Dorothy’s List aims to bring informed accountability to corporate advocacy partnerships that create better futures for LGBTQ+ and Two Spirit South Dakotans.

Dorothy’s List is where you find businesses and organizations with a track record of being LGBTQ+ friendly. Friends of Dorothy’s back up their support with policies and action. They offer more than just symbols of support, they act on it — not just during Pride month. Friends of Dorothy have been nominated by community members, sought recognition themselves, or were pulled from a previously aggregated list.

The name comes from the mid-twentieth-century phrase, “friend of Dorothy.” Queer people of the time would use it as a coded language to protect themselves. In practice, a man who is attracted to another but isn’t sure if the feeling is mutual, would ask, “Are you a friend of Dorothy?” to test the water. If the response is a puzzled “Dorothy who?” he’ll know it’s wise to move on. But if the response is “Oh, yes, I’m a very good friend of Dorothy,” he’ll know it’s safe to proceed.

Dorothy is, of course, in reference to Judy Garland’s character in The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy Gale. Judy was hailed as a fierce ally to the queer community.