Show Me the Money, Gays

Happy Birthday Red!!!

My youngest turns 18 today. Yes that makes me feel old. Here are both kids (not current - from a couple of years ago)

Scroll down to yesterday's post to see listings of Pride events. Happily, Central Alabama Pride finally has their permit for next weekend's parade.

CAP president Jonathan Quinn is still working to get rainbow flags or banners up in Five Points as in past years, and is working with merchants in the area. "They know what we do for the community and what business we bring and they appreciate our time and money."

The gay community's money is green, just like straight money. Years ago, when Pensacola was "wrestling" with hosting the big gay beach event on Memorial Day, the gay community made a point. A big one. With pink markers they drew triangles on their green money (never mind the color clash, this ain't fashion) so that business owners could see just how much gay money was being spent. Business leaders got the message, city leaders enjoyed the tax revenue, and the heat against the gay event died down.

CW says gays and lesbians would have more disposable income than other groups, since many of the group have no children. But there are other reasons as well.

The following comes from various sources, including : Selig Center (African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American Buying Power), U.S. Census estimates, and Witeck-Combs Communications and MarketResearch.com.

Gays are:

• More than twice as likely as the national index to be professionals or managers.


• 3.4 times more likely as the national index to have incomes over 250K.


• twice as likely to have graduated from college

And there are reasons for business people to cater to the GLBT community:

• 2000 census shows that partnered gays and lesbians live in over 99% of U. S. counties


• 9% 0f urban populations are gay


• Gay men and lesbians go out more, buy more, have more disposable income and are extremely loyal consumers


• Gay and lesbian consumers purchase from companies/brands that advertise in gay media, deliver product messages in gay-specific advertising, support gay and lesbian community causes and are good to their own gay and lesbian employees


• 60 percent took a foreign trip in the last three years


• 59 percent buy themselves whatever they want

And there is this. In 2003, America's 17 million Gays had 485 billion in buying power, compared to 688 billion for the nation's 36 million African Americans and 653 billion for America's 37 million Hispanics. That calculates to 1.5 times per capita buying power for gays compared to other groups.

So listen up, merchants. Gays are paying your mortgage and your kids college tuition. Fly the flags and let us know you appreciate us (well, our money, anyway).

And things are looking up in California. A Los Angeles Times poll taken just after the Supreme court decision for marriage equality showed that by a 54 to 35 % margin, Californians were in support of the proposed amendment banning same sex marriage.

More recently, a Field Poll, which has been tracking same sex marraige since 1977, when only 28% favored it, now shows that by a 51 to 42% difference gays should have the right to marry.

That difference in opinion has occured in just a couple of weeks since the decision. I think that by the time the vote comes around, the measure will be defeated handily. But not without hard work by people on the ground in California.

The Human Rights Campaign points out that marriage equality could last only 173 days if the ban is approved in November. Continue to visit Equality for All and donate to their effort to defeat the anti-equality amendment.

Enjoy Central Alabama Pride, even if you are not gay. The Art Show is tonight (see below).