LIFESTYLES

BUSINESS

LGBT inclusion is good for the economy.

August 12, 2017 compassq Comments Off on LGBT inclusion is good for the economy.

Though it might surprise some to learn that 65 percent of Americans feel that LGBT inclusion is good for the economy, it was what Ogilvy’s Bill Berman suspected his agency’s most recent LGBT marketing survey would show. “We had a sense that the cultural landscape is shifting to be more inclusive,” said Berman. “One of the reasons why we wanted to do the survey was to learn more how that shift pertains to brands and businesses. We had this inclination that because advertising doesn’t exist in a vacuum, there must be some sort of effect on non-LGBT audiences when a brand’s advertising is LGBT-inclusive.”

5 THINGS TO KNOW

“The Gay Man’s Guide to Open and Monogamous Marriage.”

August 12, 2017 compassq Comments Off on “The Gay Man’s Guide to Open and Monogamous Marriage.”

I had the opportunity to talk with psychotherapist and author, Michael Dale Kimmel, about his new book, “The Gay Man’s Guide to Open and Monogamous Marriage.” Having written a book of my own on modern marriage, I am particularly interested in how Kimmel not only provides a necessarily specific guide for male-male marriages, but also how this wisdom can be utilized by all couples, regardless of gender.

HEALTH

HIV vending machine testing in Brighton.

August 12, 2017 compassq Comments Off on HIV vending machine testing in Brighton.

An innovative vending machine for HIV tests being piloted in Britain aims to help in the fight to end the epidemic by encouraging more people to find out whether they have contracted the virus as a first step to seek treatment, a doctor said. Installed at a gay sauna in the southern seaside city of Brighton, the first-of-its-kind machine distributes free fingerprick self-testing kits that can be collected anonymously and used at home, providing results within minutes.

5 THINGS TO KNOW

It’s about the money, money, money.

August 11, 2017 compassq Comments Off on It’s about the money, money, money.

Years have passed since major corporations began to take notice of the LGBTQ community’s buying power, as well as its growing prominence. Companies are still developing strategies to target the LGBTQ consumer market. One major way to reach these consumers — tried, true and effective — is through sponsoring major events, like Pride festivals and Human Rights Campaign (HRC) projects.

5 THINGS TO KNOW

The truth about life after gay ‘decriminalization’ in the UK.

August 11, 2017 compassq Comments Off on The truth about life after gay ‘decriminalization’ in the UK.

This year we have been celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act (1967), which started the process of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales. But the act did not mean full decriminalisation. It only covered acts in private, between two men over the age of 21. It also not cover the Merchant Navy or the Armed Forces.

GayARP

Lambda Living, an affordable housing initiative for LGBT seniors.

August 10, 2017 compassq Comments Off on Lambda Living, an affordable housing initiative for LGBT seniors.

Hector Zuazo and Robert Medina are happily married, a commitment made in Toronto, Canada 11 years ago because marriage equality had yet to pass in the U.S. back in 2006. Today, in their early 70s, the couple is thinking of their future, one that includes aging in a community where many LGBT seniors do not have spouses or children to take care of them in the latter part of their lives.

5 THINGS TO KNOW

Big business in support of LGBT rights.

August 10, 2017 compassq Comments Off on Big business in support of LGBT rights.

The Texas Association of Business has been an outspoken opponent of the state’s proposed transgender bathroom bill, predicting the legislation will lead to a massive economic backlash and cost the state as much as $8.5 billion in lost business. The Indiana Chamber of Commerce was similarly alarmed by the 2015 push for the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, arguing that it would negatively affect the state’s “ability to attract and retain jobs, talent and investment.”