Recently, industry professionals have been proclaiming that their jobs include management of public perception, related to values and ethics concerns circulating in the news. This may not fall under the realm of responsibilities you may think event and meeting planners have, but it is the truth.
Increasingly, event and meeting professionals are conscious of topical issues and public outcries. They are making decisions for events/meetings based on prevailing social, moral, or political beliefs. In a BizBash article, a poll was completed where respondents overwhelmingly said they felt it was their professional duty to partake in being socially aware and socially conscious, acknowledging their roles as managers of public perception amid controversial issues in the news that could threaten an event's success.
Across the country different events and venues have been dealing with these controversial issues and facing boycotts in response to these dilemmas. The Beverly Hills Hotel, one of the most iconic properties in Los Angeles, is facing the percussions of a boycott because of the political beliefs of its owner, the Sultan of Brunei. Apparently, he was imposing Sharia law, which targets women and gays for harsh punishment, in his nation. This display of disrespect comes on the heels of previous calls for boycotts in the case of Florida's Stand Your Ground law.
LA is home to one of the biggest TLGB Pride Parades known to man. This year the parade is taking place June 6-8, 2014. It will be interesting to see if any actions involving the Beverly Hills Hotel will occur during the parade.
"With over 400,000 participants, spectators and marchers, this emotionally charged experience, gathers together a colorful and diverse look at our creative community showcasing all that is great about the TLGB community."
This year's grand marshal is Demi Lovato, a well-respected artist who's Twitter-following will surely rip anyone to pieces if they have an issue with anything involving the parade. It will be interesting to see how the continued controversy and boycotts at the Beverly Hills Hotel unfold and if anything goes down at the parade.
Read more on these issues and form your own opinion. It is your responsibility to devour the details and do so in a socially conscious way.
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