Comments on: Virginia health club to offer ‘household’ memberships to unmarried couples with children

By: WGAY podcast discussion: July 13 | Washington Blade - America's Leading Gay News Source

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 15:51:58 +0000

[...] A discussion of the article “Roanoke health club reverses anti-gay stance.” [...]

By: brian

brian — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 13:49:20 +0000

*****
Carilion Clinic, which is the largest employer in Roanoke, operates seven hospitals and more than 150 other health care facilities in Southwest Virginia. The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute is also located in Roanoke.
Related…
http://www.washingtonblade.com/2011/09/07/hhs-advances-hospital-visitation-rights-for-gay-couples/
*****
And to both excellent comments, I’ll just add that we shouldn’t underestimate the positive cascading impact of the ‘Obama Effect’ in this case.

The Obama Administration’s hospital non-discrimination executive directives coupled with overwhelming national LGBT protest is the way real change is likely to occur in more rural, conservative locations across the nation.

With the ACA’s constitutionality now sustained by SCOTUS, anti-LGBT discrimination is all the more RISKY business by hospitals and their holding corporations and stockholders.

In this instance, a lawsuit (apparently based upon VA’s standard breach of contract/ fraud statutes, not discrimination) got the defendant’s attention. But when the story hit national LGBT press headlines and generated a national (change.org) petition, Carilion’s lawyers were quickly made aware of two things…
1) The LGBT plaintiffs in Roanoke could expect broad-based financial backing for their suit from the national LGBT community, if necessary. And worse still,
2) with heightened LGBT awareness of Carilion’s apparent anti-LGBT discrimination at their athletic club, Carilion’s 7 hospitals and many clinics might face additional lawsuits– PLUS possible adverse federal action under the Obama Administrations directives against anti-LGBT discrimination in hospitals.

Despite the efforts in Virginia by McDonnell and Cuccinelli to weaken or eliminate LGBT rights protections,
http://www.washingtonblade.com/2010/03/11/va-guv-tackles-discrimination-in-directive/
Virginia businesses are coming to the conclusion that anti-LGBT discrimination is just really bad news for their businesses.

Thank you, Mr. President.

By: John-Manuel Andriote

John-Manuel Andriote — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 20:16:57 +0000

Amazing what a little ‘sunlight’–in the form of a lawsuit and bad publicity–can do to make businesses literally see the light. Now if the club provides a hospitable welcome to those who take advantage of the new membership category, they may very well attract more members when people tell their friends. That is how good customer service pays off–and they have already had a taste of what poor customer service can do, including get you sued.

By: Kenny

Kenny — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 13:34:48 +0000

Terribly short-sighted and arrogant that the Roanoke Athletic Club was so quick to rescind the membership, sighting VA state policy. The right thing to do from the start, should have been to grant the membership (great Customer Service..HUGE positive PR by allowing “non-traditional” families membership). Hiding their own discriminatory actions by blaming it on the state is unconscionable. The Sate of VA, the last time I checked, does not tell you how to run your business. Now they have this negative press to contend with! THANK YOU to Mr. Trinkle filing his lawsuit! Now there is a precedent!