This year, with many of us stuck in our homes and not able to come together to celebrate in person, we’re looking back—back before the parades, before the flag, even before “pride.”
Read More - Trans People Changing The World: Celebrating the Roots of Pride and Those who Took Action Read MoreLGBTIQ Equality
We believe in equality for everyone, everywhere—no matter who they are or who they love.
Our Stance
Ben & Jerry’s has a long and proud history of commitment to social justice, including LGBTIQ rights and marriage equality. This commitment is grounded in our company’s core values, which include a deep respect for all people and an unshakable belief that everyone deserves full and equal civil rights.
What’s the Issue?
In Australia, 72% of the population supports Marriage Equality**, so why haven’t our leaders acted? Now is the time to stand up for fair and equal rights for all by letting our leaders know that we demand Marriage Equality. Join us, the Equality Campaign and Australian Marriage Equality by taking action! Tell your local MP that you support marriage equality and you want them to take action now. You can do this by posting a message in your local Ben & Jerry’s scoop shop postbox. Don’t live near a scoop shop – no problem! You can send a fax through the Equality Campaign’s website here.
How We’ve Supported the Movement
Way back in 1989, Ben & Jerry's was the first major employer in our home state of Vermont to offer health insurance to domestic partners of employees, including same-sex couples. It didn't feel like a revolutionary gesture at the time—no, we just knew it was the right and fair thing to do. Here are a few other ways we have supported LGBT rights over the years:
1996: Our Foundation awarded grants to PFLAG (Parents, Friends, and Family of Lesbians and Gays) organizations
1999: We actively supported Vermont’s groundbreaking civil-unions legislation
2001: We supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the US
2009: We celebrated gay marriage in Vermont the best way we know how—we turned Chubby Hubby into Hubby Hubby
2010: We hosted a same-sex wedding at a Scoop Shop in Washington DC—how sweet it was!
2012: We partnered with Stonewall to support marriage equality in UK with an honorary flavor: Apple-y Ever After
2013: We rallied support for marriage equality in Australia with the I Dough, I Dough flavor, and in Ireland with EngageMint Party
2013: We worked with the band FUN. and the Ally Coalition to raise awareness about the challenges to full LGBT equality
2014: We participated for the first time in the Tokyo Rainbow Pride parade
2015: We joined more than 340 businesses in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court that makes the businesses’ case for marriage equality for all
2015: We supported the ‘Say Yes!’ campaign in Ireland, traveling the country and hosting Yestivals leading up to the remarkable and historic vote on May 22nd in support of marriage equality
2015: Along with so many others around the country and the world, on June 26th we celebrated the Supreme Court's momentous decision on marriage equality. To honor this victory, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough was renamed I Dough, I Dough for the summer
2015: We partnered with Australians for Marriage Equality to launch Equality Calling, urging Australian citizens to contact their MP in support of Marriage Equality.
The votes are in and Australia voted for love!! But before you get your rainbow flag party on, we need to make sure MPs know that we want laws that are just and equal!
Read More - You Voted and Love WON! But fair and equal Marriage Equality is not law yet… Read MoreThe government postal survey on marriage equality is going ahead. It's not what we, our partners and the LGBTQ community were hoping for but to win it, we need everyone to vote yes! Yes, for equality; Yes, for fairness; and Yes, for love!
Read More - Vote yes for marriage equality. It is time to get this done and make sure love wins! Read MoreWe believe in equality for everyone, everywhere—no matter who they are or who they love. Now it is time for Australia, the land of fair dinkum, to make marriage fair and marriage equality legal.
Read More - Could Australia be the next country to make marriage equality a reality? It is time for love to win! Read MoreImagine heading down to your local Scoop Shop to order your favourite two scoops of Cookie Dough in a waffle cone. But you find out you are not allowed...
Read More - Love comes in all flavours! It’s time for Australia to legalise marriage equality. Read MoreSupport for marriage equality in Australia has hit record highs, but the plebiscite - a public vote - proposed by the government isn’t the solution we need. Join us, to say YES to love, YES to equality and NO to the plebiscite!
Read More - 5 Reasons to Support Marriage Equality, Not a Plebiscite Read MoreThe election is over, but the fight for marriage equality continues, though the exact path forward is a bit cloudy. We’ve broken it down to show you how Australia can achieve a more fair society for all!
Read More - Australia’s New Path to Marriage Equality Read MoreWith the outcome of the election, Australia’s journey towards marriage equality is now clear. Learn how to support the right to marry for all!
Read More - Post-election: Australia’s New Path to Marriage Equality Read MoreWith the outcome of the election, Australia’s journey towards marriage equality is now clear. Learn how to support the right to marry for all!
Read More - Post-election: Australia’s New Path to Marriage Equality Read MoreThese same-flavour relationships are a testament to anything, it’s that loving who – or what – you love is always the tastiest option.
Read More - Our Top 5 Same-Flavour Relationships Read More