LGBT Rights Tour Kicks Off in Utah

The Human Rights Campaign is embarking on a 17-city tour to raise awareness of the lack of gay rights laws in several states, starting with Utah.

The HRC will spend the weekend in Utah, trying to educate residents about laws that could protect LGBT citizens who may be discriminated against at work or when trying to find a home.

"A disproportionate number of Utahns believe in basic fairness for LGBT people, believe that we should be protected from workplace discrimination, believe that we should be free from violence and fear and intimidation," HRC president Joe Solmonese (pictured) told an ABC affiliate in Salt Lake City.

The tour will also include cities in Nebraska, Kansas, Alabama, and Florida.

The campaign comes as Utahns say their understanding of LGBT issues has changed in recent years, and 70% say they know someone who is gay or lesbian, according to a poll administered by the HRC. Still, 63% say they oppose marriage equality, but 77% support antidiscrimination protections for LGBT people, the  The Salt Lake Tribune  reports.