The Huffington Post recently unveiled 7 companies that don’t support gay rights. We were in for a surprise to find that several clothing brands were included in the list, as fashion companies tend to be for legalizing same-sex marriage. After doing some digging, we found 5 clothing and beauty companies who have anti-gay policies or whose leaders have actively lobbied against the marriage equality legislation.
1. Urban Outfitters
(Photo via thedrum)
This popular clothing brand’s president and founder, Richard Hayne, donated $13,150 to Rick Santorum’s political campaign in 2008. If you didn’t know, Rick Santorum is vehemently against gay marriage and was against reform of don’t-ask-don’t-tell. We’re not so surprised, as Urban Outfitters is notorious for other missteps, such as Native American cultural appropriation.
2. Wal-Mart
(Photo via wikimedia)
Wal-Mart made news last fall for its association with the Charity Giveback Group, formerly called the Christian Values Network, which allows a cut of the money gained through e-commerce to be donated to anti-gay religious organizations. In addition, Jim Walton, the youngest son of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, donated $75,000 to the Family Council Action Committee’s 2008 Arkansas campaign to prevent gay couples from adopting in that state. This year, though, Wal-Mart scored a 60 on the Corporate Equality Index (a report by Human Rights Campaign measuring gay treatment), so the company may be changing its ways.
3. and 4. Laura Mercier and RéVive
(Photo via bellebellebeauty)
(Photo via media1)
These high-end cosmetics lines generate profits for the right-wing DeVos family who are strongly against gay marriage. The family’s business is led by Doug DeVos, who donated half a million dollars to the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the leader in the battle to deny same-sex couples the right to marry — or even obtain lesser relationship recognition. Which stores carry these cosmetics products? Department stores include Bergdorf Goodman – owned by Neiman Marcus – and Saks Fifth Avenue.
5. Salvation Army
(Photo via useast)
Since it isn’t a company, the Salvation Army is exempt from state anti-gay discrimination laws. They’ve openly said that “practicing homosexuals” aren’t welcome in their organization in addition to hiring lobbyists in D.C. and abroad to push against gay rights and gay marriage legislation from being enacted. They’re also known for making some quite controversial statements. On a radio show, Major Andrew Craibe, the organization’s media relations director implied that gay parents’ deserving death are “a part of our belief system”.
Now that you’re armed with this information, how will it affect your shopping decisions? Let us know in the comments below.
