Pride Month 2024
Tracing MAP’s Legacy, Then and Now
With Pride month celebrations coming to a close across the country, it is not lost on any of us how far the movement has come over the past few decades — and the work that remains. As we prepare for the upcoming election and a slew of possible challenges ahead, we are taking a look back at the fight for marriage equality, the role MAP played, and how MAP’s unique research and analysis gives the movement a critical advantage in the days and months ahead.
Although the fight for marriage equality spans decades, MAP’s contribution to the cause began in 2006. In collaboration with multiple national organizations, including Freedom to Marry, Third Way, and GLAAD, MAP took on a critical, behind-the-scenes role of research and analysis in the development of what would become a first of its kind LGBT Communications Messaging Toolkit.
This massive undertaking brought together messaging research and best practice communication principles to provide guidance for talking about issues impacting LGBTQ people. In addition to marriage equality, the toolkit offered messaging guides on a range of topics including nondiscrimination, adoption, and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
MAP’s role in changing hearts and minds about marriage equality cannot be understated. In addition to training hundreds of advocates across the country, MAP’s understanding of conflicted audiences helped to shift the conversation about marriage and grow support for marriage equality.
The impact of this work continues: today, MAP’s values-based messaging research, policy tracking and analysis, and collaborative approach make it the leading messaging organization in the LGBTQ+ movement.
At this time of deep division, we are committed to continue working behind the scenes, fueling the momentum of progressive movements by ensuring those on the ground are working collaboratively — with the best information possible — in order to reach our shared goal of equality.
To learn more about MAP and stay connected, visit our site at mapresearch.org — and please consider supporting our organization with a gift.
