Has 'Gay Owned' Losts Its Appeal As Late?

[Lee]

The reason i ask is that i dont seem to be seeing many 'gay owned' companies in the industry actually stating that these days, have we moved from going to gay owned companies specifically for our sponsors, designers, hosts etc etc to looking for a company that provides the service and quality we expect without the need for the to necessarily be 'gay'?

I know on the design front there are a lot of good companies who can take a concept for a site that is gay orientated and turn out a peice or art and, i think the same is also true for content providers.

When you look to buy a product or service, do you prefer going the gay owned route or do you look for value / quality over that first?

Your thoughts / opinions?

Regards,

Lee

[Ronaldo]

Not really being part of the gay community, take my opinion for what it's worth.

I've never really understood the "Gay owned and operated" premise, UNLESS it was specifically meant to target those that believed Gays have a better understanding of how to market a gay product. That I can certainly understand because of my own inabilities, NOT that it's necessarily the truth.

Not being gay, I'll look at cock all day long if it's gonna make me money, but I just don't know how to market it effectively enough to make it worth my while.

That being said, as a "Straight" webmaster, it wouldn't matter to me in the least, if someone had "Straight owned and operated" on their site. If anything, I might find it offensive and steer clear.

Just because "I" can't market effectively to another niche, or community, doesn't mean OTHER people are unable to do it too. If I looked at some great work that I thought would sell well to what I promote, and then I found out it was by someone who was gay, if ANYTHING, the guy would get bigger props from me for the ability to market outside of his own preferences.

If people put "Gay owned and operated" simply to keep themselves isolated from the heterosexual segment in our industry and presume they're better BECAUSE they're gay, I personally would find that it bad taste. I don't see that as any better than a straight guy saying "Don't buy from him, he's gay. What does he know about pussy?"

[thetwink]

very well said, Ron.

personally, I see 'Gay owned' or 'Now hiring, preferrably gay' as forms of discrimination and prejudice. the hypocrisy is very frustrating.

[Lee]

personally, I see 'Gay owned' or 'Now hiring, preferrably gay' as forms of discrimination and prejudice. the hypocrisy is very frustrating.

Agreed, however rather than the decisions being based on prejudice i think they are based on the individuals looking to hire 'gay' individuals simply not understanding that you dont have to be gay, to market, design, shoot for gay surfers / webmasters needs. Of course thats not to say that prejudice in some instances do exist, im just not to keen on placing 'blanket' statements about everyone

In fact, some of the best marketing people i know in the industry for gay products and services happen to be straight themselves

Regards,

Lee

[Axel]

I think 'gay owned' label is usefull for a business where gay people are in need of a gay 'universe' and where it is not possible to know it from outside.

For instance, I think it is usefull for hotels or bars (when you travel to some place where you don't want to suffer from homophobic behaviour).

On an internet biz, my opinion is that it is completely useless. If it's 'gay owned', you will guess in a second if it is satisfying (gay owned or not). A website that will display this 'gay owned' label would probably not be, but trying to catch gay approval.

I saw many gay site designed completely thru straight view, and it's really funny...

[gaystoryman]

Well for me I don't quite see things that way, that a site says it is gay owned or straight owned. I mean to me it is no different than if some outfit says its products are 'american made' or 'canadian made' or any of that stuff. It is simply allowing the consumer to know the products origin. How that can be bad eludes me in this instance.

I would also say that in a small way it is also a way of showing one's pride. I mean it hasn't been that long ago that anyone knowing you were gay was considered a horror & potential nightmare. In some places it still is... so for me, being able to say I am gay, & I own this, isn't all that bad, it is to me a sign of pride, one being that I can say it, two being that it isn't a detriment anymore.

but just my opinion.

Ian

[Chilihost]

I think its a good selling point to surfers or webmasters who have been to obviously straight-owned sites and have been disappointed with the results.

cheers,
Luke

[Slade]

Well..I'm still GAY OWNED! ;-)

Ok..I'll try to come up with something more in depth later.

[Slade]

Well..I'm still GAY OWNED! ;-)

Ok..I'll try to come up with something more in depth later.

P.S. Just got laid..so I'm not thinking deeply right now...no pun intended.
Why am I on the internet in my afterglow state? That's sick! LOL!

[Chilihost]

maybe its cuz you are a perv??? :groovy:

cheers,
Luke

[Chilihost]

ps congrats on getting laid too :goofy:

I had an even better experience this morning, I went shopping (first time in ages too!!!)

cheers,
Luke

[tombarr]

I think the term "Gay Owned and Opertated" stems from a more historical origin in a time when it was a matter of Pride to announce "I'm a gay business...I want to be counted". During this period many gay consumers would seek out these type of businesses as a means of supporting this movement, supporting the gay businesses that stood up to be counted, and to make a political statement that being gay is okay.

I think that over time and generational changes it has lost it's effect, appeal, clout, and often times meaningless to the consumer today.

[Doctor Dre]

I'm straight and I personally wouldn't know where to start with the gay market ... I've had big sites (straight tgps ... mostly teen niche ... so not really related anyways) before and were unable to capitalize on my gay traffic ...

But I guess you can always hire out people that can help you with your advertising

[basschick]

for a while, a lot of str8 owned gay sites put "gay owned" on their sites as a selling point. perhaps that diluted the appeal...

[Slade]

ps congrats on getting laid too :goofy:

I had an even better experience this morning, I went shopping (first time in ages too!!!)

cheers,
Luke

You must have been carrying your BAGS in front of you to hide the stiffy you got from the experience as you walked around buying all those pink sweaters! HEE HEE HEE!