The early support for gay rights in the United States came from a mix of progressive business leaders, philanthropic organizations, and some corporations that recognized the economic and social value of LGBTQ+ inclusion. Here are some of the key business interests that played a role in early gay rights advocacy:
>The Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund: One of the earliest and most significant supporters of LGBTQ+ rights, this San Francisco-based foundation began funding gay rights causes in the 1980s and played a major role in advancing marriage equality.
>The Arcus Foundation: Founded by Jon Stryker (heir to the Stryker medical equipment fortune), this foundation became a major funder of LGBTQ+ advocacy globally in the late 1990s and 2000s.
>The Gill Foundation: Established by Tim Gill (co-founder of Quark software), this became one of the largest funders of LGBTQ+ rights organizations in the 1990s and beyond.
>IBM: One of the first major corporations to include sexual orientation in its non-discrimination policies (1984) and later offered domestic partner benefits in the 1990s.
>Apple: Under Steve Jobs, Apple was an early advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, with Jobs personally supporting anti-discrimination efforts in the 1980s.
>Levi Strauss & Co: A pioneer in corporate support for gay rights, the company began offering domestic partner benefits in 1992 and funded HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ advocacy early on.
>Coors Brewing Company: After facing boycotts from the gay community over the conservative politics of the Coors family, the company later worked with LGBTQ+ groups in the 1990s to improve its image and became a supporter of gay rights
>Warner Bros. (Time Warner) Supported LGBTQ+ advocacy through its philanthropic arm and was an early corporate sponsor of events like the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Media Awards.
>Disney: Faced conservative backlash in the 1990s for offering domestic partner benefits but became a significant corporate ally over time.