As originally published in the 2022 .gay Impact Report

Founder’s Farewell

“We have been on a journey with .gay for 11 years and it is a bittersweet moment now that my time managing the .gay domain extension has come to an end. In 2012, we recognized the opportunity to create a new namespace for LGBTQIA+ communities, complete with industry- first policies that would separate .gay from the status quo. It was a big impossible dream, but thanks to our small but highly committed team, we were able to launch .gay three years ago. I’m so proud of the people in our company who made this happen. The very existence of .gay, and its potential to be a fresh new space to share gay joy and to show support of global communities is enticing. GoDaddy Registry is the right company to take .gay onto its next phase of growth, and we will be rooting them on, every step of the way!”

– Ray King, CEO, Top Level Design

.gay Gives

The importance of LGBTQIA+ community building is instrumental in growing the leadership of the movement; that’s why CenterLink was chosen as one of .gay’s beneficiaries. CenterLink provides training, resources, legislative advocacy and guidance for over 250 LGBTQIA+ community centers nationwide.

The other beneficiary, GLAAD, is doing work that is equally important. For over 30 years, GLAAD has been at the forefront of cultural change and accelerating acceptance of LGBTQIA+ communities. GLAAD’s critical culture- changing work continues to yield impactful results, and the GLAAD Media Reference Guide is also core to .gay’s marketing and policies.

• CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers
• GLAAD

View and download the full 2022 .gay Impact Report here.

About .gay 
The .gay domain extension provides a distinctive digital space devoted to connecting and celebrating members of LGBTQIA+ communities and their allies. For individuals, organizations, businesses and brands, .gay serves as a virtual Pride flag and inclusive badge of honor. For every new domain registered, .gay donates 20% of registration revenue to LGBTQIA+ nonprofit groups to help address key issues facing these communities.

About GoDaddy Registry 
GoDaddy Registry is one of the world's largest domain registry providers. We operate top-level domains (TLDs) on behalf of sovereign nations, city governments, global brands and other domain registries. With more than two decades of industry leadership, we serve as the Registry Operator for industry-leading TLDs like .co, .us, .biz and .nyc -- and manage the backend registry technology for hundreds more.

GoDaddy

GoDaddy

GoDaddy is empowering everyday entrepreneurs around the world by providing all of the help and tools to succeed online. GoDaddy is the place people come to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, sell their products and services, and manage their work. Our mission is to give our customers the tools, insights and the people to transform their ideas and personal initiative into success. To learn more about the company, visit www.GoDaddy.com.

About GoDaddy for Good

GoDaddy focuses on making opportunity more inclusive for all in the communities where we work, live and play across the globe. We rally behind inclusive entrepreneurship and other critical local needs that empower people to succeed through philanthropic and in-kind donations, volunteerism, strategic partnerships and advocacy.

Empower by GoDaddy 

Empower by GoDaddy is GoDaddy's global community and philanthropic program equipping entrepreneurs in underserved communities with training, tools and peer networks to accelerate their journeys. GoDaddy rallies behind entrepreneurs in underserved communities by building their confidence and skills to strengthen their small business’ digital presence.  Entrepreneurs engage in customized learning experiences, work 1-1 with GoDaddy volunteer coaches and local mentors, and gain access to wrap-around services, in-kind products and networks boosting their small businesses success.

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