Date: Mon, 10 Oct 1994 15:28:44 -0700 From: Mills Mike Gay-Friendly Establishments Post Logo to Beckon Patrons By Sheila Anne Feeney, New York Daily News Oct. 4--During the days of the Underground Railroad, abolitionists made marks on their doors that indicated to runaway slaves where to take shelter. Undercover police officers have long used a "color of the day," to tip off other cops to their true identity. Today, more and more businesses are posting a cheerful logo to guarantee gay and lesbians that they are welcome and will be treated well. The seven-colored rainbow sticker in bright prismatic stripes (red stripe on top) is typically nestled under the door decals advertising the acceptance of credit cards. The symbol is wordless, but its message is loud and clear: This establishment is gay-friendly. Bigotry will not be tolerated. Its presence does not necessarily mean an establishment is gay-owned, explains Michael Dickman, 40, a marketing consultant: "To me, it broadcasts a message of tolerance and welcome to all groups - for black people and all minorities. It means you can act natural (there), the way heterosexuals do anywhere else. If you want to hold hands or be affectionate, you won't feel intimidated." The simple, multi-hued "Freedom Flag," became an emblem of the diversity and inclusiveness of the gay and lesbian community in the 1970s on the West Coast. Rainbow motifs have become increasingly popular as bumperstickers, jewelry, decorative outdoor windsocks and flags, or decals for book bags and briefcases. Businesses, eager to relieve gays of their relatively high disposable incomes, are increasingly discovering that rainbows do indeed lead to pots of gold. "The rainbow flag has completely taken over from the (Nazi) pink triangle, which was the dominant gay symbol. Not everyone agreed with the politics of trying to reclaim a symbol of oppression," says Roz Parr, manager of A Different Light bookstore, whose sales of rainbow-motif merchandise rocketed since the Gay Games in June. Fidel Patino and Andrew Szpila(cq) were so crazy about the rainbow symbolism that they named their black cat Rainbow, and hung a huge rainbow- colored windsock in the window of their three-month-old Woodside, Queens, animal service business, "Rainbow Pet Supply." "There's a lot of homophobia around here," says Szpila, but most straight customers see the rainbow flag as nothing more than a vibrant decoration. While the decals may signify tolerance and acceptance, they are unemotional money makers for some manufacturers. Three years ago, retired banker and ex-New Yorker Bob Goodman founded Flags and Banners, a New Orleans company dedicated to producing, importing and distributing such merchandise. As a result of an inquiry from gay customers, his Freedom Flags - and numerous variations - became his best sellers. He sells 25,000 rainbow decals a year "but we give away well over 100,000." Goodman, however, says he would never put such a decal in the window of his own business because he believes it would suggest that he is gay. Frequent commerce with gay customers, he says, has made him a less bigoted person, but "I don't support gay rights or organizations," and he lauds his Confederate flags as "one hell of a thing to make money off of!"