Airbnb launches inspirational marriage equality campaign
Airbnb has launched an inspiring campaign for marriage equality in Australia.
The multi-billion-pound company is asking Australians to wear a black ring until same-sex marriage is legal in the country – but there’s a catch.
The ring is incomplete, symbolising the gap in equality legislation which needs to be filled by legalising same-sex marriage.
Airbnb has promised it will not profit from selling the rings, and has received backing from Google for the campaign, called Until We Belong.
Demand has been so high that prospective supporters of the campaign are currently unable to buy a ring, as they are sold out for the moment.
Brian Chesky, Airbnb chief executive, said the new campaign, which was created in collaboration with equal marriage advocacy group the Equality Campaign, was about “openness and belonging.”
He added: “This is an opportunity for people to show their support for marriage equality – not just those within the LGBTI community, but for anyone to make their support for a brother, sister, parent or friend of a loved one known.”
The video created for the campaign features a gay couple talking about the “disconnect” in the ring, saying it represents “how we might view ourselves as well, from the community.”
Activists then pledge to wear the ring until their sister, son, uncle, mate, cousin, mother and brother can get married.
Airbnb participates in the Sydney Mardi Gras each year, and last year the company forced all users to sign an anti-discrimination pledge, after a string of homophobic and racist incidents.
A Russian site built to rival Airbnb started warning its users about high numbers of gay people in cities across the country earlier this year.
My Linker, which claims to offer hundreds of rooms available to rent, set up the tool in protest at Airbnb’s anti-discrimination pledge.
Check out the video below:
