The Ignored Truth: How to Help or Harm Your LGBTQ Family

Hello, Tucson family! We’re here to talk about something personal, powerful, and deeply local: your money.

In our beautiful, vibrant community, every dollar you spend is a vote. It’s a decision to support a business, fund a future, and endorse a set of values. If we want a Southern Arizona where every LGBTQ+ person is safe, celebrated, and thrives, we have to make our wallets part of the revolution.

This isn’t about politics or politicians; this is about economic activism—smart, intentional spending that builds up our community and starves the forces that try to tear us down. Let’s dive into the two sides of the coin: where to be cautious, and where to invest our collective power.

The Cost of Unconscious Spending: Why We Must Choose Wisely

It’s easy to buy a last-minute item or grab a quick meal without thinking. But some companies, even those with locations right here in Tucson, use their profits to actively finance anti-LGBTQ+ organizations and dismantle the very rights we rely on. When you spend money at a company with actively harmful policies, you are unintentionally contributing to the struggle. It’s crucial to understand who is who.

The Companies to Reconsider (And Why)

Hobby Lobby is a concern due to its repeated legal opposition to trans inclusion. The company has been in legal battles using religious freedom arguments to deny basic workplace rights, such as restroom access for transgender employees. This normalizes discrimination against trans workers everywhere.

Chick-fil-A is noted for the historical funding of anti-LGBTQ+ groups. Their charitable foundation, WinShape, has historically directed substantial funds to organizations that actively lobby against LGBTQ+ equality. Your dollars directly support a company with a documented history of funding groups working against us.

Twitter (X) has created a hostile digital environment. Under new leadership, the platform removed protections against targeted misgendering and deadnaming. This makes the online space less safe and more toxic for queer and trans users, driving marginalized voices out of public life.

The Bottom Line: Your purchase is their profit. Their profit is their funding. Their funding is often used to fight against our safety and equality. If we want a stronger community, we must consciously redirect those funds. Are you funing these anti LGBTQ efforts?

Tucson’s Allies: The Fortune 500 Companies Who Earn Our Dollars

The great news is that many massive corporations—including several of Tucson’s top employers—have committed to comprehensive, nation-leading policies for LGBTQ+ equality. These are the companies that have stepped up, often going above and beyond what the law requires. When we support these businesses, we are rewarding good corporate citizenship and showing that inclusion is good business in the Old Pueblo.

The gold standard for corporate policy is the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index (CEI). A perfect 100% score means these companies have robust non-discrimination policies, full-gender affirmation healthcare coverage, inclusive family benefits, and internal accountability for promoting diversity.

Tucson’s Top 10 CEI-Scoring Companies (Support Them!)

These major employers and retailers in Tucson are top-tier allies:

1. Raytheon Technologies (RTX): A local job giant with a perfect 100% CEI score, offering top-tier benefits, including transgender-inclusive healthcare.
2. IBM: A pioneer in non-discrimination, consistently scoring 100% since the CEI’s inception in 2002.
3. Bank of America: Maintains a 100% score for decades, noted for inclusive benefits and public support for LGBTQ+ issues.
4. CVS Health / Aetna: Retail and healthcare with a 100% CEI score and comprehensive gender-affirmation coverage.
5. Wells Fargo: A branch presence across the city, scoring 100%, and dedicated to supplier diversity with LGBTQ+-owned businesses.
6. Target Corporation: Retail presence with a 100% CEI score and explicit non-discrimination policies.
7. Costco Wholesale: A perfect 100% CEI score, recognized for inclusive health benefits for all employees.
8. Microsoft: A tech leader with a 100% score, known for high standards in corporate social responsibility.
9. JPMorgan Chase & Co.: Strong local presence and a 100% CEI score, using its influence as a major corporate ally.
10. Kroger (Fry’s Food Stores): As the parent company of Fry’s, they earned a perfect 100% CEI score, ensuring inclusive protections for employees at our local grocery stores.

Why this matters to YOU: Every time you shop at Fry’s or use a service from Bank of America, you are supporting a corporate culture that says, “The rights and health of our LGBTQ+ employees matter.” This pressure helps shift the entire corporate landscape!

From Global Corporations to Local Gems: Building Our Tucson Community

While supporting Fortune 500 allies is vital, the heart of Tucson’s LGBTQ+ activism lies in our own community and local businesses.

The Current Pulse of Tucson’s Community:

• Social & Wellness: Resources like Southern Arizona Senior Pride (offering support groups like Living with Loss and Trans Grief Support), the Eon Youth Lounge (a safe drop-in for queer youth), and groups like the Arizona Queer Climbing Collective (AZQCC) show a high community need for genuine connection and mental wellness support.
• Affirming Care: Finding affirming healthcare remains a top priority, with El Rio Community Health Center being a critical local resource for trans and gender-non-conforming individuals.
• The Power of Local: The Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce is a powerhouse, listing countless local, queer-friendly businesses—from A Place to Talk, LLC for counseling to Centra Realty and Desert Voices Tucson Chorus. Spending with these local members directly ensures our community thrives and that our dollars circulate among people who have our backs.

When you grab a coffee at a locally-listed, LGBTQ+-friendly cafe, you aren’t just buying caffeine; you are funding a safe space for the next queer youth who walks through that door. You are making a physical investment in the visibility and resilience of your neighbors.

Your Call to Action: Choose Joy. Choose Inclusion. Choose Tucson.

We are the $800 billion spending power of the LGBTQ+ community, and we are not invisible.

The most potent way to counter the negative impact of anti-equality businesses is to make the intentional, joyful choice to support our allies.

Today, we encourage you to do three things:

• Check the CEI List: Next time you need to make a major purchase or choose a bank, reference a company on our list that scored 100%.
• Support Local Allies: Visit the Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce directory and pick one new local, affirming business to support this week.
• Spread the Word: Tell your friends, family, and allies why you made the choice to Spend With Pride.

Your choice is more than a transaction—it is an affirmation that equality is an investment, not a cost. By consciously choosing where to spend our collective resources, we shape a more inclusive, vibrant, and welcoming Tucson for all of us.

Let’s use the power of our dollars to build the community we deserve!

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Sources and Further Resources

Corporate Equality Index (CEI) Criteria: The full details on the scoring methodology, including the four pillars of non-discrimination, inclusive benefits, inclusive culture, and social responsibility, are published by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Tucson LGBT Chamber of Commerce: The primary source for the comprehensive directory of LGBTQ+-owned and affirming businesses in Southern Arizona. [Link to Chamber Directory]

Anti-LGBTQ+ Corporate Actions: Information regarding companies like Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-A is compiled from public court records, news accounts, and established reports from LGBTQ+ watchdog organizations documenting philanthropic giving and legal challenges.