Pride Alliance Hawaii Announces BUYcott "Equal is Equal Campaign"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  July 14, 2010
Michael Golojuch, Jr. | Pride Alliance Hawai‘i | (808) 358-4417 (c)
Tara O’Neill | Pride Alliance Hawai‘i | (808) 226-8044 (c)

Equal Is Equal Campaign Is Launched
Hawai‘i’s LGBT Community Calls for a BUYcott

Honolulu – Pride Alliance Hawai‘i (PAH) launched the Equal Is Equal campaign today. The campaign is being coordinated in partnership with the Gay and Lesbian Connection for Me (glc4me.com) and the Lesbian and Gay Businesses of Hawai‘i (lgbhawaii.com).

The goal of the Equal Is Equal campaign is to counter calls for boycotts of Hawai‘i after Governor Linda Lingle denied equality to Hawai‘i’s LGBT community by vetoing the Civil Union bill, HB444, last Tuesday.

“Even though Lingle vetoed the Civil Union bill, we do not want the homophobic actions of one person to financially harm the 81% of people in Hawai‘i that support LGBT equality. Instead of a boycott, we are launching a BUYcott to support those businesses that support equality. ” Michael Golojuch, Jr., Campaign Coordinator, Pride Alliance Hawai‘i.

The Equal Is Equal campaign is starting with LGBT owned and/or supportive businesses in Hawai‘i and will expand to include local businesses that also support economic justice. Equality at every level is the ultimate goal of the Equal Is Equal campaign. 

“Pride Alliance Hawai‘i encourages members of the LGBT community and our allies to travel to Hawai‘i and spend their money with businesses that support equal and just treatment of their customers and employees.” Tara O’Neill, President, Pride Alliance Hawai‘i.

For those not planning travel to Hawai‘i, we ask you to please invest in Hawai‘i’s future by donating to the campaigns of candidates that support equality.

To participate in the campaign please visit the continually growing list of businesses and candidates that support equality at www.equalisequalhawaii.com. Additional business directories are available at lgbhawaii.com and glc4me.com.  As we continue to grow we encourage people to recommend businesses using the “recommend” button on the web site.  Businesses will be added to the Equal is Equal campaign directory upon completion of a voluntary survey and review of their past actions.

Pride Alliance Hawai‘i is a non-profit organization focused on issues of equality beginning with equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community and with the ultimate goal of equality for all. We are dedicated to raising awareness about discrimination in Hawai‘i and taking positive action to end it through community outreach and education.

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Updates

Right now updates are occurring fast and furious as we attempt to get HB 444 passed. Please check for updates on our FaceBook page as its more accessible from handheld devices.

Mahalo,
Tom