New Campaign Puts a Spotlight on 31 States Where LGBTQ+ Discrimination Remains the Law

It's been three years since same-sex marriage became legal in all 50 states. The landmark Supreme Court decision was a resounding victory for the LGBT community, but advocates say there's still a long way to go. After the legalization of gay marriage, many incorrectly assumed that LGBT citizens have equal rights in all aspects of their lives. But, as the Ad Council's "Beyond I Do" campaign states in its videos: "Marriage is legal in all 50 states. Discrimination is still legal in 31 states." [kickout id="2" label="moms"] The campaign will highlight the 55 percent of LGBT folks who have reported being discriminated against due to their sexual orientation or support of LGBT rights. And although 79 percent of non-LGBT Americans support equal rights, 80 percent have the misconception that it's illegal to fire, evict or refuse service to someone based on their sexual orientation. The campaign, created by the Ad Council, Gill Foundation and agency CP+B with research assistance from Redscout, "promotes acceptance, empathy and understanding for the millions of LGBT Americans who can be kicked out of their homes, fired from their jobs or denied services because of their sexual orientation or gender identity," according to a release. “Everyone should have the ability to live in safety, support their families and go about their daily lives without the fear of being turned away because they’re gay or transgender,” said Lisa Sherman, Ad Council president and CEO. “By sharing powerful and poignant stories, this campaign highlights the values we hold so dear as Americans and provides a real opportunity to grow awareness and empathy.” "Beyond I Do" will feature accounts from Americans across the country who have been left homeless, unemployed or without vital services such as medical treatment, all because they identify as LGBT. [kickout id="3" label="teacher"] “The power of this campaign comes from leveraging the shocking fact that millions of Americans are being denied basic rights,” said Quinn Katherman, creative director of CP+B. “We realized that nothing could ever be as compelling as the true stories these couples have to tell.” In addition to the videos, Parks and Recreation actor Nick Offerman will be the voice behind radio spots for the campaign. According to the campaign, the following states have laws that legalize discrimination against LGBT residents: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas Florida Georgia Idaho Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Michigan Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska New Hampshire North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming You can explore an interactive map about each state's laws on the campaign website. Below is a print ad from the campaign: CREDITS: Agency: CP+B Global Chief Creative Officers: Linus Karlsson Creative Director: Quinn Katherman Creative Director: Lauren Perlow Associate Creative Director: Aaron Fisher Associate Creative Director: Robyn Tenenbaum Senior Copywriter: Sarah Mosseller Art Director: Rachel Leathers VP Director of Content Production: Sloan Schroeder VP Executive Producer: Jesse Jones Producer: Jake Burnett Jr. Producer: Mimi McCormick VP Group Account Director: Joselyn Bickford Management Supervisor: Tara Delaney Content Managers: Ilyssa Schwartz, Brad George Associate Director of Agency Communications: David Whitney Business Manager: Cristina Fajardo VP Group Director Strategy: Kaylin Goldstein Associated Strategy Director: Dominic Hanley VP Director of Integrated Communication: Jennifer Bollman Media Supervisor: Zach Garbiso Production Company and City: Stink Studios - New York, NY Director of Photography: Jan Reichle Executive Producer (Production Co.): Jen Nichols Armstrong Senior Producer: Lauren Saunders Research and Strategy and City: Redscout - New York, NY Head of Strategy: Alex Cripe Senior Strategist: Ted Makarewicz Strategist: Greg Reiner Telecine Company and City: A52 - Santa Monica, CA Colorist: Paul Yacono Senior Color Producer: Jenny Bright Editorial Company and City: Rock, Paper, Scissors – Santa Monica, CA & Ming Studios – Boulder, CO Editor: David Brodie (RPS) Assistant Editor: James Bedford (Ming), Patrick Tuck (RPS) Producers: Kate Swenson (Ming), Shada Shariatzadeh (RPS) Executive Producers: Lennon Barnica (Ming), Dina Ciccotello (RPS) Mix and Sound Design Company and City: Lime Studios - Santa Monica, CA Executive Producer//CD: Susie Boyajan Engineer: Matt Miller Assistant Engineer: Lisa Mermelstein Post Production and VFC Company and City: A52 - Santa Monica, CA VFX Supervisor/Lead Flame: Brendan Crockett, Kevin Stokes Producer: Drew Rissman Website/Site Content Production Company and City: Stink Studios - New York, NY Content Audio Mixing and City: MR. Bronx - New York, NY Sound Designer: Eric Hoffman Executive Producer: Molly Burke