Levi's Sports White Knots in Support of Gay Marriage

Should businesses take a side in the gay marriage equality debate? Only if they want to be on the right side of history or else it's just bad marketing, and karma.

Levi Strauss has taken a stance, outfitting its mannequins in white. Bruce Watson of Walletpop explains:

The White Knot program encourages people to demonstrate their solidarity with marriage equality by wearing a small piece of knotted white ribbon. A subtle symbol, white knots have appeared on the clothing of celebrities ranging from New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg to comedienne Kathy Griffin. And now, of course, they are appearing on hundreds of Levi's mannequins.

San Francisco-based, family owned Levi Strauss was the first Fortune 500 company to extend health benefits to "domestic partners of unmarried employees." Now the jean giant is spreading a symbol of one of the most important issues of our time--love (versus fear). Now that's good business--forward thinking and engaging.

While it seems likely that Levi's might lose a little bit of market share in some of the country's more conservative areas, its move to embrace gay rights suggests that this issue has become more about civil rights than about religion. In this context, it seems like the move for universal marriage rights may have turned a corner.

As a Christian, I don't see this as a religious issue at all. It's a basic rights issue. (Whoever thinks otherwise is using fear-based thinking and preaching separation, which is the opposite of what God wants for us.) The fact that there are businesses, like Levi's, that take a stand of support for gay civil rights, in this harsh economic climate, proves as much.

To read more of Watson's break-down of Levi's support of gay marriage equality, go to Walletpop.com.

Comments

[kseal]

This is one of the best things I have heard in a long while. Large companies need to take a stand on this important civil rights issue, if the battle for equality is going to be won any time soon.

The idea of using mannequins to raise awareness about this issue is ingenious--their visibility in the public sphere is almost unparalleled. I am curious to see what other companies will follow Levi's example, either by outfitting their mannequins and models with the White Knot or the National Marriage Boycott equality ring (read more on NMB here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/patrick-sauer/an-interview-with-alexis_b_212716.html).

[hm4thefamily]

Why can't companies stick to selling products - is it really that hard to do without having to push an agenda? Certainly would be a lot less divisive and I suspect they could promote equality simply by not
pandering to any one group of people. Then they are selling product equally to ALL people and thus, not alienating any one group in the process (in either a positive or negative way).

[jennydoll]

i loved Levi's. in fact, that is all i own when it comes to jeans. But, no more. I am a Christian and will not support anything or anyone who supports homosexuality. Whoever says this "white ribbon" is for equality needs to read the bible and what is says about homosexuality. I will pray that anyone that is struggling w/ the disease will turn away from the sin and find God.

[smoovejef]

Levi's is better without you being a customer. If you aren't intelligent enough to know that the physics of matter would not allow for this planet to be made in six days, you are certainly not intelligent enough to realize the concept of human value. If your domicile is on fire, will you turn the fire crews away because one of them may be gay? Stop shopping at the local grocer because the produce manager may be gay? Not accept care from a nurse while hospitalized because they may be gay?

Looks like YOU are the one who has lost touch with God.

[jennydoll]

WOW! I am sorry that you don't believe in God's intelligence that he could and did make the world in 6 days, and then he rested. Man, I sure would hate to be you when Jesus comes back. Or when you die and have to stand before God. Look, i said that i am not gonna support Levi's. I am not gonna walk around wearing jeans w/ a white knotted ribbon stitched in them that stands for gays and lesbians. Not supporting Levi's cause i don't want to wear something that has a logo for gays is not the same as turning away help because they are gay. I would never be mean to or hurt somebody just because they are gay. I realize the concept of human value. I do not want to see anybody go to hell. Why do you say that i am the one who has lost touch w/ God?

[itolduso]

The best way to show our support is to BUY from the companies that make a stand for equality. The bigots buy votes using fear & lies & intimidation, we now have an opportunity to vote with our dollars...­. and nothing changes the political landscape like greenbacks. EQUALITY = FINANCIAL SUCCESS = LAWS IN SUPPORT OF EQUALITY.

[Tim Berry - Huffpost Blogger]

Nice post. I really like your last paragraph, totally agree. And I'm sure that on the long term, companies that stand up for what's right, as in equality and respect for the other person's rights, are going to do better in business than companies that are always bending to the wind.

[jnickj6]

Gay rights never should have been and never should be a religious issue.

Throughout World history, religion was used to manipulate, oppress and subvert humanity; those who opposed were murdered, often, in brutal and savage ways. Times have not changed as much as we are led to believe. Today, well meaning people are repeating the same diatribe they were taught as children; that being Gay is wrong. They say "It says so in the Bible...." Through ignorance, they are simply repeating what they were taught, without taking time to study history for themselves. King James paid for, and had the Bible re-written or "tweaked" to manipulate his constituents as well as his enemies; and much of what was "authorized" then, isbeing used against many different groups of people today --all in the name of religion.

I am grateful for companies like Levi's, Ford, Target, and others who support equal rights for everyone. LGBTQ people are not wanting special rights, just equal rights.

Remember this: Those who do not learn from History's mistakes, are doomed to repeat them.

[AFVet1A251]

Fanned!!!

Great post- you nailed that on the head :) Most people that refer to themselves as "christians" don't know the true origins of the book they hold in such high regard. Or the fact that what they read wasn't copied word for word from the original document. It was passed down through word of mouth (remember the game "telephone"?) and someone, probably centuries later, wrote something down..


Thank you