Take Action to Thank Pepsi for Supporting LGBT Groups

We wrote about this a couple weeks ago, but the American Family Association (AFA) continues to push our buttons. The AFA launched a boycott earlier this month (first official boycott of 2009 from the anti-gay crowd?) of soft drink giant Pepsi, for its support of LGBT rights, in particular its support of the organization Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). What did Pepsi do that was so egregious, in the AFA's eyes?

They gave $500,000 to support PFLAG's Straight for Equality program. And what is the Straight for Equality program? It's PFLAG's national program to create a network of straight allies to support equal rights for all citizens. Per PFLAG's site: "We’re not talking about major political protests (although that's certainly an option) but the tiny everyday changes – like not omitting the fact that your best friend is gay when you’re telling grandma about him – can raise awareness and challenge assumptions and stereotypes. Maybe it means objecting when someone at the office tells that really over-the-top gay joke…again. Or perhaps it is about paying attention to how a candidate stands on equality issues and making your opinion heard with your vote. Basically, if there’s a place where you can talk to someone else, there’s an opportunity for you to put some of the things you can learn from Straight for Equality into action."

Rather than boycotting, the AFA should be celebrating corporate efforts to support ending discrimination and stereotypes. Yet, the AFA is pushing back hard on Pepsi, urging its members to write letters and contact Pepsi's corporate office via phone.

So far, Pepsi hasn't backed down. In a letter sent to the AFA in November, Pepsi's Policy Director, Paul Boykas, gave a solid reason for Pepsi's support of PFLAG: "[PFLAG's] initiative seeks to promote further understanding and equality in the places where people spend much of their time at work. Among the values promoted by the PepsiCo Foundation is ensuring a work environment that is respectful and where associates are valued for their contributions."

To thank Pepsi, we've created a little action alert here at change.org where folks can send a note to Pepsi's office to thank them for supporting PFLAG, and efforts to root out discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity within the workplace. Please do it. It will take only a minute, and it will help lift up the voices of LGBT rights over the discriminatory clamor being made by the AFA. Ask your friends, LGBT and straight, to also show their support for Pepsi and for PFLAG.