Last week, FGS Global was treated to a panel discussion with some of the country’s leading LGBTQ+ advocates: Lambda Legal’s Shedrick (Rick) Davis, American Unity Fund’s Tyler Deaton, Equality North Carolina’s Kendra Johnson and Equality Arizona’s Michael Soto. Moderated by our own Jeff McAndrews, the panel discussed the current state and future outlook of LGBTQ+ rights in the United States. 

Their key takeaways: 

• While much progress has been made, LGBTQ+ Americans are still not fully protected from discrimination in 29 States. 
• 2022 is on track to set a record for the number of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures.
• We need federal legislation and comprehensive protections for LGBTQ+ people.
• Overcoming these hurdles is going to take a bipartisan effort. 

What can companies do about it?

• Corporations wield the power to pull people together. 
• Brands need to find some significant ways to tear down the false dichotomy between religion and sexuality constructed by people on both ends of the spectrum. One way to do this is by supporting both LGBTQ+ and faith-based ERGs as well as facilitating more conversations between the two.   
• Join the effort to advocate for federal protections. 
• Sign onto amicus briefs and publicize your support. This is a powerful way to promote the issues at hand while signaling support.
• Put in work behind the scenes if you’re going to publicly celebrate Pride. In the long run, it’s going to impact the bottom line if you’re not fighting to ensure all of your workforce can thrive.