at Los Angeles' Higher Education Research Institute:

• 24 percent of the most conservative college students support same-sex marriage, as opposed to only 14 percent of conservative Republicans who feel the same (this finding is from the 2009 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life's study)
• Support is growing. 65 percent of college freshmen last fall supported same-sex nuptials, up from 56 percent in 2000
• Support grows during college, too. In the 2004 study, 57 percent of students entering college supported same-sex marriage and grew to 69 percent in support by graduation
• Since the study's origin in 1997, support for gay marriage has risen 21 points among liberal students, 16 percent among moderates and 2 percent for those on the far right
• 72 percent of women and 57 percent of men entering college support same-sex marriage, compared with 43 percent of women and 34 percent of men nationally (Pew study)
• 69 percent of Hispanic, 65 percent of white and 53 percent of black freshmen support marriage equality, with lower numbers in that same order nationally (Pew study)
• At least 87 percent of Jews, Buddhists or those students not subscribing to any religion favor marriage equality, followed by 66 percent of Catholic college freshmen and 58 percent of Muslims. Most Protestant students of varying denominations fell between 50-75 percent. Nationally, 27 percent of Protestants and 45 percent of Catholics support legal marriage equality

This study is good news, as agreed by Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, who stated in the article, " Young people who know gay people, talk with them, and examine why marriage matters in the lives of real people move in support." It's something I've seen manifested in my own experiences time and time again -- whether at home, work or community organizations. That's why we're continually reminding our readers to repeatedly share their life with any and everyone -- it's this communication that brings about change.

This article, though, should not signal LGBT communicators and individuals to kick up their heels. As the balanced article shares, Glenn Stanton, director of family formation studies at Focus on the Family said, "Young people tend to be more liberal or progressive. It's a softer kind of conviction, not well formed or articulated in their minds."

If Stanton's belief is true, which it may be in part, this is a signal that while communicating for equality now is essential, so is sharing factual and powerful information with the next generation of allies and LGBT individuals in college. Our message should be direct, transparent and accompanied with real accounts of same-sex marriages -- those that last, those that were taken away, and those that can't.

Call them Millennials, Generation Y or whatever. I call them Generation Hope.

What are your thoughts on this study?

Mount Everest...Gay Haven?

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I have to give a small shout-out to fellow blogger, Erin Grohs, who raised more than $2,500 by shaving her head for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds for childhood cancer research and was founded on this glorious day. I can also report that she looks like a rock star bald.

Last week, Michael Murphy blogged about cities around the U.S. joining New York in attempts to attract LGBT dollars. Well, I’d like to throw an entire country into the mix. The nation of Nepal is hoping that a new marketing push to the world’s LGBT community will double the number of tourists to the poverty stricken yet majestically beautiful country by next year. Only a few years ago in the historically conservative Hindu nation, gay and transgendered persons were publically harassed, beaten and sometimes raped, while homosexuality in rural locations was completely ignored as tradition forced people into arranged marriages at an early age.

What completely fills me with joy is that Nepal seems to really understand that to attract the LGBT community, it needs to have actual substance in the message they send to the world. Since the ending of the last monarchy in 2008 when it became the world’s newest republic, Nepal has elected its first openly gay parliamentarian, Sunil Pant; created a weekly TV show called “Third Gender;” begun issuing third gender identity cards in addition to offering a third gender option on government forms, including an upcoming census; and a soon to be formed constitution will include extensively outlined rights to the gay community, potentially even marriage.

According to Aditya Baral, a representative from the Nepal Tourism Board, the shift in the nation is both a reflection of the changing sentiment in acceptance among people and a true understanding that targeting the multi-billion dollar gay tourism industry is just good business. He says Napal realizes that luring gay tourists will be far more lucrative than the backpackers who stay in cheap hotels and travel on shoestring budgets.  Parliamentarian Pant, who also owns the Pink Mountain tourism company, wants to offer the world’s highest gay weddings at the base camp of Mount Everest and turn the nation into a south Asian haven for gay tourism as its neighboring countries are still not gay-friendly destinations.

I congratulate Nepal on its successes for gay rights and hope it sees many more towards its tourism goals so the rest of the world may take notice at what can happen when a country defies tradition and the “it’s always been that way” attitude and does what’s right. So until then, if you are planning a wedding, honeymoon or exotic vacation, why not try Nepal?

Gays Go Bragh

While I can't say I missed the cold rain that hit Chicago this past Saturday as I basked in 80 degree tropical perfection on the coast of Puerto Rico, I did miss the wonderful St. Patrick's Day festivities Chicago is known for -- most importantly the dying of the Chicago River. It's not my favorite holiday, but has definitely grown on me since moving to Chicago three years ago.

Proud gay Irish New Yorkers might not share my sentiments though for their hometown and its festivities. From our friends at Queerty, I read today how The Ancient Order of Hibernians, the group that organizes New York City's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade down Fifth Avenue, will again prohibit gays and LGBT organizations from participating in the event. What follows in their blog post is a solid argument on how this event does and should have the right to admit or deny participants (including LGBT groups), just as gay pride parade organizers can, and instead suggests that this ignorant discrimination of many gay Irish individuals is an opportunity for education and communication. I agree with Queerty's approach and applaud them for their efforts to leverage communications to educate those people who are afraid, unfamiliar with or just prejudice to LGBT community and culture.

And that's just what Frank Cleary, chairman of Dublin Pride, did today, issuing the following statement via press release: "The exclusion of any groups from celebrating our national holiday abroad is deeply discriminatory and rooted in closed-mindedness; this is deeply un-Irish and something we cannot allow to happen in the name of an event that is about celebrating Ireland's rich cultural heritage, of which the LGBT community are a cornerstone here in Ireland."

So whether you're in New York or New Mexico, gay or straight, Irish or some other heritage, wearing green or asking to be pinched today, celebrate the Irish and your own cultural heritage today with pride. Meanwhile, remember that many diverse people form the patchwork story of each culture, including LGBT individuals, and talk about everyone's unique contributions. It's a day to be proud of who you are and the many different people who shaped your country's own story and culture.

And the Award Goes To...

Was it just me, or did anyone else forget about daylight savings? Color me surprised this weekend that we had to change our clocks so early this year. I figured that the hour I "lost" on Sunday was technically the hour I was supposed to use the treadmill, so it all worked out just fine :)

Speaking of Saturday night events, GLAAD (The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) held its 21st Annual Media Awards in New York, an event to recognize media outlets and personalities who elevate and promote fair, accurate and inclusive stories of LGBT issues, people and allies that have increased awareness, understanding and respect for the lives of LGBT people. Among this year's winners:

• Excellence in Media Award: Joy Behar. She went from sharing her View as one of five hosts to a nightly solo show on HLN. Ratings are slowly increasing, perhaps due to Behar's use of the platform to talk about issues important to the LGBT community.
• Vito Russo Award: Cynthia Nixon. This award is presented to a LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for our community. Throughout the past year, Nixon has used her celebrity status to be a vocal supporter for marriage equality. I hope she uses the May promotional blitz around the upcoming Sex and the City sequel to put an even brighter spotlight on LGBT issues.
• Outstanding Drama Series: Brothers & Sisters. No surprise here. I have often blogged about how this show provides an accurate portrayal of a gay couple-- and does it on mainstream primetime TV. I still root for Kevin & Scotty every Sunday night.

Check out the full list of winners here. I applaud GLAAD for continuously recognizing those members of our community and our allies who use their high profiles to talk about important issues. What do you think about this year's recipients? Anyone you would add to the list?

Have a great week.

(Photo: 2010 Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)

My Gay [INSERT CITY HERE]

Happy Friday to all! Writing this in-flight back from NYC, where I had the opportunity to attend the 2010 PRWeek Awards. Was great to see some LGBT-focused campaigns being recognized, and kudos to all the winners.

I recently blogged about the tourism plans for NYC to attract the LGBT dollar. Well, it seems that this marketing strategy is not limited to the Big Apple. In light of last year's election of the first openly gay mayor Annise Parker, the city of Houston has re-vamped its tourismand marketing campaign to attract gay and lesbian tourists to the fourth largest city in the U.S. “My Gay Houston” features gay Houstonians in print advertisements and on the newly re-vamped Web site. While the local CVB insists that the timing of the re-launch of the LGBT campaign was coincidental, the city clearly benefited from the national exposure on the LGBT media radar.

Houston, like most major cities, face a tough road to attract the LGBT dollar. According to media articles, Texas ranks relatively low for gay rights-- including a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Additionally, protestors have started to focus on the campaign-- one rural pastor tried to boycott the city, and other Web sites have committed to not patronizing Houston businesses as a result of the LGBT outreach.

On the East Coast, Atlantic City is also trying to cash in on the LGBT tourism dollar. Harrah's has led the way locally with a weekend of gay-targeted entertainment events, and other properties are making a concerted effort to target the gay audience. Philadelphia is also trying to live up to it's "Brotherly Love" motto by targeting the LGBT audience to the city of cheesesteaks and liberty bells.

So why all of the attention? Part of me thinks it is because of the economy and the need to chase the remaining dollars that are left. The other part hopes that companies, and cities for that matter, recognize that the LGBT audience is one that is both influencial and affluencial, and represents the best opportunity to expand a brand in today's marketplace.

The one small part of me wishes that I could visit Houston and check out if it could be "My Gay Houston."

Have a great weekend.

(Photo: Houston Mayor Annise Parker)

Technology: Bullying’s Latest Frontier

According to a new study by Iowa State University researchers, one out of every two LGBT and allied adolescents are regular victims of cyberbullying, a form of harassment happening via Web sites, chat rooms, e-mail, cell phones and instant messaging. The study surveyed 444 youth, ages 11 to 22, including 350 self-identified LGBT subjects, as well as nearly 100 straight allies. More than 50 percent of non-heterosexual respondents reported being cyberbullied 30 days prior to the survey either about their sexual identifies or because they identify or are friends with LGBT peers. Among the LGBT respondents, in response to said bullying:

• 45 percent report feeling depressed
• 38 percent report feeling embarrassed
• 28 percent report feeling anxious about simply going to school
• One in four report having suicidal thoughts (Less than two months ago, a Massachusetts teen committed suicide in a case that has been linked to cyberbullying)

We’ve previously discussed the numerous challenges facing LGBT youth, including homelessness, violence, sexual abuse, and very often verbal harassment at school. Back when I was a geeky little tween, bullying was almost always verbal and most often done via folded-up note or overheard from a gaggle of girls outside a classroom. Today’s elementary to high school age kids now have cell phones, e-mail accounts, Facebook, MySpace, Tumblr, YouTube and Twitter, not to mention the terrifying Formspring.Me, a social media site allowing users to ask each other anonymous questions. Formspring.Me is already under fire for opening the door to harassment; less than three months after the site was launched, it helped start a near-riot at a Pennsylvania school.

So what to do? The effects of bullying can last for years, often with devastating emotional consequences. According to this article, these virtual assaults, be it embarrassing photos or spreading nasty rumors or private information, can be especially upsetting because “victims feel they have nowhere to turn.” According to survey respondents, 40 percent said their parents wouldn’t believe them if told, and ironically, more than half felt that their parents might restrict their Internet and phone access, which is particularly troublesome for LGBT youth, as it can often be their only connection to LGBT peers and allies. One of the study’s researchers, Warren Blumenfeld, states that “technology is often the ‘lifeline to the outside world’ for many young LGBT students who have been ostracized by their peers at school.”

One in four survey respondents said they needed to learn how to handle the problems themselves, but an overwhelming number (80 percent!) of those surveyed stated that peers should step in and do more to stop the attacks. Allies – this is where we can play a tremendous part. Act as positive role models to stem these types of bullying – don’t engage, rather help to educate others about LGBT youth and the struggles LGBT classmates face, and ways we can all help. 

As Blumendfeld states, “bullying can’t be seen as something that happens between an attacker and a victim, but must be looked at within the context of the community.” In the school community, teachers and administrators have unique opportunities to openly discuss the harmful effects of harassment, and can enact policies that prevent and punish bullying, both on and offline. In the online community, social networking sites need to establish more stringent rules and guidelines for its under-18 users, including account deactivations for repeated offenses, in order to demonstrate that cyberbullying will not be tolerated.

Gay Dollars at Work

This week has been a busy one for LGBT news, with Sean Hayes giving his first interview to The Advocate, anti-gay California Senator Roy Ashburn admitting that he is gay, this atrocity in Virginia and this atrocity in Colorado. But most importantly, yesterday the first gay and lesbian weddings began in our nation’s capital (hooray!)

While I don’t want to take away from the fact that this is a huge leap forward for equal rights in our nation, I do want to take a step back as an LGBT communicator and look at what I feel are the two most important, irrefutable and practical implications of this issue – job creation and tourism dollars.  Much as the case was in Iowa, same-sex marriage in the District isn’t just great news for thousands of couples across the East Coast - it’s great news for a struggling economy and a region that boasts one of the worst unemployment rates in the nation.

The Washington Post reports that a study conducted by The Williams Institute, a non-profit research center at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, determined that over a three-year period in Washington D.C., same-sex marriage would:

• Create 700 new wedding-related jobs
• Contribute $52.2 million to the local economy
• Generate $4.8 million in new sales tax dollars, $3.8 of which would come from out-of-state residents.

What’s more is that Forbes magazine estimates that if same-sex marriage was legalized across the entire nation, it would generate $16.8 BILLION for the economy. Let me repeat that - $16.8 BILLION. Surely this is the point where progressivism and practicality intersect, because in a time where jobs are scarce, tax revenues are at new lows and disposable income is nearly non-existent, how could anyone, regardless of personal feelings on same-sex marriage, blatantly refuse $16.8 billion?

In a perfect world, LGBT communicators could keep the argument for same-sex marriage where, in my opinion, it ought to be - centered on equality and civil rights, but perhaps the fiscal implications will resonate with the greater public.

For now, I just want to say congratulations to the couples married in D.C. yesterday and today and wish them a lifetime of love and happiness, and thank them for putting their gay dollars to work.

A Healthy Outlook

Happy Monday. I know I promised a post-Oscar analysis today, but I am so depressed about the show itself that I can't even begin to put my thoughts on electronic paper. This was a career first for me-- going to bed before it was even over. It was a predictable snooze fest, though I did enjoy seeing all of those 1980s icons dragged out of the closet for a random tribute to John Hughes.

Before he jetted off to vacation bliss, Bryan shared an interesting blog post which made me smile that Ohio smile. Ohio State football is a religion here in Ohio...in fact in the Midwest. Weekend games are apparently an event not to be missed. If I followed organized athletics, I am sure I'd be all up in that Buckeye grill.

So the coach of the team gave a recent interview to our local LGBT outlet Outlook. Described in the piece as a conservative Christian and Bush supporter, Coach Jim Tressel was asked about how he would handle a situation where one of his players came out to him. To quote:

"We strive to teach and model appreciation for everyone. One, we are a family. If you haven't learned form your family at home that people have differences and those strengthen the whole, then you are hopefully going to learn it as a part of the Ohio State football family.

Two, every part of our team is important and every role has value - no job is too small and no person is irrelevant - that's a great lesson that transcends society. When I think of the diversity on our team the past few years, it goes way beyond just a racial, sexual or ethnic mix...Whatever a young man feels called to express, I hope we will help him do it in a supportive environment."

Wow. Kudos to Ohio State University for participating in this media opportunity for two reasons. One, it's a smart, and progressive, recruiting strategy to target LGBT athletes by engaging in a space that they know and trust. Two, according to the outlet, it's the first time a coach of a Division 1 football team has been interviewed in the LGBT space.

I'm certain that the Coach, and the school, will receive some negative pushback both internally and externally for participating in the interview and for being so open and inclusive of athletes. However, I think this article does more good than harm, and I applaud the University and its media relations team for recognizing a valuable marketing strategy when they see one.

What do you think about the article? Would you be more likely to go to a game knowing that the coach was an honorary member of "the team"?

Have a good week. 

25 Years Ago

Festive Friday greetings to all. I was going to use this space today to provide my Oscar picks (I'm going to go with a post-game analysis on Monday instead), but a colleague shared a news release with me this week that deserves blog attention.

One of our clients, Abbott Diagnostics, is celebrating an incredible milestone-- the 25th anniversary of the marketing clearance for the first HIV test. On March 2 1985, the FDA approved the first-ever diagnostic test to screen blood donors for antibodies to HIV. The first test to screen donors took nine months to develop, and once it was approved, was immediately adopted by the American Red Cross and other blood organizations.  

How has the HIV landscape changed during the past 25 years? Some fast facts:

• The CDC estimates that there are 56,000 new cases of HIV annually in the U.S., down from an estimated peak of 130,000 new annual cases in the mid-1980s.
• In 2008, UNAIDS estimated that 2.7 million people throughout the world are newly infected with HIV each year, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Women account for 50 percent of adults living with HIV globally.

While we don't have a cure, just think how drastic our lives would have changed if we didn't have a way to detect HIV. In some circles, there is still a fear to get tested for HIV because of what the outcome might be. I remember when I went to get my first HIV test. As a newly out gay man, I felt that I needed to make sure that I was being safe. The mindset I had walking into the health center doors was paralyzing. What would the outcome be? How could this one test change my life? I felt as if everyone was staring at me, judging me for just walking through the doors.

While I was relieved that the test came back negative, I was even more relieved to see the complete circle of trust and empathy that comes from healthcare workers and counselors who test individuals on a daily basis. Those are the heroes-- providing a shoulder to cry on when the news isn't what you expect, and the resources to help you live your life as fully as possible.

Thank you Abbott for putting the science and technology in place to help us detect this epidemic. And thank you to the thousands of healthcare workers, counselors, social workers and organizations that are on the front lines every day fighting the battle to end AIDS.

  

 

The Gay Male Online: A Study

Just the other day my friend and I were talking about how gay men seem to first on trends, specifically on Facebook. As an example, she was talking about how she got invited to join the "Betty White to Host SNL (please?)!"group (now nearing half a million members) and noticed that all her gay guy friends were already on board. Could it be that gay men spot -- or better yet, create -- the newest trends or was it a condition of gays being extremely addicted to updating, friending and poking throughout the day?

Enter upcoming digital site Fabulis' new study, The Online Gay Male in 2010. Started this year, fabulis.com is another digital network -- though this one is customized for gay men and events of interested next door or around the world. Last week, the site surveyed it's e-mail list and Facebook fan page, garnering more than 1,400 participants. Respondents ranged in age, with 75 percent being between 18 and 45 (54 percent were between 18 and 35), as well as location. More than 600 cities in more than 25 countries are represented in the results. While findings are slightly skewed given the non-random sample and sourcing of its survey pool, the study does shed some light into today's Googling, Grindr-ing gay.

Some of the survey's highlights include:

• Smart phones are a hit with the gays. Nearly 40 percent own an iPhone, while 65 percent use an iPhone, Blackberry or Android devices.
• More than 90 percent use Facebook at least weekly, with 53 percent claiming to be addicted to the site.
• Twenty percent claimed to use Grindr at least monthly and ManHunt at least weekly, both gay hook-up sites.
• More than 60 percent have never used Trip Advisor, Gowalla, Gay Romeo, HereTV, Yelp, Foursquare, or Gaydar
• Facebook (90%) and iPhone (60%) offered the highest media satisfaction to gays.MySpace (does anyone still use that?) had more than 50 percent dissatisfaction.
• No single source for gay news stood for gay men, besides Facebook. More than 50 percent of respondents had never heard of our fellow gay blogs, Queerty or Towleroad.
• More than 90 percent of gay men are interested in social network or location-based mobile network specifically for gay men
• Gay men are looking for more sources and sites for discovering place to go, people to meet, places to buy unique gifts, gay travel locations -- not hook up services.

So what does this mean for communicators? Well, obviously gay men are looking for tailored messages on social and mobile networks, specifically those that cater directly to their demographic. They're tired of having to sift through countless marketing and sales pitches for the general consumer -- and our ready for some direct marketing that speaks their language through their mediums.

Are your messages connected and targeted? Or what strategies have you seen work for reaching today's gay male? Leave your comments below...or you could send me a note on Facebook.

Take Two...or 400 on Gays and Love

I regularly review campaigns and ads on the Out Front Blog and am a strong advocate for equal and accurate portrayal of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered individuals. We're a diverse community who must be out front and honest about our love, our lives and our presence in the daily lives of our allies and opponents.

When I saw Valentine's Day the day it came out with my girls, I too had slight concern it was just going to be two hours of 5-minute appearances by big name stars. And while there were a few moments like that, I loved the movie. While definitely not at the exact same caliber as all-time favorite Love Actually, it was a similar collection of multiple story lines that are interconnected with some big twists and surprises. And yes, one of them is a gay relationship. Another is Julia Robert's relationship and reason for returning home.

Is the gay relationship highlighted in marketing or previews? No. Is it portrayed that Julia Roberts' and Bradley Coopers' characters are together or will be? Yes. There are other suggested relationships in the previews and marketing that don't necessarily end as expected.

Now, as Michael noted, there are those bloggers and activists upset at this lack of inclusion and accuse marketers of discrimination or de-gayifying the movie. However, I would like to provide a second opinion. First, understand that I will continually advocate for the LGBT community to be out front and assert their rights as human beings. However, just as sometimes the best form of communication is blogs and social media and other times it's interpersonal interaction, I feel Valentine's Day the movie plays an important part in opening the eyes of the American public in a subtle way.

The gasp was audible in the theatre both times I saw the movie when a character very publicly comes out and then when his partner is revealed. Both moments in the movie totally take you by surprise -- for two characters you've come to know and love and see as "normal" come out.  (I use normal in quotation marks because most Americans automatically assumes an individual is straight until told otherwise, but really what is normal...ah, another blog post).

Now no one in the theatre walked out at these points each time I saw the show. Yet, I know from personal experience, that had there been obvious marketing of this gay relationship, certain friends and family would not even consider seeing the movie. Even if it was a shoo in for Best Picture this next Sunday.

Instead, some of them may have seen the film and realized that a person in their life, someone they work with or the stranger who made their day, is a fellow human being...who happens to be gay. To me the movie showcased how many times gays and lesbians can't experience the typical love and romance taken for granted by their straight counterparts. And in moments of bravery and courage (and sacrifice), they will put themselves out there and people come to realize that the person -- the fellow human being -- they know and love and are in community with just happens to be gay.

Poor marketing or strategic marketing? It's definitely not clear cut but worth considering all viewpoints. In any event, continue being out front with your love and life.

And on that note, two quick other takes on gay love and communications.

• In this day and age of flash mobs and major demonstrations by many people, same-sex couples are looking to make a statement on March 20 in Washington D.C. with the largest wedding. Going for a Guinness World Record, up to 400 gay couples will converge on the nation's capital to make a statement (to each other and the country) as well as celebrate the legalization of same-sex marriage in the nation's capital that begins today.
• Gays and lesbians are also getting a chance at great love and a stellar wedding with Crate and Barrel's Ultimate Wedding competition. We've received e-mails here on the blog from couples in the running. We applaud them for their commitment, as well as Crate and Barrel's to the LGBT community.

An Amazing Race/Marketing Missing a Face

Happy Monday, all. Not sure about you, but I spent the weekend shoveling, followed by retail therapy, followed by more shoveling. Methinks I need to move to a warmer climate ASAP. Speaking of shoveling, could the actual shovels themselves BE more bland? At least they could kick up the design a bit because when you shovel, all you do is stare at the ground.

Anywho...I've promised to give regular updates on the Gay Games here in Cleveland. Today, I'll focus on the next Gay Games, which are being held in Cologne in July-August 2010. One week ago, the official countdown to Cologne kicked off with the "International Memorial Rainbow Run," a celebration of previous Gay Games host cities which commemorates the historic journey of the Gay Games movement. The Run started at the birthplace of the Gay Games--San Francisco-- where about 50 people braved a cold rain Sunday to attend the run's inaugural leg, including openly gay California State Senator Mark Leno and Gay Games founder Dr. Tom Waddell's wife Sara Waddell Lewinstein and daughter Jessica Waddell Lewinstein.

New York activist Brent Nicholson Earle (pictured) carried a rainbow flag on a symbolic run from the AIDS Memorial Grove located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park to Kezar Stadium, home of the first Gay Games in 1982. At the event, FGG Co-presidents Kurt Dahl and Emy Ritt remarked that the International Memorial Rainbow Run not only launches the Games, but "reminds us of the relevance of our movement in a world that still makes it difficult to compete and be openly gay or lesbian."

Next stop for the Run is Sydney, where the event will be held in conjunction with the city's giant Gay Mardi Gras Parade. Sydney's gay & lesbian running club the Frontrunners will carry the flag in the parade.

These events are not only great reminders of the FGG movement, but also a powerful marketing tool to get athletes registered for the upcoming Games. Right now, Cologne has about 5,500 registered participants-- the hope is to double that by Opening Ceremonies on July 31. We're not scheduled to get the Run here in Cleveland, but I know that the team is working hard to generate interest here to participate in Germany.

Now, for an awkward transition-- did anyone go see the movie Valentine's Day? I didn't -- the reviews were awful-- but apparently there is a gay storyline in the film, and Web sites and bloggers are pretty outraged that this has been left out of all marketing/promotions. Have to admit, I would have not known there was a gay couple featured in this film. I too was misled to think that Bradley Cooper was with Julia Roberts, just based on the preview alone. 

The gay storyline isn't the only one being slighted-- Shirley MacLaine is also fuming that she and her co-star Hector Elizondo are left out of the poster for the film, calling it "age discrimination."

Now granted, a movie can't be all things to all people, and that it has to be challenging to capture so many plotlines in a 30-second preview, but this goes back to marketing 101-- create specific marketing plans to target each potential audience. Especially when your film is getting some of the worst reviews this year.

What do you think about this marketing pushback?  

Enjoy the week.

What the Forbes?!?

Happy Friday from yet another blizzard in Northeast Ohio. Seriously, everytime I wake up now, we have another foot of snow. How I wish I was a kid again so that I could spend the day with mac & cheese and "Days of Our Lives."

Ok-- so you know that I write you every week from Cleveland. And that I am proud to call Cleveland home. Imagine my suprise to find out that Forbes.com has named Cleveland "America's Most Miserable City." We earned this reputation from apparently ranking high for taxes (both sales and income), commute times, violent crime and how our pro sports teams have fared over the past two years. According to Forbes, "Cleveland nabbed the top spot as a result of poor ratings across the board. It was the only city that fell in the bottom half of the rankings in all nine categories. Many residents are heading for greener pastures. There has been a net migration out of the Cleveland metro area of 71,000 people over the past five years. Population for the city itself has been on a steady decline and is now less than half of it what it was 50 years ago. Cleveland ranked near the bottom when looking at corruption. Northern Ohio has seen 309 public officials convicted of crimes over the past 10 years according to the Justice Department. A current FBI investigation of public officials in Cuyahoga County (where Cleveland is located) has ensnared more than two dozen government employees and businessmen on charges including bribery, fraud and tax evasion."

I'd like to now use a phrase coined in my family by my uncle Jimmy-- "back that up, Wal-Mart driver." I can look at the LGBT community to see how Cleveland is far from miserable. In fact, the LGBT community is doing a great deal to market Cleveland and attract the global community here to our home. Just a few examples:

• Gay Games 2014-- we beat out DC and Boston to host the next Gay Games. And to win this, we had a site selection committee come to Cleveland to scope out the scene. Now, if we were so miserable, would we have won? Even more, would one of the site selection committee members decide to buy a home here in Cleveland if it was such a miserable town?
• Speaking of the Gay Games, the Cleveland Synergy Foundation is organizing an annual LGBT/S sporting festival leading up to 2014. We already have interest from all parts of the country to come to Cleveland to participate in this event. Miserable, I scoff at your name.
•  Want movies? We have an LGBT Film Series as part of the Cleveland International Film Festival, one of the largest film festivals in the country.
• We've got a great Pride Festival, where thousands from around the country come out to celebrate LGBT Northeast Ohio.  

To echo how "not miserable" Cleveland is, the local convention and visitors bureau has set up a web site, WhatTheForbes.com, to let us locals push back on Forbes and tell the world why we're the rock and roll capital of the world. It's a great social media tool to make sure our voice is heard. I'd like the bureau to go one step further and really capitalize on all of the positive LGBT developments here in the state and market the region to attract the LGBT dollar. If NYC can do it, so can we.

Was your city on the Forbes list? Have you been to Cleveland and do you agree? Be careful what you say...I'm a pretty miserable person and it might damage me even further... :)