The Balance Sheet

The Balance Sheet: December 14, 2023

This week, we covered Grindr's foray into AI, two important new bills affecting LGBTQ-owned businesses, Discord bans deadnaming, and more!

Travers Johnson

Travers Johnson

— 7 min read
The Balance Sheet: December 14, 2023

Is ChatLGBTQ on the way?

In this week's newsletter we dive into Grindr's just-announced partnership with an artificial intelligence company that specializes in making virtual girlfriends and boyfriends.

Another app, gaming and streaming platform Discord, has made a step in a positive direction to protect LGBTQ+ users.

We also take a look at two pieces of legislation: one federal bill that will protect LGBTQ-owned businesses from lending discrimination, and a state bill in Missouri that will prevent private companies from exerting their right to boycott bigoted businesses.

And there's even more to dig into!

As always, if you find value in our work, we would really appreciate your financial support to sustain and grow Queerency.

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Enjoy this week's roundup of LGBTQ+ business news!

Until next week,

Trav 💜

Top Line

Stories With Main Character Energy

Grindr is adding an AI "wingman" into its app

Grindr, the largest LGBTQ+ dating app in the world, announced today that it is collaborating with Ex-Human, a generative artificial intelligence startup, to integrate AI into its app.

Executives say the chatbot will help "transform the dating experience for the global LGBTQ+ community."

But, there are privacy concerns.

Read the full story at Queerency

Missouri Bill Would Ban Many Companies From "Refusing To Deal With" Anti-Trans Businesses

A new bill in Missouri could significantly curtail the ability of companies in the state to pull business with other companies over anti-trans, anti-abortion, or other policies. The bill, Senate Bill 1061, would ban companies doing business with the state from engaging in “economic boycotts” over a large list of issues, including transgender care and abortion. 

Continue reading at Erin in the Morning.

Discord bans misgendering and deadnaming

The policy update is a welcomed step to protect LGBTQ+ users as hate speech increases on large social media platforms.

Read the full story at Queerency.

A new bill aims to safeguard LGBTQ-owned businesses against lending discrimination

The bicameral bill would amend the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to require the collection of small business loan data related to LGBTQ-owned businesses.

Read the full story at Queerency.

Realistic New Year's resolutions for 2024

2023 has been an eye-opening year.

We wore silver to the Renaissance Tour. We paid an AI yearbook app $9.99 to generate the high school versions of our current selves. We financially struggled with inflation and tried to go back to “normal” after a pandemic that changed everything. And, most importantly, we continue to witness a genocide in Gaza, which is radicalizing the ways we think about the world, the ways we relate to one another, and the ways we spend money.

Read the full story at Queerency.

Equity

Queer-Owned and -Allied Businesses In the News

Local gym owner honored by Out100 for contributions to LGBTQ+ community
A local business owner has received a national honor for his contributions to the Chicagoland LGBTQ+ community.
ABC7 Chicago
Micky’s, West Hollywood gay club, is for sale
Micky’s, the iconic West Hollywood gay club, is for sale. It’s been open since 1989. The asking price depends on what is purchased.
Q Voice NewsPhillip Zonkel
Long-Standing LGBTQ Bar Crush Will Remain Open After All
The LGBTQ+ bar’s social media pages previously announced that the bar would close Dec. 31. Instead, an employee is investing in the bar to keep it open.
Eater PortlandAndrew Jankowski
Meet the ‘CEO of Everything Gay’ who just bought the Abbey
Tristan Schukraft, who owns Mistr, takes over iconic LA nightclub
Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay NewsRob Salerno
Gyms for women and LGBTQ+ people are gaining national popularity. Denver is joining the trend.
As Colorado’s largest statewide, member-supported, multi-media network, Rocky Mountain PBS wants to make sure everyone is seen and heard.
RMPBSAlison Berg

In partnership with Sonara.ai

Sonara is a new tool that uses AI to automate your job search and take the work out of finding a position. Job hunting is a numbers game, so the more applications you submit, the more interviews you’ll get.

All you have to do is upload your resume and it applies to hundreds of relevant job openings for you. This gives you your time back and allows you to be more selective about which interviews you take.

There’s a free trial to start using Sonara, and then it switches to a monthly subscription. But as a member of the Queerency community, you can save 20% off your first month using this link: bit.ly/46vDsNm

Assets

Good News in Queer Business, Politics, and More

The Hill’s Changemakers: David J. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition
David J. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), an organization dedicated to securing the rights of the Black LGBTQ community, says his work requires him to be a …
The HillLaura Kelly
Supreme Court Refuses To Hear LGBTQ Conversion Therapy Case—Leaving State Ban On It Intact
Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito Clarence Thomas would have taken up the case.
ForbesAlison Durkee
Dozens of Texans confronted a school board over a trans teen’s removal from the school play. Now, he’s back in the lead role.
Max Hightower shared with Business Insider how he got his part in “Oklahoma” back after his town questioned school policy.
InsiderSebastian Cahill

Facts & Figures

Data to Digest

10 queerest American states revealed
Approximately 14.1 million queer adults are proudly living across America and make up 5.6 per cent of the population.
GAY TIMESAlice Morey
Anti-LGBTQ+ state laws could make it harder to hire new talent
It turns out a lot of people don’t want to move to states with anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ laws…
LGBTQ NationAlex Bollinger

Liabilities

Challenges to Overcome

Bomb threat shuts down Takoma Park holiday drag show
MotorKat evacuated when Tara Hoot was performing
Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay NewsPhilip Van Slooten
Out in the World: Queer Russians on edge after high court bans ’LGBTQ movement’
Queer Russians are hastily deleting associations with LGBTQ events and political statements from their social media accounts and some are attempting to leave the country, media outlets have reported.
Bay Area Reporter
HRC warns of the danger of a second Trump term
Kelley Robinson says we must ‘take him at his word’
Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay NewsChristopher Kane
Toronto LGBTQ business owners say they’re being unfairly excluded from Ontario grants program | CBC News
Some Toronto business owners in the LGBTQ community say they are worried that they’re being shut out of a provincial grant program because their businesses sometimes include sexual products or services, which are specifically banned in the program’s eligibility rules.
CBCMichael Smee

Future Outlook

Opportunities & Events to Know About

Creating Change 2024

Join the nation’s foremost political, leadership, and skills-building conference for the LGBTQ+ movement at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans from Wednesday, January 17 to Sunday, January 21, 2024! Enjoy a mix of Institutes, keynote presentations, annual awards, and more than 100 workshops and caucuses.

Learn more and register here

Black Identity Development Conference

Join LGBTQ+ author and activists George M. Johnson, Hope Giselle, Dr. Torie Weiston-Serdan, and BrandElsa Pereira on Saturday, February 24, 2024 at the inaugural Black Identity Development Conference.

Learn more and register here

Read more