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Huntington Announces LGBT Inclusive 'Open to All' Campaign

"Open to All" Logo

Just a day after the state Senate voted down the controversial Religious Freedom Protection Act, Huntington officials announced the kickoff of a new inclusiveness campaign.

The campaign is called Open to All. It’s an idea that stems from the Huntington Mayors Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Advisory Committee. They hope the campaign promotes an environment that seeks to include all people. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams formed the LGBT Advisory Committee in 2015 to help advance the discussion about equality and justice for the LGBT community.

"Open to All" Pledge

Credit Clark Davis / West Virginia Public Broadcasting
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West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce joined the city’s campaign. The hope is that local businesses will take a pledge not to discriminate. Kat Williams is a history professor at Marshall and Chair of the LGBT committee.

“There is a lot of homophobia and a lot of bigotry and Huntington doesn’t tolerate that and now we have an initiative and a sticker that businesses can put on their windows and put on their doors to say we’re not going to tolerate that here, we don’t do that here, we don’t do that in this town,” Williams said.

Williams said although it shouldn’t be necessary in 2016 to have this campaign, it still is.