The Queering of Corporate America

The Queering of Corporate America traces the evolution of LGBTQ workplace rights and corporate policies from the 1960s to present day. This historical account documents how companies shifted from discriminatory practices to becoming advocates for LGBTQ equality. Ball examines the roles of activists, employees, executives and advocacy groups in transforming corporate America's stance on LGBTQ issues. The narrative follows key developments like the first non-discrimination policies, domestic partner benefits, and corporate support for marriage equality. The book details how market forces, changing social attitudes, and strategic advocacy campaigns influenced corporate decisions on LGBTQ inclusion. The account includes perspectives from business leaders, gay rights organizations, and rank-and-file workers who pushed for change. This work illustrates the complex relationship between social movements and capitalism, raising questions about the role of corporations in advancing civil rights. The transformation of American businesses from opponents to allies of LGBTQ equality represents a significant shift in how social change occurs.

Readers describe this book as a detailed business history that documents corporations' evolution on LGBTQ+ rights. Multiple reviews note its accessibility for non-academic readers while maintaining scholarly rigor. Readers appreciated: - Clear chronological structure - Balance of corporate and activist perspectives - Specific case studies and examples - Focus on both internal corporate changes and external advocacy Common criticisms: - Limited coverage of trans issues - Some repetitive sections - Focus mainly on large corporations - Less examination of ongoing challenges Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (52 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (21 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Documents an important shift without oversimplifying" - Goodreads reviewer "Good research but needed more current perspectives" - Amazon reviewer "Useful for understanding how corporate America became an unlikely LGBTQ ally" - LibraryThing review "The business case focus helps explain why changes happened when they did" - Goodreads reviewer

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🏳️‍🌈 The Coca-Cola Company became one of the first major U.S. corporations to include sexual orientation in its non-discrimination policies in 1987, setting a precedent for other Fortune 500 companies. 📚 Author Carlos Ball is a distinguished professor at Rutgers Law School and has written five other books exploring LGBTQ+ rights and legal issues, including "From the Closet to the Courtroom." 💼 Before the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal nationwide, 420 major American corporations signed an amicus brief supporting marriage equality in the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges case. 🌟 The book reveals how gay rights activists in the 1970s used strategic boycotts and protests against companies like AT&T and Bell Telephone to push for workplace protections. 💪 By 2019, 93% of Fortune 500 companies had policies prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation—a dramatic increase from less than 5% in 1990.