This is just a friendly reminder: Just because Pride Month is over, it doesn’t mean we stop celebrating our friends in the LGBTQIA+ community.
A few years ago, I met a new business owner who was in the process of opening up shop. As we chatted, in casual conversation, this person said to me something along the lines of, “Well, everyone will be welcome in my business, but it’s not like I’m going to fly a gay flag or anything…no, no, no. A business organization asked me to do that and I said no. No need for that.”
Huh. Wow. I guess I don’t need to visit this business when it opens, eh?
(And btw: This business lasted exactly One. Hot. Minute. It is now out-of-business).
I guess, as a business owner, I’d want members of marginalized groups to know, absolutely and without a doubt, that they are welcome inside my business. That is the the reason we celebrate Pride Month in June. It is educational and it provides support, love and comfort to members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
I guess I feel pretty strongly about that because, in every issue of both Blue Water Woman and ThumbCoast Senior magazines, I print the LGBTQIA+ flag. I want members of that marginalized community to know my business supports them and welcomes them. I share their stories.
And, as we roll the calendar over to July 1 today, keep in mind that it is important to fly that flag and show our support for members of the LGBTQIA+ flag EVERY DAY of the year. That’s 365 days of support.
If anything, the only thing I’ve grown less tolerant of is, well, intolerance. When a person, or a business, or an organization shows its true colors on social media or on a website and shows that it is not supportive of marginalized communities, I really don’t need to do business with, nor share the stories, of those individuals. Go ahead and call me lame or whatever. But if you do not welcome my family and friends, I do not feel welcome.
If anything, the only thing I’ve grown less tolerant of is, well, intolerance. When a person, or a business, or an organization shows its true colors on social media or on a website and shows that it is not supportive of marginalized communities, I really don’t need to do business with, nor share the stories, of those individuals…if you do not welcome my family and friends, I do not feel welcome.
So be a good sport and be supportive of all. You never know when your family or business will be touched, in a very human way, by members of marginalized groups.
Be kind. My mom always told me, when I was growing up, “That’s the Christian way.” I’m not very spiritual at this point in life, but it was a good life lesson.
And isn’t that what good customer service is all about?
Please hit SHARE so your friends and family know that my advertising agency, The Write Company, and my two regional magazines, Blue Water Woman and ThumbCoast Senior, are all open and inclusive LGBTQIA+ friendly businesses.
Hit FOLLOW for more Great Lakes nautical, waterfront living, creative/designy, Lefty Liberal Politics, and Grumpy Patti content.
Leave a Reply