About dotGAY
What is .gay?
.gay is a top level domain dedicated to the LGBT community worldwide.
What is dotGay LLC?
dotGay LLC is promoting the .gay top level domain. dotGay LLC is backed by gay and civil right groups as well as by many individuals from the gay community. We will distribute more then two thirds of the dotGay LLC partnerships to groups and associations that represent the LGBT community. In this way the community will have full control of the proceedings at dotGay LLC making it a true community effort.
Why a .gay TLD, who benefits from it?
The LGBT community will benefit. The gay community has roughly 15 million members in the United States and tens of millions world wide. Millions of internet websites are targeted on the gay community. A well managed top level domain .gay will help to connect the gay end user and those who try to reach out to him. “.gay” domains have a distinctive semantic meaning and value. You are proud and out? Use a “.gay” domain. The operation of the “.gay” TLD will produce a significant profit each year. Over two thirds of the ownership and thus profits are controlled by the LGBT community. That means that over two thirds of the profit of each “.gay” domain name purchase are donated for the LGBT cause. It is intended that dotGay LLC provides several million US dollars on a regular annual basis as funds for the LGBT cause this way.
When and where does dotGay apply?
ICANN is responsible for TLD introductions. ICANN has already implemented a few new TLD’s in 2000 and 2004. Since 2005 ICANN drafts a policy that will allow hundreds of new TLD’s to be implemented. According to ICANN’s current schedule the first applications can be filed in either 2010 or 2011. According to that schedule dotGay would go live in 2011 or latest 2012.
Who can register .gay domains?
ICANN requests that the registration of .gay-domains is restricted to the gay community. All individuals and legal entities with any connection to the gay community will be able to register .gay domains.
Where can .gay domains be registered?
Like other domains (e.g. .com domains) .gay domains can be registered with registrars.
How much will .gay domains cost?
There are two pricing models: third-level-domains like “johns.party.gay” as an inexpensive way of acquiring a unique cool web address for a price less than that of “.com” domains. These third-level-domains are based on several thousand “community domains”. Second level domains like “visitlondon.gay” will be priced high enough to keep domain speculators away from exploiting the “.gay” name space.
What is the “dotGay Network”?
Some “.gay” property will be very important for the gay community, the “community relevant generic keyword domains”; “Community Domains” such as: hotels.gay, lawyers.gay, palmsprings.gay.
Community domains are community property and shouldn’t belong to a single registrant. These special domains should serve all of the community! Community domains will thus be operated as directories for other “.gay” domains and serve as basis for inexpensive third level registrations.