Support Companies/Brands That Support the LGBTQ+ Community

The holidays are officially upon us – yes, I know it is hard to believe – and for those celebrating Christmas, the days left in the shopping season will quickly dwindle away. Some of us may be cursing ourselves for not getting with the program sooner and others are still debating between the plethora of options out there. But we are going to try and reduce some of your holiday shopping headaches by giving you some suggestions about where you might consider spending your holiday dollars and in turn supporting companies that support the LGBTQ+ community. Here is a list of some companies and/or brands that we found went above and beyond, showing genuine, authentic support of the LGBTQ+ community through their outreach on pro-LGBTQ+ policies or practices, according to the 13^th Annual LGBTQ Community Survey (July 2019). So, whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or the Winter Solstice, take a moment to reflect on the year and the importance of LGBTQ+ dollars and where and how they are spent. And, while you are buying that gift for Aunt Mildred, participate in the year-end charitable giving season too.    

APPLE: How they support LGBTQ+ Equality: The company is constantly working to hire more diverse workers with half their new hires being from underrepresented groups. The company has been rated by HRC as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” for +15 consecutive years. The company uses their voice to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and freedom around the world and has partnered with major organizations on projects, such as GLSEN, PFLAG, The Trevor Project, and ILGA. Aside from that, they have some pretty fun gadgets to play with.

ATT: New phone, who dis? Running out of gift ideas, how about upgrade a current line, or the phone you have. ATT supports organizations and projects that strengthen the LGBTQ+ community, consistently ranks on the HRC “Best Places to Work” and established the oldest LGBT Employee Resource Group in the nation. ATT was also one of the first domestic partner benefits program adopters as well as one of the first U.S. corporations to offer Transgender-inclusive health care benefits.

DELTA: Gift a trip with Delta. The airline in partnership with EQUAL, Delta’s LGBTQ+ Business Resource Group, the company supported Pride events in Salt Lake City, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Seattle, London, Atlanta and New York – which also served this year as the first-ever U.S. host city for WorldPride. Ad Age took notice of the Delta/Virgin Atlantic double decker bus float and Virgin made headlines with a Pride Flight to EWR. Delta also participated in Paris Pride for the first time this year, in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, Air France and KLM. Delta believes that connecting the world means reflecting the world, and the LGBTQ+ community is made up of Delta employees and customers.

DISNEY: This year Disneyland Paris made history as the park introduced its very first official Pride Parade. Magical Pride was a celebration filled with rainbows and a Magical March of diversity. Mickey and Minnie even showed their support, sporting rainbow gear. With Paris leading the way for LGBTQ+ rights, many are hoping for the same here the U.S. Recently, Disney has also introduced gay characters, like in ‘Star Wars Resistance’ where producers have confirmed two of the characters are an openly gay couple. Disney also supported the LGBTQ+ community by donating 10% of proceeds to GLSEN, an organization working to establish a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQ students across the country.

GAP: Fall into the Gap and for the holidays. The Gap company actively supports LGBTQ+ rights and partners with organizations such as GLAAD for campaigns. “As a company with a nearly 50-year history of promoting equality for all, Gap Inc. kicked off Pride Month with opportunities for employees and customers to celebrate through Pride parades, colorful window displays and special product from the brands.” Aside from having an assortment of stylish clothing, they also frequently have great sales throughout the year. Visit their website and sign up for their newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out on deals they have.

HP INC: Give the gift of technology. HP Inc. operates with a Human Rights and Labor Policy to commit to fair treatment and HP Inc. was the first company to start an Employee Resource Group for LGBTQ+ employees. “HP Inc. innovation springs from a team of individuals, each collaborating and contributing their own perspectives, knowledge, and experience to advance the way the world works and lives. From our earliest days, we’ve recognized that capturing and drawing from diverse points of view improves our products and services — and our company as a whole.”

NIKE: How about the gift of new kicks and athletic apparel this holiday season? Nike makes this year’s gift giving list not only because they’ve received a 100% score from the Human Rights Campaign for the past 17 years, but also for donating $3.6 million toward LGBTQ+ causes. This year Nike unveiled their BETRUE collection which included the design of the original Pride Flag which had 8 colors. There is still a limited amount of this collection online.

STARBUCKS: Starbucks has been leading the way towards equality for over three decades. Dating back to 1988, the company offered full health benefits to eligible full- and part-time employees, including coverage for same-sex domestic partnerships. This year Starbucks teamed up with Lady Gaga for the Born this Way foundation stating they’d match up to $250,000 for the LGBTQ+ community. And that’s why Starbucks is the perfect spot to get gifts in advance or last minute. What says gift giving like the gift of coffee. That’s rhetorical.

TARGET: Quick, we need something to wear for Pride, where do we go? Target of course. You may have noticed that the store that has almost everything, also carries a great variety of Pride themed clothing and décor. Target supported GLSEN with a $100,000 donation to help their mission of creating safe and inclusive schools for all. In the past, the religious right wanted a Boycott on Target, due to the store’s support towards the LGBTQ+ lifestyle, that however backfired and sales increased. There is possibly a gift for anyone and everyone at ‘TarJay’.