If you’re queer or an ally (especially if you’re an ally, please!), you should be hiring queer professionals whenever the option is feasible. And believe me, I’m not usually one to say you should do anything, because you’re a fully realized person with autonomy and free will, and I am not your boss or your mom.
But it’s June, and I’m queer, and I’m telling you what to do.
Because, dear friends, countrymen, taxpayers… if we want the queer community to thrive, we have to invest in it. And that doesn’t just mean attending a Pride parade, buying a pride flag on Amazon, and donating to the Human Rights Campaign.
It means showing up and truly investing time, money, and energy into this community. It means choosing the lesbian-owned coffee shop over Dunkin at least some of the time. It means reading the “About this Shop” section on Etsy to make sure you’re buying your Heated Rivalry merch from someone who is LGBTQIA+. It means taking an extra minute to scroll through a restaurant’s Google listing to see if they’ve made the minimal effort to click “LGBTQ+ Friendly” on their page.
Being an ally isn’t just about June. It’s about every decision you make to spend a dollar, and what that dollar represents.
Spending your money with queer-owned businesses means helping queer people buy groceries, pay rent, and get their meds on time. And it only takes a little bit of upfront research to find the LGBTQIA+ businesses in your local community.
How to find a queer professional
Internet Search: Search for “queer [insert profession] in [your location]” and see what comes up. Many industries have LGBTQIA+ directories that offer a list of qualified queer professionals you can choose from. For example, looking for a queer realtor is easier when you can browse the directories from Gay Real Estate, National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals, and LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance.
LGBT Centers: If you have a local or regional LGBT Center in your area, they may have a directory of local businesses and services you can reference. Stonewall Columbus in Ohio operates Lavender Listings, an LGBTQ+ business directory for central Ohio, and the Cleveland LGBT Center has a robust community resource list.
Chambers of Commerce: You can also look for a regional LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) works with local affiliates across the country to bring together a comprehensive network of queer-friendly businesses. Some states have multiple chambers of commerce like this, and some have none. Supporting the queer businesses you do find helps build up the local queer economy and hopefully leads to more business directories and chambers as the community grows.
Tree City Tax is a member of Plexus, northeast Ohio’s LGBT and Allied Chamber of Commerce. The Plexus website has a business directory organized by industry, from advertising to construction to veterinary care, as well as a job board with listings from member organizations.
Word of Mouth: When all else fails, ask your queer friends in person or online for their recommendations!
Doing your due diligence
It’s not always easy to find a queer-owned business for the thing you need. But you don’t need to be perfect. Switching to an LGBTQ+ business some of the time is enough. It moves the needle. It shows other people by example that it’s possible to find options that match their values and beliefs.
It boils down to this:
As often as possible, make your purchases with queer-owned businesses.
When you can’t shop queer (because of budget, access, or any other reason), buy from a neutral organization that doesn’t actively harm the queer community.
Avoid buying from brands that literally turn their profits into conversion therapy and anti-trans legislation.
And boom. You’re an ally to the queer community just like that.