'Massachusetts For Us All' Campaign Aims To Welcome LGBTQIA+ Community

MASSACHUSETTS — A new tourism campaign designed to promote Massachusetts as an inclusive and welcoming place for LGBTQIA+ visitors and those considering a move will appear on billboards across Florida and Texas, as well as New York and New England, in the coming weeks.

Gov. Maura Healey said the "Massachusetts For Us All" campaign "sends a clear message that Massachusetts stands for freedom and civil rights.

"To anyone considering where they want to live, raise a family, or build a business — we want you to join us here in Massachusetts," she said.

The campaign launch coincided with Healey's address to the Irish Senate on June 27 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Ireland and the conclusion of Pride Month. Healey is the nation's first openly lesbian elected governor.

"We're excited to see this campaign promote Massachusetts as a year-round destination for all and an inclusive place for members of the LGBTQIA+ community," Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said. "This Pride Month — and always — we want to share the message with visitors and residents that Massachusetts is for all of us, all of the time."

The campaign is the first major one for former Destination Salem tourism chief and Beverly resident Kate Fox as the executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Tourism & Travel.

"This campaign incorporates the values we hold dear in Massachusetts into our economic strategies," Fox said. "I am excited about this campaign and look forward to incorporating the 'Massachusetts, for all of us' message into our future marketing endeavors."

The outreach to Florida and Texas comes as those states have passed laws banning or restricting the teaching of LGBTQIA+ lifestyles and drag shows.

Florida's so-called "Don't Say Gay" and "Protecting Children's Innocence" laws ban children from attending drag shows and using their preferred pronouns at school, as well as preventing trans kids from accessing gender-affirming medical care.

"This campaign is all about love," Undersecretary of Economic Strategies Sarah Stanton said of the Bay State contrast. "Love where you live, where you visit, and who you travel with.

"Being a state that welcomes and celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community is one of the many things that makes Massachusetts special."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)