Gay Profiling

[LeeOz]

Has this ever happened to anyone else?

 

A few months ago, I started using Amazon.com. I bought 2 DVDs on Broadway musicals. I purchased 'Elaine Stritch At Liberty' and Sondheim's 'Passion'. Based on my purchases, they had a list of recommendations for me, which appeared when I next logged on. Based on these recommendations, I purchased Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd' and 2 books on Broadway musicals. When I next logged on, I found a book on Gay Marriages in their list of recommendations.

 

Wow! I guess I was that obvious. But, aren't there any straight men into musicals? I have heard about profiling, where companies target specific groups for their marketing, or profiling at airports, where they target specific ethnic groups for random checking. But this is the first time I have experienced it. Very interesting. It is a bit disconcerting though knowing that companies are now able to know a lot of things about us based on our spending habits. We may be coming out to them earlier than we come out to our own families.

[Guest bighugbearphx]

Amazon's computer-generated recommendations are notorious, and often comical when they try to oversimplify subject matter. (A friend bought a book on drag queens, and was thereafter recommended to books about the royalty of England. I bought a novel about P-Town and was recommended books on the geology of Massachusetts.

 

Mostly, it simply does its thing based on statistical sampling of what books others who bought your purchases also purchased. It doesn't have you "marked" as gay or straight. And it generally works for them, as you admitted you bought some of the "recommendations" before, which urged their system to suggest more. You can mark any recommendations as "not interested" which will retrain their software into not recommending similar stuff in the future.

[bostonman]

>Has this ever happened to anyone else?

>

>A few months ago, I started using Amazon.com. I bought 2 DVDs

>on Broadway musicals. I purchased 'Elaine Stritch At Liberty'

>and Sondheim's 'Passion'. Based on my purchases, they had a

>list of recommendations for me, which appeared when I next

>logged on. Based on these recommendations, I purchased

>Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd' and 2 books on Broadway musicals.

>When I next logged on, I found a book on Gay Marriages in

>their list of recommendations.

>

>Wow! I guess I was that obvious. But, aren't there any

>straight men into musicals?

 

 

LOL!! :-)

 

Just so happens I'm a musical director by profession (for a number of regional Boston theatres...haven't hit Broadway...yet...;-) ) and I'm also a HUGE Sondheim fan, so I'd say you have excellent taste in your selections!! :-)

 

And to further your question about stereotype, another one is that musical theatre actors are often gay. Well, I just opened a show in Boston involving 6 guys (4 regular performers and 2 understudies) and ONLY ONE is gay!! It's very strange, let me tell you!! ;-) Last time this show played a long run in Boston, in the early 90's, I think the cast (including many replacements over a few years) was ENTIRELY gay!!

 

To quote Fats Waller (and Ain't Misbehavin') - "One never knows, do one??" ;-)

 

What is great is that all the straight guys are very secure around us few gay guys - a freind and I almost even succeeded in dragging two of them to a tranny bar after the opening reception the other night...(the bar was closed...damn!!)

 

But seriously - yeah - it's awful that many people still assume that any man interested in the arts must be gay (even if in some cases it's true...lol).

[+ Axiom2001]

Whenever I've purchased books via the net, gay or otherwise, suggestions and recommendations have been made. I think the recommendations are given based on type of book, not one's sexuality! I'd like to continue to think this way until something more significantly transpires!

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

>To quote Fats Waller (and Ain't Misbehavin') - "One

>never knows, do one??" ;-)

 

 

Wow. And i thought i was the only one who sometimes quoted that amazing musical starring the dearly departed Nell Carter

 

On the subject of profiling, i've also heard that TiVo does this as well with your viewing habits. Anyone care to share a story?

 

I've had straight male friends with a penchant for 'Will & Grace' who've ended up being recommended to shows like 'Boy Meets Boy' and 'Queer Eye' by their DVR's.

 

Interesting indeed...

 

Warmest Always,

 

 

Benjamin Nicholas

[Guest gentle guy]

RE: Profiling Gay and Otherwise

 

Ever donate to GMHC or Lambda Legal? Within 6 months, every gay-oriented charity in the US will be contacting you for money. Some of their solicitation letters even address you as "someone who is gay." (How did they know--I never told!) And yes, I requested that my name and address not be shared. It doesn't seem to matter--or they sell your address before your request is put into effect.

 

Similar experience with the National Holocaust Museum. I have received dozens and dozens of requests from Jewish charities and schools, some addressed to me as an "American Jew" (and I am a gay goy). Everybody makes assumptioms with underlying bigotry: only someone gay would donate to GMHC or Lambda Legal, and only someone Jewish would donate to The Holocaust Museum.

 

I think in an old thread somewhere it was mentioned how TLA Video distributes your name and address everywhere if you order from them.

 

On the other hand, like everyone else I know, I keep getting spam from Jennifer asking me to view her webcam pictures. Oy, does she have the wrong vampire! (Alfie Bass, The Fearless Vampire Killers, for those who care.)

[Guest bighugbearphx]

RE: Profiling Gay and Otherwise

 

>"someone who is gay." (How did they know--I never told!)

 

Indeed!

 

My dentist prescribed a mouth rinse for me. When I picked it up at the drug store, the instructions said "Take 1 oz twice a day and SWISH!"

 

Damm ... how did they know????

[ValleyDwellerNorth]

>Has this ever happened to anyone else?

 

 

It has happened to all of us. I ordered "Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc" some a-ha CDs and, according to Amazon, I am the biggest queen not in the UK.

 

It is a somewhat basic fact that most gay men (notice my "most" people so don't jump on my ass) have a very disposable income. No kids ... maybe a pet or two, etc (except for those of you adopting orphans from ex-Soviet block countries).

 

Amazon wants your queer bucks ... and I guess they were right with their assumption about you?

 

~vdn~

[OneFinger]

RE: Profiling Gay and Otherwise

 

>Ever donate to GMHC or Lambda Legal? Within 6 months, every gay-oriented charity in the US will be contacting you for money. Some of their solicitation letters even address you as "someone who is gay." (How did they know--I never told!) And yes, I requested that my name and address not be shared.

 

That is exactly why I have stopped donating to some charities or groups! Each time I receive one of these solicitations in the mail I send back a letter telling them that they'll not get another penny from me until they start respecting my privacy. But, I still keep getting the mailings and they don't seem to care.

 

But, it's not just the gay-related groups. I've had the same problem after donating to the American Heart Association and the Cancer Society. x(

 

On the other hand, I've had no problems with my donations to HooBoy. I use a specific e-mail address for electronic donations and that has NOT been compromised, sold, or given to other groups. It hasn't become a depository for spam, sexually-oriented ads, or similar unwanted mail. I really appreciate that HooBoy is a trusted place where I can still donate. Way to go HB!!

[+ deej]

RE: Profiling Gay and Otherwise

 

ROFL!

[WEST COASTER]

Anyone who has purchased from amazon.com will be profiled based their previous purchase. I once bought a series of cooking books as a gift and now they seem to think I am some sort of acccomplised chef who needs every culinary book in their inventory. Actualy it is a fascinating merchandising scheme.

[+ Axiom2001]

RE: Profiling Gay and Otherwise

 

"...SWISH!" :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

 

I read this with a BIG smile! :-) :-) :-)

[LeeOz]

>Actualy it is a fascinating merchandising

>scheme.

 

I certainly agree with you there. Our spending habits reveal a lot of thing about us. To use that knowlege to market to us is certainly going a big step further.

 

I just pity some closeted gay man out there who buys musical DVDs from Amazon. He doesn't realize he is gay. Neither do his parents and friends. But Amazon sure does. And what about those straight men who will be traumatised by being mistaken for gay?

[rapaz7]

My favorite gay marketing strategy comes from Playgirl magazine. After having bought gay videos through the mail and subscribing to gay magazines, I am on quite a few "gay" mailing lists. Playgirl magazine sends a letter asking me to subscribe and then to protect my privacy they offer to send the magazines in a plastic cover to protect my privacy. This costs extra from the regular subscription rate. The funny thing is they have already "outted" me with their solicitation. The envelope reads Playgirl Magazine in the return address and there is my name in the field whom it is addressed to. I guess after that it is a little late to "protect my privacy" even at an additional cost.