Today, we’re asking you to make one simple Switch at the grocery store. 

As we all know, hard-earned progress in the ongoing struggles for Reproductive Freedom and LGBTQ+ Equality are under attack, and those attackers are only going to be emboldened by the latest election results. The efforts to restrict bodily autonomy by inserting the government between a woman and her doctor or by rolling back equality are funded by companies that many of us support unwittingly with our everyday purchases. Companies and brands like Home Depot, Comcast, Fedex, and Brawny* are among the largest and most consistent direct donors to the politicians leading these anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ+ efforts at the federal level.

We need to stop funding our own opposition – it’s time to Switch our spending away from the companies that support the politicians working tirelessly against our rights and the rights of our loved ones.

Which is why, as a first step, we’re asking you to join us in making one commitment to Switch from Brawny paper towels to another brand.

Why Brawny?
Every roll of Brawny that we buy contributes to Koch financially, provides an indirect contribution to the politicians working against our rights and beliefs, and sends the message that we either condone their work or at least aren’t yet willing to change our purchasing behavior despite their work. It’s time to send a different message, to vote with our dollars by tossing Brawny.

We also recognize that changing habits can be hard, no matter how well-intended we are. The list of companies and brands supporting anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ+ legislators is lengthy and potentially overwhelming if you were to try to avoid them all. Which is why we’ve picked just ONE brand on this list, Brawny, as our recommended first step. There are plenty of great alternatives on most store aisles (Bounty and Seventh Generation just as a start) — it is an easy switch most of us can make right now. If you want to go further, please make the Switch from as many companies on our lists as possible. But don’t get overwhelmed pushing for perfection – if you do nothing else, just commit to making the Switch from Brawny TODAY.

Tossing Brawny is just a first step. But the first step is often the hardest. We don’t expect to change Koch Industries or the campaign finance distortions of Citizens United and other court decisions overnight. By Tossing Brawny, together, we take this first step to aggregate our collective power to vote with our dollars. And we put other companies and brands on notice – more is coming. Much more.

What Can I Do?
As our first “Switch” campaign, we’ve set a goal of 5,000 people committing to switch from Brawny to another brand. Help us reach 5,000 by doing the following:

• Have your personal commitment to Toss Brawny counted by clicking Switch now! Even if you don’t currently buy Brawny, declaring your commitment to avoid this brand by clicking Switch helps build our momentum and potential impact. 
• Share with your family, friends, and colleagues that you are Tossing Brawny – use our templates (or make your own) for posting or emailing your network –  and encourage them to switch and spread the word.
• Check if your company purchases Brawny, and if so ask them to switch.
• Make a contribution so we can continue and grow our work. As a 501c3, Spending Spotlight relies on the generosity of individuals to do what we do, and any contribution will be tax deductible.

Can it really make a difference?
Absolutely. Together, pro-choice Americans and those who support marriage equality represent an estimated $15-$18 TRILLION in annual consumer spending. Together, we have the potential for financial power that dwarfs what companies are committing to elections and campaigns. But we rarely aggregate that power to counter the political influence of large corporations. If each of us switched just $100 per month away from companies working against bodily autonomy, it represents a shift in nearly $275 Billion in consumer spending, far exceeding the millions companies are spending to support these extreme legislators.

At Spending Spotlight, we work to make it easy for people to align their spending with their values by researching the companies that most consistently provide the greatest direct support to anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ+ legislators. We’ve compiled an initial lineup of popular consumer products here, focusing primarily on products that have numerous alternatives to make switching easy. We will continue to add new product categories and brands in the coming weeks. So join us today by making strategic choices about what you buy and add your individual consumer choices to strengthen our collective power. Help us protect the gains that have been made, and shine a light on the companies working to roll back those gains. Start today, by tossing Brawny.

*Brawny is a Georgia Pacific brand, and Georgia Pacific is a subsidiary of Koch Industries, one of the largest and most consistent funders of anti-choice and anti-equality legislators at the federal level.