AOL Time-Warner: Do we Care?

One would think that the mega-merger between Time-Warner and America Online (see details on the merger by About.com Guide to the Internet, Jason Zien) would have little effect on gays and lesbians, and be of little concern other than to those of us who own shares in either company.

Yet, that is not quite true. One of the companies has a good record in its relationships with gays, lesbians, and sensitivity to GLBT issues and interests and the other does not. So, in a way this proposed merger may indeed be of interest to, and bear watching by, the GLBT community.

(Before I say more, allow me to note [or more accurately disclose] that I have during my lifetime been employed by both AOL and Time-Warner, and for many years was a "volunteer" for AOL. I have both positive and negative memories from each, and continued association with many people at both corporate entities.)

While a direct side-by-side comparison is not totally possible, there are some basic comparisons which can be made:

Time-Warner	America Online
Time-Warner's corporate policy provides full (and excellent) benefits not only to domestic partners, but to children as well.	AOL, while also providing domestic partner benefits, has its corporate headquarters in, and pays state taxes to, Virginia, a state which continues to enforce a sodomy statute and considers sexual orientation in determining matters of child custody and employment. Additionally, its diversity policy not only fails to specify sexual orientation but its language to cover items it may have missed, "protected characteristic" suggests this omission was not accidental.
Time-Warner, to the best of my knowledge, seems to understand the concepts of electronic privacy.	AOL may have violated federal law and has violated its own contract with its members in releasing private member information, in one instance resulting in major complications for a sailor subject to "Don't Ask Don't Tell."
Time-Warner's diverse group of companies have won GLAAD Media awards for positive GLBT coverage and content.	AOL has won condemnation and at times hidden its gay and lesbian members and content as if embarrassed by same.
Time-Warner has a corporate policy against harassment of people based upon sexual orientation.	AOL removed the term "sexual orientation" from the prohibited harassment section of its Terms of Service and allows Member profiles which are openly hostile to gays and lesbians, Jews and other groups which are often subject to hate and hate crimes.
Many Time-Warner publications cover GLBT events and respect a diversity of opinions, and have not been known to cater to homophobia.	AOL has Forums which do not allow people to raise gay or lesbian issues within the context of ongoing discussion.

AOL is paying a premium for Time-Warner stock. Let's just hope that they place a premium on Time-Warner policies as well.

In pride,
Deborah

Contribute to G/L Issues

to help with our expenses