Outsports Discussion Board > The cost of supporting the gay & lesbian community

Full Version: The cost of supporting the gay & lesbian community

Outsports Discussion Board > Outsports > Politics & Religion

canmark

Sep 25 2003, 06:44 AM

I just want to send out my support to VanCity Credit Union in Vancouver, and all other businesses who market towards the gay & lesbian community. Given possible adverse reaction, it takes some courage on the part of a business to, for example, show gay-positive advertising... and sometimes the results are negative. From The Globe and Mail:

QUOTE

Vancouver's Roman Catholic archdiocese has cancelled a near-decade-old partnership with a credit union, breaking ranks because of the financial institution's high-profile support for the gay community.

Calling that support \"worrisome\" and \"harmful,\" the church has ordered four of its schools to drop out of a junior banking program with the VanCity Credit Union that teaches students about investing and saving money.

At the centre of the dispute is an aggressive ad campaign initiated by the Vancouver-based credit union to woo gay and lesbian customers. An ad that ran in newspapers featured two men in an embrace with the caption: \"I want to bank with people who value all partnerships.\"

The ad ran in mainstream papers as well as gay publications.

The archdiocese took exception and ordered all four Catholic schools that participated in the banking program to quit. One school had run the program for seven years and enrolled 600 students in a savings plan.

. . .

VanCity CEO Dave Mowat said he is disappointed with the archbishop's decision, noting the junior banking program is popular and positive.

Mr. Mowat said the credit union is proud of its attempt to include the gay and lesbian community, calling it a natural evolution.

\"Thirty years ago, when we started making loans to women without their husband co-signers, people thought that was crazy too.

\"So, it's all a continuum I think.\"

And people wonder why we need things like a Pride Parade. I mean, not only are we discriminated against, but even non-gay people/institutions/companies that try to do business with us are targeted. Sheesh.

Joe in Philly

Sep 25 2003, 10:26 AM

Good point. For all the progress we've made, things like this serve as a good reminder that there's still a long way to go.

fenwayguy

Sep 25 2003, 11:18 AM

In today's Vancouver Sun, an archdiocesan spokesman acknowledges that "Most of the feedback we're getting is negative regarding our decision to withdraw from the program." Right on. The archbishop's letter, if you can stomach it, moralizes on and on for four printed pages about good, evil and the "homosexual agenda". Spare me the twisted hypocrisy. Just say it: You hate us.

Efective immediately, it is my official policy to refuse to do business with any firm that has a financial relationship with or otherwise supports the Roman Catholic church. Wish me luck...

The ad:
IPB Image

[ October 01, 2003, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: redsoxbreath ]

canmark

Sep 25 2003, 05:37 PM

What steams me about this issue is that they hate us so much that, not only do they want to punish us, but they want to punish people who do busines with us. What's next? Boycotting Safeway because they sell us food?

Thanks for the link redsoxbreath. I'm glad that the Vancouver public supports VanCity. The article indicates that they're gay-positive, sponsoring the gay & lesbian film fest and "scholarships supporting gay and lesbian relationships(?)"

I had to laugh at this comment:

"I think he's [the archbishop] great. I appreciate it when people have the integrity to take a stand. VanCity is ridiculous. It's stepping way outside its mandate. It's acting like Shoppers Drug Mart, which in my opinion was the first to do pro-gay advertising when it featured a bunch of rock stars trying to buy pantyhose."

I can assure you that that Shoppers Drug Mart ad--which showed Spinal Tap-like rockers purchasing pantyhose--had nothing to do with homosexuality. But that this woman thinks that was the first "pro-gay advertising"...

And an interesting comment at the end:

QUOTE

However, the principal of Dashmesh Punjabi private school in Abbotsford, which also uses VanCity's junior banking program to teach children leadership skills, said he wouldn't ban it because of VanCity's pro-homosexual advertising and sponsorships.

\"The Sikh religion is against homosexuality,\" said Dalip Gill.

\"But a bank or credit union should be open to anyone. How can you differentiate between different people?\"

This, to me, shows a separation of 'church and state' and I think is a credit to this person and the Sikh religion.

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