Short version: Drew, their employee with the most public facing role and known to be a chill guy and left-leaning, left the company with some celebration but zero explanation. This got folks looking, and they saw that the Goulets are heavily involved with planting (think “franchising” or may more accurately “metastasizing”) a new church that was growing out from a larger one that has all the usual disgusting anti-LGBT+ rhetoric, and the new church has a mission statement that includes bible literalism and explicitly places men above women in home life and church roles. Also, Reddit being Reddit, the mods handled it all very clumsily and in a way that makes it look they’ve traded their integrity for a couple of pens.
The Goulet family has released a video statement on the Goulet Pens YouTube channel for anyone interested in their response.
For those not inclined to watch, here’s a selection from the transcript:
[Brian]We would never judge someone for who they are we simply do not agree with anyone who does um we firmly believe that all people should be treated with dignity compassion and love and be embraced for who they are and that absolutely includes the LGTBQ+ community.
[Rachel]Brian and I are having ongoing conversations with each other within our company and within our church community to ensure that we all do our part to continue fostering a safe and welcoming environment for every member of the community customers and employees alike.
Notably present: Denials that they hate anyone or would treat people with disrespect.
Notably absent: Any serious suggestion that they will leave this church.
Take it for what you will. I dunno. I doubt they’re different people than they were two weeks ago. They’re certainly not frothing-at-the-mouth old school homophobes, but when you fundamentally, deeply believe that your God considers certain lifestyles are sinful, your brand of inclusion can feel hollow and calculated.
Too much for me to unpack, and shame on anybody who thought they knew well enough to threaten them (if that happened), but they also need to acknowledge that placing faith, especially politically active American Evangelical Christianity, at the forefront of their brand might eventually affect their perception among segments of their customer base.
Anybody got a suggestion for a better retailer?
I’ve spent quite a lot of money at Goulet over the years.
They ones that come to my mind are:
Goldspot, Vaness, Pen Chalet, Jet Pens, Birmingham Pens, Amarillo Stationery, Pen Boutique, Anderson Pens, Cult Pens, Endless Pens, Enigma Stationery,
Lots of options.
Thanks bud, I’ll check them out.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bonus-episode-pride-month/id1723599105?i=1000657476753
I figured I’d link directly to the podcast episode in question in case anyone wants to listen first-hand. The “Eric” in this episode seems to be introduced in a later episode as starting the church attended by the Goulet’s. I saw the transcriptions originally but the tone of the hosts really put me off.
I’m thoroughly disappointed at the situation and it’s completely soured my perception of the brand. Luckily, there are plenty of retailers to choose from in this hobby.
Welp. That’s that, then. Bye pen place!
What a bummer, I really liked their website and themed ink sample packs too! I’m sure they aren’t the only ones who do it, but now I have to find another retailer I trust.
Same – they have a lot of good YouTube videos that I learned a lot from too.
It seems plausible that Drew left because of the church stuff, but it is not confirmed so conclusions must not be drawn on this part of drama. I am curious to hear from the man himself what made him go. Maybe he will make his own pen content in the future, I would check it out if he did. On the church connection, seems dumb to me that they would include such an unnecessary and damaging detail. America is a pretty wild place I guess. I don’t think European and Japanese companies would commit to a “what is going on in our personal lives” section of a business podcast.
It seems plausible that Drew left because of the church stuff, but it is not confirmed so conclusions must not be drawn on this part of drama.
That much is certainly fair. I can’t imagine that he didn’t have some inkling of their beliefs, as it’s almost impossible not to in a small workplace like that. It seems like more than anything, his leaving was just the call to action that led to things being uncovered independently.
I suppose one could read the tea leaves all along and guess that a southern, white family that is eager to proclaim their Christianity is likely involved in some conservative stuff, but there’s still a basic social contract in the US that you can “opt out” of the culture wars publicly if you do so consistently. If they don’t push it on the details, and they are supportive of things like an annual pride month sale, then maybe there’s nuance to their belief system that they are entitled to work out in private. I think when you make a show of getting involved in expanding that realm, to be literally evangelical by spreading a faith that a lot of us think is pretty toxic, that you burn through a lot of goodwill pretty quickly. Add it on to how milquetoast they were about the Noodlers stuff, and it’s enough to make me want to shop elsewhere, regardless of whether the Drew stuff is directly related.
On a personal level, I have met many evangelicals who I think are legitimately kind as they understand that word, but they no NOT fuck with any unorthodoxy.
Add it on to how milquetoast they were about the Noodlers stuff […]
The Noodlers stuff?
That’s the last round of fountain pen drama. The owner of Noodlers Ink is your sort of standard issue “I’m a very smart Libertarian committed to pure reason!” type, but he was putting some pretty cliche and well known anti-Semitic tropes on his self-designed ink bottles, stuff like drawing little horns on Ben Bernanke’s head.
The Goulets spent a fair amount of time and energy defending him as a good guy who just wasn’t familiar with this stuff and didn’t make the connection before now, before finally joining the chorus and asking for the inks to be changed.
In isolation, their response wasn’t the biggest issue in the world, but it does seem to fit a pattern of using politeness as a cover for tolerating or supporting some yucky stuff.
Ah. I try not to buy from facists or Libertarians (not that there’s much of a difference there). So I guess Noodlers Ink is off the list of things to get. I’ll stick with PenBBS.
This is disappointing information to me who just spent money on inks and pens from Goulet Pens that I was going to post about this week. I’ll still post about the inks and pens because the ink and pen manufacturers are not the disappointment here.
Speaking as
__ an internet janitor __a moderator of this community, I want to remind people that there’s nothing wrong with being passionate about the issues you value highly and being motivated to take your business elsewhere as a result. But I’ve been on the internet for a while and seen people have extreme responses going as far as harassment and attempted violence against anyone who they perceive as not as committed to their values as themselves. Please don’t be that person.I know for me personally, my response stops at awareness and taking my business elsewhere.
And yeah, of course share the buys! I wouldn’t even necessarily fault someone for deciding that they’re comfortable enough with the Goulets’ track record to decide they can still do business with them. Just not my choice.
I’ve also made my last purchase from Goulet Pens. But I’m excited about the products themselves.
Thanks for sharing the information so everyone can make informed decisions going forward!
