Campaign Seeks to Support LGBTQ+ Rights in Red States

Campaign Seeks to Support LGBTQ+ Rights in Red States

Leading up to Pride Month, multinational consumer goods company Unilever launched its fourth annual United We Stand initiative on Wednesday, designed to empower and amplify local LGBTQ+ communities. As in previous years, the company is working with LGBTQ+ rights organizations in the predominately red states.

Unilever has partnered again with LGBTQ-owned creative agency RanaVerse and acclaimed queer filmmaker Tourmaline to bring the stories of these communities to life.

Find out more about the campaign below.

Tourmaline will again direct a new film that will show the progress of the campaign over the last 12 months.

“Unilever’s United We Stand initiative, and its purposeful mission to center a range of queer organizations is important work and I’m excited that this year we returned to the same participants to explore the idea of being United as a community,” said Tourmaline in a statement to The Advocate. “Over the past four years we’ve been intentional in progressing the idea of equity and what that can mean for the LGBTQ+ community and corporate allyship.’'

United We Stand concentrates on geographical areas that ranked lowest in Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, according to a press release. This year, the campaign will work with Forum for Equality (Monroe, La.), Freedom Oklahoma (Moore, Okla.), South Carolina Black Pride (Clemson, S.C.), The Knights and Orchids Society (Florence, Ala.) and PFLAG Springfield (towns and cities in Southwest Missouri).

Photo: Activist and PFLAG scholarship recepient Lou Hood (L) and director of PFLAG Springfield Ann Suin

The campaign will work with the above groups to focus on anti-bullying, anti-hunger and nutritional support, mental health and wellness services, housing resources for homeless youth, anti-conversion therapy support, decriminalization of HIV and fighting anti-trans legislation. Unilever will support initiatives from the groups.

“These individuals in rural areas have the least access to life affirming services, and they need support beyond a single year and a single campaign,” said Sean Coleman, community organizer. “I’m proud that Unilever is distinguishing itself in its approach to LGBTQ+ campaigns with its United We Stand initiative. Not only have we looked at the unique intersections that present within these communities, and provided a blueprint that other regions can adopt, we’re continuing the work we started.”

The company said that with hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills filed in 2022 alone, the need to support these groups and their work is vital.

Photo: Community organizer and United We Stand collaborator Sean Coleman

“As systemic change takes real time and effort, it’s important that our United We Stand campaign offers year-round and long-term support, going much deeper than just a rainbow logo during Pride Month,” said Conor Feeney, Unilever North America’s senior marketing manager. “Over the years of working with grassroots organizations that are in touch with local LGBTQI+ communities on a daily basis, we have a strong understanding of their needs to provide measures that will better the lives of LGBQTI+ people now and in the future. We know there is more work to be done and want to support LGBTQI+ communities every day of the year.”

Photo: The Knights and Orchids Society executive director Quentin Bell (L) and supporter Gabriel Canán Cubero

“Showing an on-going and genuine commitment to influencing frontline and systemic change in non-coastal areas – where help for LGBTQ+ people is rarely the focus of Pride campaigns – this campaign arrives at a critical time when new, headline-making anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has appeared nationwide, from Florida to Texas,” said Rana Reeves, founder and CEO of RanaVerse. “This campaign arrives at a critical time when new, headline-making anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has appeared nationwide, from Florida to Texas.”

“We are continuing to work closely with local grassroots organizations in areas where LGBTQI+ support is needed the most,” said Fabian Garcia, president of Unilever North America. “We saw these organizations do meaningful work over the last year and want to continue supporting their impactful programs through our United We Stand campaign year-round.”

Photo: Freedom Oklahoma activist Taylor Raye

Catch the United We Stand campaign video here.