The folks at Community Marketing have launched a survey for their second Gay and Lesbian Consumer Index. I’d like to encourage all of you to take it and contribute your perspectives as parents (or prospective parents) in our community. All information is confidential and will not be sold to third parties or used for marketing purposes by Consumer Marketing.
Last year’s Index was the largest LGBT consumer study ever conducted, with over 22,000 participants, 46% of whom were lesbians. Unlike many lesbian and gay surveys, this one separates the responses of gay men and lesbians, providing useful insight into the differences between these parts of our community. I’ll quickly add that yes, the bisexual and transgender parts of our community should also be included in surveys like these, and I hope they will be in the future.
I know many of us abhor advertising, but I firmly believe our consumer spending has driven much progress in LGBT rights. Corporate America is, by and large, far ahead of the U.S. Government in offering anti-discrimination protections and recognizing our relationships, parental status, and healthcare needs. Gathering demographic and marketing information is the first step in expanding corporate awareness of our marketing power. Complete the survey while you’re watching the Olympics, and it will be painless.