LGBTQ+ People Across the USA

Summary

This project will focus on the differences in how LGBTQ+ individuals are viewed and treated across the U.S., exploring social, cultural, and political attitudes as well as their impact. Through visual storytelling and infographics, I'll present both quantitative and qualitative data, gathered from institutional sources and my own surveys, to highlight trends and personal narratives.

Purpose Statement

My aim is to design a body of work focused on communicating the similarities and differences across the United States in which LGBTQ+ are viewed and treated within their communities. I will examine social, cultural, and political attitudes and policies, as well as their impact on these communities. The differences between states and sometimes even cities within states can be striking. I will utilize information graphics along with visual storytelling as a means to give a general audience the ability to understand the current and future needs both quantitatively and qualitatively in regards to LGBTQ+ equality across the country.

I will utilize existing data as provided by institutions such as the Human Rights Campaign, UCLA Williams Institute, the Movement Advancement Project, Pew Research, ACLU and the FBI Crime Data Explorer. I will also collect my own data and survey LGBTQ+ identifying people across the country to better understand the nuances affecting their lives and collect firsthand personal accounts for a more complete picture. I will create a survey that explores a range, from everyday actions like holding hands in public to more complex issues such as discriminatory laws and policies. In doing so, I plan to communicate both a comprehensive overview and individual personal narratives, amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ individuals across the country to move beyond mere statistics and truly understand the human impact.

I am also committed to examining not just LGBTQ+ identities in isolation but also considering how those identities intersect with other aspects of a person’s life like race, gender and class. I intend to create a resource that will be useful to LGBTQ+ individuals and families by creating a visual guide of what safety, true acceptance, and legal rights look like for people in different communities. The body of work will be shared via a website to make the work accessible and will also include interactive infographics. The body of work will be published under a creative commons license so it will be free for individuals and institutions to use.