To raise public awareness and help pass The Equality Act, the Human Rights Campaign has just released a compelling new initiative in which they reimagine the American flag to more accurately represent how many states deny basic human rights and protections to the LGBTQ+ community.
The HRC is the largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization in the nation, with a mission of creating a world where every member of the LGBTQ+ family has the freedom to live their truth without fear and with equality under the law. The Equality Act is a major legislative step in achieving this goal, as it guarantees federal non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people.
At a time when harmful state laws like Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill are advancing to the House, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared that providing minors with gender-affirming medical care is child abuse, passing The Equality Act is critical.
To visually demonstrate our country that decidedly does not afford liberty and justice for all, the HRC worked with WPP agencies VMLY&R, BCW, Wavemaker, and Hogarth to remove 29 of the 50 stars from the flag, signifying the 29 states that openly discriminate against LGBTQ+ people. This discrimination includes denying folks healthcare, employment, and housing, among other fundamental rights, simply for being who they are. The reimagination of the star-spangled banner is called The Reality Flag.
The campaign has multiple facets, including a series of PSAs shot by openly nonbinary director and producer Joey Soloway that present the real stories of LGBTQ+ Americans impacted by the discrimination that The Equality Act would illegalize. Meanwhile, an 85-foot-long banner featuring the Reality Flag itself will be displayed across the HRC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., right down the street from the White House.
