FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK, NY -- As momentum builds nationwide for passing civil rights laws barring discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people, the American Civil Liberties Union today launched an activists online action center highlighted in a new advertising campaign.
The latest ACLU advertisement targets the lack of federal laws barring anti-gay discrimination.
The ACLU's latest advertisement discusses the lack of federal laws barring anti-gay discrimination, and the fact that only 11 states currently have comprehensive civil rights laws.
"If you've been fired because you're gay the law can help," the headline declares in large type. But as the "fine print" below states, "Offer not valid in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona," and the other 36 states that currently do not bar anti-gay discrimination.
The full-page ad -- which is in the April 9 issue of The New Yorker and is slated to run in the April 8 issue of The New York Times Magazine -- highlights the ACLU's new Equality Toolkit.
"We want people to know that there are relatively few laws on the books addressing anti-gay discrimination, but we also want them to know how they can change that," said Matt Coles, Director of the ACLU Lesbian & Gay Rights Project. "That's what this multi-faceted campaign does."
As early as this week, Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening plans to sign legislation barring employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Similar statewide civil rights laws in Illinois and Delaware are also moving ahead.
The Equality Toolkit includes extensive practical tips on passing civil rights laws at the local and state level, as well as passing fair employment policies. It also includes in-depth background on complicated issues like balancing religious liberties with gay rights laws and including protections for transgendered people.
More than 60 years ago, the ACLU took on some of the first challenges in the nation to anti-gay discrimination, and has since helped pass more than 125 local and state nondiscrimination laws through the organization's unparalleled grassroots network. The resources and suggestions in the Equality Toolkit are based on the experiences of the ACLU and dozens of local activists, which Coles said can help others pass local, state and federal laws.
ACLU state affiliates have worked with other groups on the pending legislation in Maryland, Illinois and Delaware, as well as statewide efforts in Iowa, Nebraska, Maine and other states in this legislative session.
"Usually in advertising, accuracy is everything," Coles said, "but our hope is that by the time this ad runs in The New York Times Magazine next weekend, it will already be out of date because new states will have been taken off the list that allow anti-gay discrimination."
The creative minds behind the series, DeVito/Verdi Advertising, also developed last year's ACLU advertising series, which included messages on racial profiling, juvenile justice, and the death penalty.
"Our work becomes more meaningful every time we can stir up passions for a cause that we believe in," said Ellis Verdi, President of DeVito/Verdi.
Last year, the ACLU received an award from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency for its "smaller prisoners" ad on juvenile justice, and the agency won several New York "Addy" Awards (sponsored by the AAF American Advertising Awards) for the ACLU ads, including best public service magazine ads, best newspaper ad, and best collateral material (posters).
The ACLU advertising campaign will be featured on the organization's website, archive.aclu.org, with links to relevant documents and news about each issue. The next advertisement, on the topic of information privacy, is scheduled to run on April 15 in The New York Times Magazine and in the April 16 issue of The New Yorker.
The ACLU is a nationwide, non-partisan organization dedicated to defending and preserving the Bill of Rights for all individuals through litigation, legislation and public education.
Headquartered in New York City, the ACLU has 53 staffed affiliates that cover every state, more than 300 chapters nationwide, and a legislative office in Washington, DC. The bulk of the annual $40 million budget is raised by contributions from members -- 275,000 strong -- and gifts and grants from other individuals and foundations.