Is Your Favorite Neighborhood Business Supporting Homophobia?
By: Daniel Villarreal
7.30.2012
While everyone is focused on anti-gay Chick-fil-A, The New York Times recently reminded folks about the Charity Giveback Group (aka CGBG, formerly the Christian Values Network), which gives a percentage of their members' online purchases to homophobic evangelical groups.
Several big companies like Apple, Microsoft and Netflix left CGBG about a year ago when several online petitions drew public attention to GCBG's contributions to groups like Abiding Truth Ministries—ATM is an official Southern Poverty Law Center-certified hate group lead by Scott Lively, a man who helped create Uganda's Kill the Gay's bill.
Amid all the bad press, the Christian Values Network changed its name to less religious-sounding the Charity Giveback Group. But ATM is still in its list of beneficiaries and hundreds of American companies are still doing business with them including the following well-known ones:
JoAnn Fabric
- Sally Beauty Supply
- Alibris
- HBO Store
- Kaplan SelfTest
- Simon & Schuster
- Geico
- Carbonite
- Roxio
- Panasonic
- Radio Shack
- Toshiba
- Kmart
- Kohl's
- Loehmanns
- Lord & Taylor
- Macy's
- Sears
- Sears Outlet
- Walmart
- Fandango
- Six Flags
- Jelly Belly
- Mrs. Fields Cookies
- Starbucks
- Restaurant.com
- Famous Footwear
- Payless Shoes
- Petco
- PetSmart
- Office Depot
- Office Max
- Guitar Center
- Satellite Direct TV
- Turner Classic Movies
- Haggar
- Jos. A. Bank
- Perry Ellis
- Nautica
- Levis
- Dockers
- Dickies
- Aeropostale
- Gordons
- Jewelers
- Home Depot
- Rooms To Go
- Rubbermaid.com
- Sur La Table
- World Market
- Fila
- Pacific Sun
- Claire's
- The Children's Place
- AT&T Wireless
- Direct TV
- T-Mobile
- Otter Box
- Verizon Wireless
- Disney Store
- Lego
- Mattel
- PBS Kids
- Sesame Street
- Days Inn
- Hotwire
- Ramada
- Super 8
- Travelodge
- Lane Bryant
Right now there's no petition asking these companies to stop giving to the CGBG nor one asking CGBG to drop ATM from their list of charities.
Furthermore, its unclear how many of CGBG's other participating churches help organize for anti-gay campaigns. However, its important to let these companies know of CGBG's anti-gay ties. Macy's left the program in 2011 but rejoined sometimes afterwards. Other companies could do the same unless LGBT people and their allies let them know that hate makes for bad business.
