In 28 states, you can be fired from work based on sexual orientation or gender identity. But last week, the Supreme Court announced they will consider if the 1964 Civil Rights Act “on the basis of sex” includes sexual orientation and gender identity. Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The court is scheduled to hear three cases for the term beginning in October, with a decision expected early next year.

Recently, LeAnn Locher & Associates designed messages and visuals for a public awareness campaign led by Conway Strategic, on behalf of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the world’s leading organization dedicated to achieving LGBTQ workplace equality. The theme, language and visuals we designed were to both celebrate Out & Equal in their 20th year, and to lay the support for a 6 month campaign of raising awareness of their work. Our designs focused on the split lives employees live when they cannot bring their whole selves to work. This duality of home & work, then & now, today & tomorrow, you & I, were built in mirroring the ampersand in Out & Equal while emphasizing the need to do this work together. With twenty years of incredible, hard fought wins, there is still so much to do.

As Selisse Berry, CEO and Founder of Out & Equal says, “Currently, there is no federal law barring employment discrimination on the basis of the sexual orientation or gender identity, and it’s clear that state laws are inadequate. In 28 states, you can get married on Saturday and fired on Monday just for being lesbian or gay – in 30 states you can be fired just for being transgender.”