The Advocate poll.

Q: Do you believe organized boycotts can change the pro-gay or antigay policies of large corporations?

* "Any highly organized boycott will have an effect on a business. The challenge is making the community aware of why the boycott is necessary and how they can support the cause:

* "I don't think boycotts work. Right now, there are too many companies the GLBT community is supposed to be boycotting, and try as I might, I can't keep track."

* "Boycotts have been a powerful tool for change in the past, and they certainly still are. However, participants must be dedicated and organized to make them work."

* "No, but if I believe in the cause, such as the ExxonMobil boycott, I participate because it's a matter of principle."

* "It got rid of Anita Bryant's orange-juice connection, didn't it?"

* "I don't think boycotts alone do; however, boycotts often attract media attention, and I think the media attention can force policy changes due to the resulting positive or negative public perception."

* "Most people don't pay attention to boycotts anymore. They don't like being told what to buy or not to buy regardless of the cause."

unsure    6%
yes      52%
no       42%

How readers responded to the Advocate.com poll question featured in the July 18 issue of The Advocate