Matt Foreman On Why We Don't See Gay People In Ads For Same-Sex Marriage

"Getting people to know someone who is gay is not an issue: more than 70% of the public already does. Instead, the challenge is helping decent straight people who already know someone who is gay work through their internal conflict between not wanting to hurt gay people and their own religious beliefs or other deep-seated concerns. Messengers with whom these conflicted individuals can relate are the most effective and powerful. Why? Because they can see someone just like them who has moved to a place of support for marriage equality. (This isn't rocket science; it's human communications 101.)

"Gay messengers on TV are not as effective because they are (correctly) seen as not ever having had a similar conflict to work through and because they have something personal to gain from their advocacy.  Of course, the most effective way to move people on issues of LGBT equality is when LGBT people actually talk to straight people in their lives about these issues - as opposed to simply being 'out.' Data indicate that straight people who have had these talks are 15-16% more supportive of marriage equality than those who only know someone who is gay. However, it's the personal (not political) connection that counts in these conversations and that cannot be replicated by a stranger spokesperson on TV." - Matt Foreman, Director of Gay and Immigrant Rights Programs for the Haas Jr. Fund.

NOTE: Foreman is the former executive director for the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.