Boycotts by African Americans in the 1960s were integral in the success of the civil rights movement. And don't think the same can't apply to LGBT.

A few statistics from the Annual Gay and Lesbian Tourism Study compiled by Community Marketing, Inc:



• For gay men and women, the average household income is $81,500 per year, almost 80% above the average U.S. household income of $46,326. • 40% of gay men reported household incomes in excess of $100,000 per year. 36% of lesbians reported household incomes in excess of $100,000 per year. • Gay men and lesbians with household incomes of $250,000+ travel more, spend more and cruise more than other gays and lesbians and indicate they prefer places that are restful, luxury oriented, and either mostly LGBT or exclusively gay. • Over 55% of gay men and 65% of lesbians are partnered or live with a significant other.

• 83% of U.S. lesbian and gay men have a current passport, compared to 34% of all adult US citizens. • 85% of lesbians and gay men are more likely to purchase products and services from companies that advertise in the LGBT Media. • 81% of gay travellers purchased an airline ticket online. • 77% of gay travellers purchase their accommodations online. • Gay men and lesbians travel more widely than their mainstream counterparts both domestically and internationally and those with higher incomes travel even more frequently, especially for leisure purposes.

North Carolina Travel Industry Association

1800 Camden Road, Suite 107, #213

Charlotte, NC 28203

tel: 704-333-3234

fax: 704-333-6927

email: staff@themanagementoffice.com

Calculating the economic impact of visitors to North Carolina, the state's wine and grape industry and other travel industry sectors helps policy makers make strategic decisions about the long term health of tourism, assess capital investment and gauge the amount of government support

Because of that money, travel is huge among LGBT:North Carolina's travel and tourism industry collected almost $11.9 billion: $11.4 billion from domestic travelers and $472.4 million from international. No one book to go there. Notify the North Carolina Travel Industry Association that you are organizing a boycott of all North Carolina travel by everyone you know. Here is their contact info:The most important business related to NC travel is the wine industry. In fact, they help put together all stats for NC travel. From NC Department of Commerce Tourism Division:

Also, stop purchasing any wines that are connected to NC. Here is a link to provide you with a list of all NC wineries. There are too many to list here. Notify them that you will not purchase their products, visit NC, or participate in their winery tours. Whether you have made such purchases in the past is not relevant. They will know that bad word of mouth is terrible. The full financial impact each year of wineries on the NC economy is $1.8 billion.

The following businesses as based in NC, and should be boycotted:

Ameritrust

Bank of America

Belk

"Coastal Federal Credit Union

Coventor

Dex Media, Inc.

Duke Energy

Family Dollar Stores

Goodrich Corporation

Lowe's

Nortel Networks

"Open Software Solutions Inc. (OSSI)

Reynolds American Inc.

Sealy (mattresses)



SEALY CORPORATION

ONE OFFICE PARKWAY

Trinity NC 27370

Jenny.sherman@mslgroup.com (head of corporate communiocations)Wachovia Bank

VF Corporation (maker of Lee Jeans, Nautica, North Face, Wrangler, Timberland and many other clothes.)

VF Corporation World Headquarters

105 Corporate Center Blvd.

Greensboro, North Carolina 27408

Phone: (336) 424-6000

corporate_communications@vfc.com

These are just a few. I started putting all contact info in, and I will continue to do so if necessary, but I realized this is going to take me a long time, and I have to help my son study for a test. So, if you need it, let me know and I will post all contact info tomorrow. Otherwise, find it, email, call, etc.

Please note, it does not matter what their position is on this issue. Their state has shown itself as hateful, and they have to know that they will pay a price.



Don't just sit on the couch. Get angry. Email all of these organizations and let them know that NC has only begun to see the consequences of its residents' hatred.