We've Dropped the .COM!; .LGBT Public Launch Begins Today

#Boom Magazine is proud to partner with four pioneer companies around the world in launching the first-of-its-kind lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) specific top level domain (TLD). Whether fostering community or advocating for equality, visibility remains key - and this new queer identified platform offers just that.



Dublin based global domain registry operator Afilias officially announced today the first and only TLD dedicated to the LGBT community is now open for registration: “dot LGBT” or.LGBT. All LGBT community members and businesses, organizations and other entities serving the community may register for a .LGBT domain name immediately.

With “LGBT” being most preferred term by the community, the .LGBT web address naturally appeals to this audience. Businesses, organizations and other entities with a .LGBT address will stand out and their intention to connect with the community will immediately get recognized.

“The large and vibrant LGBT community now has an Internet address that embraces the full breadth and diversity of LGBT people around the world in a protected, inclusive manner,” said Roland LaPlante, Chief Marketing Officer of Afilias. “The new .LGBT domain provides email and site addresses that instantly convey‘LGBT-friendly’. Innovative companies and organizations like the ones below know that .LGBT will help them stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace for goods, services and ideas for this distinctive community.”

Five .LGBT pioneers on both sides of the Atlantic already have their sites up and running:

#Boom Magazine is a St. Louis, U.S.-based news, advocacy and community publication serving the LGBT anr urban progressive community.

“We are delighted to be a pioneer for .LGBT," said #Boom publisher Colin Lovett. "Not only does the nomenclature of the TLD represent the community we serve, but because we provide LGBT-specific content, the TLD will help drive users searching for this content to our site."

"We hope that other businesses, organizations and individuals will consider adding or migrating to a .LGBT site," added #Boom editor Colin Murphy. "The best part is that because our business is a common word with an already taken .com site, we can now migrate to a domain name that matches exactly what our business is – www.boom.lgbt.”

The Original LGBT Expo is a leading U.S. expo organizer connecting diversity-supportive companies, products, services and organizations to the LGBT community.

“We take pride in always being at the forefront of change in the LGBT consumer world in the last 20 years," said Jay Handy, Executive Director of Life Out Loud Events. "The launch of the .LGBT domain is one of the biggest recent changes in consumer marketing: businesses and organizations who recognize the power of LGBT customers can now stand out and be easily identified by being on this domain. We are excited to own the ‘expo.lgbt’ web address which will be where we announce our 2016 dates, and show that we are once again leading the trend.”

Prominently known as Philly Gay Lawyer, Angela Giampolo is an expert on LGBT legal issues and has been featured as a national leading expert as a Fox News Analyst and on NPR, Wall Street Journal, American News Radio, and several Sirius stations. She also hosts her own radio show called SpeakOUT on Q102 and actively blogs at phillygaylawyer.com. “Philly Gay Lawyer” is the advocacy arm of Angela’s law firm, Giampolo Law Group (GLG), based in Philadelphia.GLG provides a wide range of legal services including LGBT Family Law, Employment Discrimination, Transgender Law, Business Law, and Real Estate.

“As an LGBT advocate, I could not be more honored to be awarded the domain name ‘lawyer.lgbt’ as it truly reflects my passion of advancing LGBT rights," offered Giampolo. "I have migrated my blog phillygaylawyer.com, which is dedicated solely to LGBT civil rights, to this new .LGBTweb address. This shift in branding states clearly who I am and what I stand for – full national equality and acceptance of LGBT rights.”

Out Now is a global LGBT diversity specialist, consulting for organizations around the worldon diversity marketing and research initiatives. Having launched the world’s first allocated .LGBT site, they published their LGBT2020 research report on this sitehighlighting the importance of diversity and inclusion policies for LGBT people at work.

“At Out Now we say that ‘LGBT spells people,'" commented Ian Johnson, CEO of Out Now. "We know there is much more to do to make all LGBT people in every country free to enjoy lives of safety and equal respect – but the new .LGBT domain has taken a significant step forward for our communities globally to connect, learn and build more visible and successful lives for people.”

PinkNews is a digital media company based in London and New York covering news of all genres for the LGBT community.

“PinkNews’ approach is to cover news in an intelligent manner," explained Anastasia Kyriacou, PinkNews Partnerships Coordinator. "With a strong reader base in the UK, US and globally, we believe it is natural step to streamline our international news onto the .LGBT web address. PinkNews was founded to report on LGBT issues and nothing reflects that clearer than having a web address that ends with the letters ‘LGBT.’ We look forward connecting with the global LGBT community on this distinctive, meaningful, and easy-to-remember web address.”

Get Your .LGBT Web Address Today

As the first and only dedicated space for the LGBT community, the .LGBT domain also has an acceptable-use policy that protects the web extension from possible misuse and provides the ability for .LGBT to remove any sites that may be in violation, ensuring .LGBT remains an asset to the community. Acceptable Use Policy details: http://get.lgbt/LGBTAUP