Reputation Matters

A state's reputation should be defined by a friendly business climate, vibrant culture and beautiful weather.

Unfortunately self-inflicted wounds like Florida's Don't Say Gay often define a state's reputation instead.

We need to send the message loud and clear that our state is open for business to everyone. Without an update to our statewide non-discrimination laws to protect all people, we risk additional discriminatory measures and legislation.

We're competing against ourselves for business, tourism and national marquee events.

State's without LGBTQ+ inclusive statewide protections waste efforts in inter-regional competition — between municipalities that are inclusive vs. municipalities that are not — when we should be able to compete together against other states to attract the best businesses from across the nation.

Large companies tend to open multiple locations across the nation, and these business want to operate in locations where their employees have the same protections outside of the workplace as they do in the workplace. Employers don’t want their employees rights to depend on their zip code.

With only 20 states in our great nation with LGBTQ+ inclusive statewide policies American employees can either lose or gain rights depending on where they are in our great nation. This means that an employee can be fully protected while working in California, and be legally discriminated against when they travel to their company's location in Arizona.

States without LGBTQ+ protections don’t have a cosmetic issue, they have a fundamental one.

In 29 states, the inability to offer equal protections for all who live and work and play within the region puts individual states in a perpetual competitive disadvantage. If we’re going to come together as a nation and compete for the best, first we need to become the best.

Add your signature to the largest equality pledge in the nation — the UNITY Pledge!