Coming Out In Corporate America Gays are making huge strides everywhere,...

Business Week ^ | DECEMBER 15, 2003

[narses]

Gays are making huge strides everywhere, but in the executive suite.

One chilly fall day last year, Gary Osifchin trooped into a mandatory training session at S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. The privately held company, located in Racine, Wis., which was voted 2003's "all-American city" by the National Civic League, manufactures Raid insecticide and Glade air fresheners. It's the kind of place where factory workers ride to the assembly line on Harley-Davidsons, dine on local bratwurst, and chase it down with Milwaukee beer.

[narses]

Your company may be subsidizing the health insurance of "gays". Is there a cost to business for this? Do they pass that cost on to the "straight" employees?

[Senormechanico]

Where was the barf alert?

SM

[sinkspur]

Your company may be subsidizing the health insurance of "gays". Is there a cost to business for this? Do they pass that cost on to the "straight" employees?

So? I could care less. If they contribute to the welfare and profitability of the company, they deserve the same benefits I do.

My company does NOT provide for health benefits of domestic partners, gay or straight.

[don'tbedenied]

Our company has a fair number of gays, they're productive and valuable emloyees. What's the issue?

[ambrose]

Coming Out In Corporate America Gays are making huge strides everywhere,...

Hmmmm... now we'll all have to wonder what he really means when he says "my boss is a hard ass!"

[Dolphy]

So? I could care less. If they contribute to the welfare and profitability of the company, they deserve the same benefits I do.

I feel the same way. My company does provide benefits for gay partners. Looking around at a recent national meeting I see they also provide benefits for the obese, smokers, pregnant women, etc. It never occurred to me to wonder what this cost me.

[Indie]

I don't think most people have an issue with gays, some of the most productive and creative employees. I think the issue is with militant gays, who are actually trying to force their lifestyle on others, including children. Unfortunately, they color the whole movement, since the press loves to cover it and the hollyweird types try to push their agenda on the rest of society.

[umgud]

I don't like the fact that an employer would provide benefits to domestic partners, but it is their business if they coose to do so. I would really protest if gov't forced them to do so (ala San Fransisco, etc.).

[WackyKat]

Your company may be subsidizing the health insurance of "gays". Is there a cost to business for this? Do they pass that cost on to the "straight" employees?

Companies also subsidize the health costs of people who are overweight, smoke, never exercise, eat nothing but junk food, and have all sorts of diseases as a result of their lifestyles.

But you don't get all twisted out of shape over that , do you?

No. it's just the gay employees you want to be bigoted against.

[narses]

If you are correct about your firm, then your firm isn't the question. BUT, as an alleged "deacon" of the Roman Catholic Church, why do you not care about the mortal sins of your neighbors? Is your love for them lacking somehow?

[narses]

What "bigotry"? How much does an AIDS patient cost? Why create an new "protected class" based on sexual deviancy? ESPECIALLY when such deviancy creates extraordinary expenses?

[sinkspur]

why do you not care about the mortal sins of your neighbors? Is your love for them lacking somehow?

The owner of my company decides who gets health benefits, not me.

I have no idea who is gay and who is not in my company. I have a remote office and only speak with other support personnel by phone.

[narses]

So how do you know ANY of them are "gay"? Or are you just posturing?

[August West]

Gays already have full legal equality. What they seek (and are quickly getting) is full legal and social sanction for their behaviour. Under this line of reasoning, child-molesters or murderers should also get such legal sanction. We all know that morality has no place in law.

[narses]

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_50/b3862086.htm

A Rainbow Tint For Corporate Vendors
The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce's co-founder aims to promote supplier diversity by flexing "collective economic muscle"

The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce received funding from IBM (IBM ) and others in May, 2002, to serve as an umbrella organization for gay-owned and -operated businesses. BusinessWeek spoke to co-founder Justin Nelson about the group's goals. Here are edited excerpts of that conversation:

Q: Why is there a need for a gay Chamber of Commerce?
A: There are a lot of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender advocacy groups out there. But what we didn't have was an economic voice, a way to flex our economic muscle and say: "We're more than businessmen and women, more than a marketing base, we're also a supply base for other larger businesses."

Q: A lot of businesses market to the gay community, and there are already local gay chambers of commerce, aren't there?
A: We serve as the umbrella organization in Washington for about 55 state and local chapters. By speaking with a larger voice, we can flex our collective economic muscle -- similar to what you saw with the rise of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce years ago.

Q: How do you help gay-owned businesses?
A: Members will have access to capital from banks to help them grow. They will benefit from group purchasing power and networking. Even better, they'll be able to tap an estimated $80 billion in procurement contracts through our supplier-diversity program.

Q: How does a gay supplier-diversity program work?
A: Many big companies want to expand their supplier base and demonstrate their commitment to diversity but, in the case of the gay community, didn't have a way to certify that a business could actually be classified gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. We'll be handling that certification program and creating a directory of such companies.

Q: Just a few years ago, it hardly seemed possible that Corporate America would be thinking about finding gay suppliers. What has changed?
A: It's going beyond liquor companies and airlines and party promoters now. Face it, times are tough, and when you begin looking for people who are willing to spend money, it's hard to overlook the fact that gay people are big consumers, with high disposable incomes. But the trick for companies is that gay people also are demanding that if they buy from you, you need to give something back either in the form of recognition or opportunity.

[sinkspur]

I don't know if any of them are gay. We may have no gay employees.

But, if we do, I don't care if they are covered by health benefits. And neither does the owner of my company, a lifelong, Tridentine Rite Catholic.

[narses]

EXACTLY!

[narses]

Really? You've asked this Tridentine Catholic (do you call him names. or does he attend a Chapel you approve of?) about this, or are you just assuming?

[narses]

BTW, does your employer allow smoking? Are smokers encouraged to quit?