The official process of introducing .gay to the Internet began in 2012, when four companies applied to the domain oversight body, ICANN, for the rights to run the new top level domain extension. The applicants were Minds + Machines Group Limited (LSE:MMX), Rightside (NASDAQ:Name) now owned by Donuts, DotGay, LLC and Top Level Design, LLC. Ultimately, of the 4 applicants, Top Level Design won the right to operate the .gay registry and now, in 2020, .gay is finally coming to market! It is currently available for trademark holders, and will be generally available to the public later this year.
The .gay registry is focused on the historic potential of .gay and its importance to LGBTQ communities across the globe. 20% of new registration revenue is donated to LGBTQ beneficiaries; the inaugural beneficiaries are GLAAD and CenterLink. Additionally, there are unique “.gay Rights Protections” policies in place to ensure that Top Level Design can respond and take down verified reports of harrassment or hate on .gay sites, so .gay can truly be a place for LGBTQ communties to celebrate and connect. This platform is a digital pride flag that stands as a safer digital space for LGBTQ people and makes a meaningful community impact.
Also a proponent of a community-centric .gay domain was another one of the four applicants, DotGay LLC, an affiliate to SPI Marketing, which has a noted 24+ year history of supporting LGBTQ organizations and helping brands connect with LGBTQ consumers. That company previously operated DotGay.com since 2009, as a focal point for their global outreach, coalition and support, detailing their vision and journey through the ICANN community application process. The team at SPI Marketing has now moved their energy to PrideLife, which is specifically focused on helping grow diverse communities on the Internet, including on domain extensions like .gay.
We’re super excited to share that the teams at SPI Marketing and PrideLife are now helping broaden our reach as our partners in the launch of .gay!
Top Level Design LLC humbly thanks the SPI Marketing team for their vision of .gay and looks forward to working together via PrideLife. We’re thrilled to be joining forces. We will be merging our social channels and look forward to a collaborative launch of the domain together, many years in the making.
The only .gay -- a strong and community-centric one -- is finally here!