Ben Waber reviewed Queering of Corporate America by Carlos A. Ball
The Subtitle Hasn't Held Up, But a Still Fascinating History
5 stars
Ball chronicles the evolution of large US corporations from active antagonists of the LGBTQ+ community to one that until early 2025 had at least publicly professed to be allies. I wish the book pushed a bit farther back in history - it mostly starts in the '70s - but what comes out is how important activist groups were in agitating for change over the long term. This resulted in a series of small wins that eventually built into a larger trajectory that put the business community ahead of popular opinion on LGBTQ+ issues starting in the 90s. Ball ends with a thought-provoking chapter on how, in the wake of the Citizens United decision, different sane parts of the political spectrum can use the pressure that business puts on governments around LGBTQ+ issues to reconsider their stance around corporate involvement in politics. Highly recommend
Ball chronicles the evolution of large US corporations from active antagonists of the LGBTQ+ community to one that until early 2025 had at least publicly professed to be allies. I wish the book pushed a bit farther back in history - it mostly starts in the '70s - but what comes out is how important activist groups were in agitating for change over the long term. This resulted in a series of small wins that eventually built into a larger trajectory that put the business community ahead of popular opinion on LGBTQ+ issues starting in the 90s. Ball ends with a thought-provoking chapter on how, in the wake of the Citizens United decision, different sane parts of the political spectrum can use the pressure that business puts on governments around LGBTQ+ issues to reconsider their stance around corporate involvement in politics. Highly recommend