Just in time for Christmas, the Human Rights Campaign is out with the 2010 Buyer’s Guide. You know, the little pamphlet (PDF?) that lets you choose queer-friendly companies to spend your cash with, while avoiding others that, based on HRC’s criteria, are profiting on inequality. Not that much has changed from last year … but let’s take a look at the usual suspects.
When increasing your carbon footpring, BP and Chevron are better options than ExxonMobil or Hess. Looking to score Bennett Madison’s maybe-homophobic teen book? Go with Barnes & Noble or Borders, but not Wal-Mart. And while new diamond engagement rings from Tiffany & Co. might be tempting, you’ll have to stick with TJ Maxx’s jewelry counter if you want to rack up gay points.
And not that we’re accusing HRC of any bias, but these reports are always worth noting for who’s behind them. While HRC independently verifies the criteria of its reports, it proudly lists as sponsors on the Buyer’s Guide’s back page companies like Bank of America, Chevron, Nike, Toyota’s Lexus, and Citigroup — which all scored 100 percent on HRC’s charts. To be fair, the guide highlights each of these underwriting sponsors throughout the Buyer’s Guide. Which might be an effort at discretion, or a way to show competitors how they, too, can receive bold treatment from HRC.
terrwill
God knows these companies get enough shit from the FRC and the rest of the rightwing-nutbag zealot orgs who can send out a mass email in seconds in which the lemmings simply forward the hate filled e-mail demanding the company immediatley cease any support of the Gays, promising they will never spend another red cent for that companies products or services……..If you are making a purchase and you have a choice between a company on the list and one not on it why the hell would you not support the company that sticks its neck out to support the Gays?????
StopHRC.com
Join oure movement to challenge HRC to be more rooted in social justice. Enough is enough – no more corporate controlled gay rights movement. So much blood is shed because of these companies practices – from diamond trade to oil industry to bad home loans.
chris
I find this post rather ridiculous. Run over folks to one of the anti gay hate groups and you will see they have no sponsors listed on their websites…maybe a link to High Colon Blow or some weird product. Knowing that, and their support of our causes…
WHY THE HELL DOES THIS ARTICLE ACT AS IF IT IS A BAD THING THAT WE /THE GLBT CONSUMER, SUPPORTS THESE FORWARD THINKING COMPANIES.
I am thankful for their support. I am thankful for the work HRC is doing with their money. I am thankful they are on the list and YES, I will support them.
(deleting my RSS feed to Queerty..tired of some of your lame posts.)
Brian
HRC is a complete waste of money. No, wait, the stickers-so-we-can-cruise-on-the-highway are cool. Well, useful.
Brian
Chris = Joe Solmonese
Hi, Joe. How’s the $400,000 per year salary and the $100,000 expense account? How are ENDA, DADT and DOMA doing?
Keith Kimmel
HRC’s ratings have long been worthless. Even moreso than the Better Business Bureau. I have been debating creating an alternative here, even if only on a statewide level.
Mark
S T U P I D
When will we stop wasting our money on HRC? They have NO accomplishments after 28 years and $300 million.
Game over, Joe.
LarryPDX
Give me a break Queerty. Is your dislike of the HRC so strong that you need to vilify one of the best things the HRC does? I absolutely appreciate this annual guide and ensure I do not give my consumer dollars to anti-gay corporations. How can you spin this guide as a negative for the community?
And incidentally, in order to be a corporate sponsor you must maintain a minimum score on the equality index. Not the other way around. A bare bones investigation by Queerty would have discovered that the entire segment of your article implying a high equality index score is traded for sponsorship is completely inaccurate.
atypicalG
hmmm if a company is supporting an organization like the HRC, doesn’t it make sense that they would probably have pretty good support ratings regarding gays in general?
It is great to see some of the places that I support get good ratings, but I think it’s more important to use the buyer’s guide to *avoid* companies with dismal scores – a kind of boycott.
hyhybt
“Footpring?”
Mark
Who’s the snot that wrote this post? You’re suggesting that it’s foolish to support companies that give money to a gay rights organization?
I guess Queerty hires anybody.
And by the way, get a f-ing proofreader, will ya? “Footpring”? Idiot.