The program includes the development and implementation of inclusivity training materials for bar owners and employees at the 55,000 bars and nightclubs where Miller Lite is sold. These training materials will be informed by intersectional LGBTQ experiences shared at town halls across the country.
The brand said, “Everyone deserves to be their authentic selves at any bar, but this isn’t always the case for members of the LGBTQ community. There are countless reports of LGBTQ folks feeling unwelcome at restaurants and bars and of LGBTQ people of color and transgender and gender-nonconforming folks being discriminated against at LGBTQ bars.
“As the beer that believes everyone should be able to be themselves all the time, Miller Lite partnered with Equality Federation to address this key concern in the community and take an impactful step toward ensuring all LGBTQ individuals feel accepted and welcomed.”
The “Open & Proud” program is composed of:
- Town hall events across the country for LGBTQ individuals to attend and share their candid, open experiences and thoughts on how bars can be made more inclusive.
- The development of training materials for bars and restaurants across the country, informed by the insights shared at the town hall events.
- $250,000 donation to Equality Federation to help advance workplace fairness and equality for LGBTQ individuals at national and local levels.
Markets where events will take place and the state-based members hosting them include Chicago (Equality Illinois), Atlanta (Georgia Equality), and New Jersey (Garden State Equality). Miller Lite will also conduct an LGBTQ Workplace Inclusion Workshop for New York-based bar and restaurant workers in partnership with The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of New York.