Queer Eye for the Straight Organization

Another critical check is to make sure your internal systems, donor database and acknowledgement letters are set up for same-sex couples. You can guarantee you won’t get a second gift from a gay couple who inadvertently gets a “Dear Mr. and Mrs.” thank-you letter. Similarly, use inclusive language consistently throughout all your communications — you can’t assume you know how your donors self-identify, even if you know the gender of their partners. Also, be aware that since the IRS doesn’t yet acknowledge same-sex partnerships, same-sex couples can’t file joint tax returns. Consequently, you can’t predict how they’ll want to be acknowledged for tax purposes. Some might prefer to have both names on the letter; some might wish to be acknowledged separately. Some might be closeted to their employers, neighbors or family. It’s best to directly find out how they wish to be acknowledged.