As marketers, we need to be acutely aware of all the segments that make up our brand's consumers, including the U.S. gay and lesbian community. According to Community Marketing's Lesbian Consumer Index, the annual household income for lesbians is approximately $80,000. The U.S. Census Bureau cites the median income of the average U.S. household at $48,201--lesbians nearly double the national income.

On average, lesbians view 10 hours of TV per week. So it's no surprise programs like Showtime's "The L Word" are capitalizing on "integration packages" that will allow the show's writers and participating brands the freedom to create customized storylines for episodes. Community Marketing's Lesbian Consumer Index surveyed 10,000 lesbian respondents in 2007 and found 39 percent of lesbian women said they watched Showtime.

Moreover, lesbians use the Internet about 10 hours per week. These numbers point to the success of social networking sites like Ourchart.com, the largest social networking Web site for lesbians.

Among this segment, higher education is also important: Sixty-seven percent are college graduates, nearly 40 percent of lesbian boomers have a master's degree, and more than a quarter of lesbians in Generation X have a master's degree.

The median age for this segment is 45, and 64.5 percent is in a relationship or living together. Lesbians dine out about three times per week; 17.3 percent purchased a plasma or HDTV in the last year; 47.5 percent prefer vodka among spirits; and 78 percent voted in the 2006 mid-term elections.

Pet ownership is also prevalent among this segment: 50.8 percent of lesbians are guardians of a cat; 58.5 percent are guardians of a dog.

The lesbian segment is evidently affluent and educated, and for marketers seeking to better understand the diversity of their consumers, awareness of these demographics can be helpful.

Lesbian Demographics
Median age	45
TV viewing (per week)	10 hours
Personal Internet usage (per week)	10 hours
Dine out (per week)	3 times
Prefer vodka among spirits	47.5%
Purchased a plasma or HDTV in the last year	17.3%
Voted in 2006 mid-term elections	78%
Guardian of a dog	58.5%
Guardian of a cat	50.8%

*Community Marketing Gay & Lesbian Consumer Index

For more information on this segment, view the links below: http://www.communitymarketinginc.com/mkt_int_gld.htm
http://www.ourchart.com