Jordan Palmer (social activist)

Jordan Palmer (born September 7, 1976) is an American executive, and social activist, notable for founding several successful American companies (and serving as their chief executive officer) including Merus Holdings Corporation, and the Hotel Ivy lodging chain.

Early life

The son of divorced parents, his father, is a chief minister with the Church of Christ though Jordan attended a Methodist boarding school. His relationship with his father ended when he told him he was gay.

Companies

At 16 Jordan left the small town in Kentucky he was born and raised and moved to Lexington, KY. From there he founded several successful companies including the Hotel Ivy lodging chain. Jordan is currently invested in more than 29 hotels in 3 states.

Involvement in Gay Rights

In early 2006 Jordan founded Kentucky Equal Rights (later renamed Kentucky Equality Federation by majority vote of its members) to advance the interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

An advocate for states' rights, the Kentucky Equality Federation currently has more than 9,000 members.

On May 06, 2006 Palmer led members of the Kentucky Equality Association in a protest outside the Governor’s Mansion during the Governor’s Annual Derby Breakfast Celebration.

Governor Ernest Lee Fletcher angered the Kentucky Equality Federation by not vetoing $11 million in funding to the University of the Cumberlands, a Baptist school that expelled a student it learned was gay, and when Fletcher removed protections for LGBT civil servants from an Executive Order signed by his predecessor.

In May 2008, Palmer was unanimously elected to the Board of Directors of Marriage Equality USA [National Gay News (14 May 2008) [http://nationalgaynews.com/content/view/3541/173/ Kentucky Gay Civil Rights Leader Elected to National Organization] "Accessed 14 May 2008.] .

Palmer is also an active member of the International Lesbian and Gay Association.

Incident with Representative Fischer

Prior to the November 2006 General Election Kentucky Equality Federation President Jordan Palmer verbally attacked Kentucky Representative Joseph Fisher (R) after he stated "homosexuals have not experienced the same type of insidious discrimination in housing and employment as blacks and women [Kentucky Post (25 October 2006) [http://kentuckyfairness.org/getinformed/newsroom/press/2008/080109.htm Fischer's (R) statement upsets gays.] "Kentucky Post". Accessed 25 October 2006.] ." In addition, Fischer stated he believed homosexuals could easily change their sexual orientation.

Palmer responded by inviting Fischer to "change his sexual orientation to homosexual for 48 hours," a request Representative Fischer declined.

The highly publicized exchange between Palmer and Fischer led to Kentucky Equality Federation holding a protest labeled "The Fischer Re-Education Rally" outside a debate held between Fischer and his Democratic challenger.

Other regular activities

Federal, state and local media sometimes turn to Palmer for responses to news events involving GLBT people.

External links

* [http://www.commonwealth-equality.org/ "Kentucky Equality Federation"]
* [http://www.ivyhotels.com/ "Hotel Ivy lodging chain"]

References

* [http://www.orchidforchange.com/ky/kentuckylgbt.org/ht/display/ArticleDetails/i/904267/pid/900814 "Representative Fischer's (R) statement upsets gays."]
* [http://nationalgaynews.com/content/view/3541/173/ "Kentucky Gay Civil Rights Leader Elected to National Organization."]