According to "Federal Judge Orders Kentucky Clerk Released From Jail" published on Wall Street Journal ,

• The U.S. Supreme Court declares all Americans have a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.
• Kim Davis, clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky, repeatedly defied a court order to issue licenses to all eligible couples, gay or straight, citing religious objections to same sex marriage.
• The confrontation sets up an Issues Management challenge, pitting the constitutional right to marriage equality against religious freedom.

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For those directors of communications for LGBTQ advocacy groups that strongly support and fight for broad acceptance of marriage equality, how to address the actions of this county clerk?

Instead of an aggressive response, I would suggest those organization’s leadership a moderate strategy to address the actions of this county clerk. As we strongly support and fight for broad acceptance of marriage equality, we need to show our tolerance first to win credit and respect from public.

A SWOT analysis integrated the present status of LGBTQ advocacy group with affections brought by this issue is followed:

• Strength: LGBTQ is a recognized brand owning cumulative reputation; Constitutional support
• Weakness: Limited capacity because of small team; Skills gap (board)
• Opportunities: Concentration of public attention brought by the happened issue Political influence; Funding landscape
• Threats: Resistance from people advocates religious freedom; Tokenism

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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are a crucial part of the tapestry of our communities.

A growing number of foundations are seeking to assure that their institutions are welcoming and inclusive of LGBTQ people. The considered internal and external stakeholders include LGBTQ community groups, researchers, LGBTQ advocate/educators, students, social service providers, human rights and equality affiliations, state department staffs, policymakers. Key stakeholders include people who are LGBTQ, religious believer with conviction, human rights advocates and people at the intersection of these identities.

To guide marriage equality to a broad acceptance and deliver the message appropriately to various audiences, here is how I would apply the four steps of strategic public relations:

Research:

There are two primary researches should be conducted. One is about LGBTQ’s wedding community, investigating conditions of same-sex weddings and queer-identified couples, especially about if they’ve met similar issues. The other one is a study of the conviction of religious. Secondary researches are necessary as well. We need to respectively analyze what are the two primary researches’ audiences think about religious freedom and marriage equality.

Planning:

We develop an interdisciplinary representative team of LGBTQ, religious believers, human right advocates, including LGBTQ and none-LGBTQ representers, religious and none-religious person, community organizers and service providers. Then conduct meetings for them with allied key stakeholders and persons at the intersection of these identities.

Execution:

On the meetings, we share precious surveys to present LGBTQ’s real life. The purpose is letting relative stakeholders know LGBTQ is positive, harmless, kind community, same as others except for sexual orientation. They own every single human right owned by ordinary people, including marriage equality. We show respect to religions and declare that there’s no actual conflict between religious conviction and same-sex marriage based on human-right-protection angle.  

Evaluation:

Conduct after-execution surveys to same-sex couples and LGBTQ community. Strategic outcomes include same-sex couples gain more respect and live more confident than before, increased representation and influence of LGBTQ on key partnerships and initiatives and increased participation of the LGBTQ sector in the social, cultural, religious, political and economic life of cities.