This year’s Gay Games in Chicago are shaping up to filled not only with headline acts – Andy Bell, Cindi Lauper, Margaret Cho, Megan Mullally – but some headline advertisers, as well. Both ESPN and Gatorade have signed on as official sponsors, joining the likes of Kraft and Walgreens in the face of plenty of right-wing groups calling for boycotts of these companies. (Keep in mind Kraft is owned by Altria, which owns Phillip Morris, which make Marlboro cigarettes. How many conservatives do you picture switching to Camel?)
We’ve been hammered with press releases from corporate sponsors of gay pride events for weeks now — Svedka vodka, for instance wants to make sure Queerty readers know drag queen empresaria Lady Bunny is Madame President in 2033, or at least she’ll play her on the Svedka float during NYC pride.
Do we get the warm and fuzzies when big companies embrace the GLBT community? Sure. Are we more likely to buy their products if they actively target our demographic? Most likely. Are we losing some of our gay pride purpose by letting corporations attach themselves to our community efforts? Probably.
Gay Games add sponsors [Chicago RedEye]
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
ugh
quit complaining about everything, queens.
Richard
As I’ve blogged about until I’m blue in the face, my concern with growing corporate sponsorship is that too many of us are mistaking it for growing acceptance. It’s diverting attention from a civil rights crisis. We’re confusing a focus on our wallets with love and respect.
Kevin
Involving more corporations in events like the Gay Games means more corporate “higher ups” are embracing the importance of the LGBT customer and diversity in the workforce. Having been on the frontlines of both civil rights and sponsorship development I can say with great confidence that the sponsorship element advances our cause in many, many ways – not just by funding the events and causes we support. There are dozens of examples just among the 300 Gay Games sponsors.
Ron
In today’s day and age, for better or worse, the corporate embrace is the quickest path to mainstream acceptance. Where corporations go, so eventually will government.
Kenneth
A gay blog misspelling Cyndi Lauper?
Judy Garland is turning in her grave …
Johnny
Right?!? Give the lady the respect she is due…isn’t knowing how to spell Cyndi Lauper required in getting your official gay card?
Sherri
I agree, Cyndi Lauper is certainly one of the best singers ever!!!
Mark
Next month I will be participating in my 5th Gay Games. I am rather amazed by the line up of sponsors for this event. Frankly it makes me proud to see that more and more companies are willing to stand up and put the name and money into the gay community. On a personal level, ev ery time I see another sponsor added I breath a little easier. First Amsterdam’s went broke on the first day of Games and only was saved by a grant from the city of Amsterdam. Then Sydney’s Games went broke three weeks before Games and was saved when six people put their homes up to guarentee a loan to save Games. Unfortunately they ended up losing their homes. So thanks you to the sponsors and on to the Games.
kizmet
I don’t know if it signals more acceptance or not, but the more big companies that put themselves out there as sponsors for gay related activities the better in my opinion. The fact that they would risk being boycotted by the AFA and other hate groups is significant. And the more mainstream companies show support, the faster middle America will accept that being gay is normal and not feel compelled to vote against gay marriage etc. Baby steps.
xanadu80
Don’t you mean ‘Judi’ Garland?
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