By: Charlie Rounds
Last week, I was puzzled then dismayed to learn that a number of LGBTQ activists singled out Marriott for “hosting” the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce Award Dinner this month, which will honor known anti-LGBTQ Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Let’s be clear; there is a world of difference from giving financial support for this undeserved award to Brazil’s President Bolsonaro – and instead abiding by New York’s public accommodations laws, which does not allow discrimination, regardless of the party. After all, when a group uses a hotel’s facilities, it does not suggest the company endorses or agrees with the group’s views. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I began working in the gay travel industry over thirty years ago. In 1988, RSVP Vacations was extremely limited in our choice of cruise lines and resorts. Simply put, the leading companies were uncomfortable welcoming the “gays” or chartering their ships to us.
Then (and regrettably true, even today), there were no federal laws that protected LGBTQ people, and very few at the state or local level, that guaranteed us equal access to public accommodations. A ship or a hotel might easily and lawfully turn us away when RSVP Travel and others came calling.
Most cruise line executives, including (their mostly closeted) gay staff, did not think that the profits from an all gay charter could ever make up for the potential backlash. They saw only risk, and little if any reward. And no law stood in the way.
Today, after decades of hard work, closet doors swinging open, bringing global visibility and the emergence of the gay marketplace, there are few, if any, competitors in the travel industry who do not proudly welcome the LGBTQ community.
Their support of our community does not stop there. They have led the way ensuring nondiscrimination protections, offering equal benefits as well as publicly lobbying against anti-LGBTQ laws locally, statewide, and nationally. They stand up daily to oppose our discrimination. There are countless examples but because of what happened in New York last week let me focus on Marriott here.
Twenty years ago, Marriott was the first major hotel company to offer its employees equal benefits for their same-sex partners. They’ve stepped up to secure perfect scores on the Corporate Equality Index – but even more meaningfully, they were the first hotel company to sign amicus briefs to overturn DOMA, to support marriage equality, and to endorse the Equality Act. Last year, they were the first major hotel company to endorse the United Nations LGBTI Standards for Business.
Three years ago, I witnessed the example of a Santo Domingo Renaissance team teaching young LGBTQ people the skills needed to succeed in the hospitality industry. I’ve also seen the generous support Marriott has given to groups serving some of our most marginalized people including Casa Ruby in Washington DC and True Colors United combatting youth homelessness.
As I write this, our principles of equality and non-discrimination are being put to the acid test on Capitol Hill by advancing the Equality Act, and by stepping up to our biggest challenge yet in the Supreme Court this fall. In both arenas, and in the court of public opinion, we are insisting that American society not discriminate against us. This is absolutely the worst moment to demand that companies discriminate against others in delivering their services.
We can’t have it both ways – especially when we demand someone to give us a room for the night, bake a cake for us or offer us a seat at the table, and then turn around and demand these same people not give service to people we do not like, or strongly oppose. I have seen Marriott and its CEO Arne Sorenson join us in opposing so-called “religious freedom” laws in Indiana, Arizona, Texas, Georgia and this past week in Tennessee which would license anti-LGBTQ discrimination.
Our community and our allies delivered a powerful outcry against the visit of President Bolsonaro who ultimately canceled his visit, which shows that when we take aim at our real adversaries, and not others who champion the ideals of inclusivity, openness and equality, we all win.
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