While seeing a GLBT type of publication removed from a public place is always irritating, and worthy of investigation, I have to say that I fully understand the position that such businesses as Krogers take in cases such as this. (Their subsidiary, Fred Myers, is the best known Krogers affiliate in my home area),
Quoting their response:
>> Please understand that Publications are placed on the racks in our stores by
>> approval only. Other publications in the past that were not pre-approved
>> were removed, as in the case with Out and About. In other words, it's their space - they first and foremost reserve the right to say what gets placed in that space. While a long time activist myself, I fully understand and respect the right of a property owner/business to decide what material can be placed in their space. If I owned a business space, I would want to reserve the right to say what material could be put there - for example, I wouldn't approve of the local KKK chapter, or a fundamentalist Church, putting their pamphlets or magazines in my business space!
>> We do not permit publications with a religious, political or other agenda. The
>> racks are for real estate, auto, health and neighborhood type publications. Because they *are* a large Corporate business entity however, and have to regard possible legal ramifications, they need to have consistent policy. The policy quoted above is consistent with a prudent legal position, where they can honestly say that NO one is being favored OR discriminated against. Once they allow one type of publication, such as Out and About, then if they denied another group, (like a right wing homophobic group, or a fundamentalist religious publication), that group could easily bring legal action against them.
>> Please be assured that diversity and inclusion are two of Kroger's core
>> values. We welcome all customers to our stores and value the contributions
>> of all of our associates. > Now since this site is a Tennessee GLBT resource I disagree with their claim
> to be Tennessee's Best Source but I will cut them a bit of slack in this
> instance. (Quote from the Author of the threads original post)
The fact that Krogers IS a GLBT resource, and open to the letters, boycotts, etc that many business's have felt because of such designation, speaks well enough to me to say that they are on the right track.
When we advocate a boycott or criticism of businesses that have already shown their support of the GLBT communities, we only cut our own throats.
While a small, private business would easily be ignored by legal action, if a large and very visible Corporate entity, such as Krogers, were to accept one such publication like Out and About, and then deny another (such as one supporting discrimination), they would then leave themselves open to suit.
By having a neutral, and
consistent policy, they safeguard themselves from such legal actions. While it's a pity that business's have to worry about such things, it's a reality of our current legal and cultural life.
In our local area, (Portland, OR), I have seen that Fred Myers has been supportive of the community, and consistent in their employment diversity policies. I have no doubt that if they carried Just Out, (our areas leading GLBT publication) and then refused another publication that didn't reflect the same respect to diversity, they would be the target of legal action.
Let's please look at business realities, legal necessities, and real life priorities before we criticize any given business or person. I'd much rather save our energies for those business's that really need some education, rather than attacking those folks who are already our allies.
This is my first post here, (and no, I'm not an employee/personal fan of Krogers, etc), and it may not be well advised to start off in disagreement with a post from the Moderator.
From the posts I've read however, I like to think that polite disagreement is respected, and not a problem. Indeed, I mean no disrespect what so ever, however, I know it's all too often easy to have expectations of a large business that simply aren't realistic in terms of the legal issues they have to consider.
By having a very clearly, and followed, neutral statement of what kind of material may be freely placed in their stores, Krogers merely guarantees that we won't have to see offensive material to us. It also means that they're not going to offend
any customers because of specific materials, or be the subject of legal actions. As a business, I can understand this position.
I can readily find
many places to find GLBT material; I don't expect very large, very diverse business's like Krogers to even try and get into the debate of what to carry. Such large venues like this are so tempting that without such policies, they would be inundated with demands that they carry every kind of material. As a private entity, they would then just have to say they wouldn't carry
any non-store materials, and the use of the limited space they DO offer for general material would then be gone. We would then lose a community resource for such neutral publications, and achieve nothing more. Let's save our criticism for those businesses's that need it, and get out GLBT materials from places that can readily carry them.
Thank you,
Scott
Mallard500
