Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released a video ad featuring Emmy Award-winning chef, author and TV host Anthony Bourdain for the group’s Americans for Marriage Equality campaign. In the video, Bourdain states, “A common thread of the people I admire – whoever they are, wherever they are – are people who are proud and do things with love, and feel a sense of responsibility to others. What sensible person could be against that?”
“Anthony Bourdain has spent a lifetime traveling the world in search of the perfect meal,” said HRC spokesperson Charles Joughin. “And while some foods and customs are unique to certain cultures and countries, one theme transcends all borders – love. We are incredibly grateful to Anthony for his commitment to equality and for speaking out in favor of marriage rights for loving gay and lesbian couples nationwide.”
Bourdain is a renowned chef, bestselling author and Emmy winning TV host, as well as a trailblazer and outspoken commentator who provides unique insights into food, current events, and cultures around the world. He is known for his 2000 book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, and in 2005 he began hosting the culinary and cultural adventure program Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on the Travel Channel. In 2013, he joined CNN to host Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, which has won both an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award.
This is the fifth video released for the re-launch of HRC’s Americans for Marriage Equality Video campaign. Previous releases include videos from Colbie Caillat, Tony Hawk, Susan Sarandon and Demi Lovato.
Same-sex couples can legally marry in nineteen states and the District of Columbia, while 31 states have a law or constitutional amendment restricting marriage to the union of one man and one woman. However, polling continues to show Americans moving inexorably in the direction of supporting equality for same-sex couples, and there are over 70 court cases across the country challenging bans on marriage equality.
Nationally, Gallup puts support for marriage equality at 55 percent – an astonishing 15 points increase from just 5 years ago – with other polls showing support at even higher margins. And support for same-sex marriage rights continues to grow in virtually every demographic group. According to ABC News / Washington Post, 77 percent of adults under age 30 favor marriage equality. 40 percent of Republicans – an all-time high and jump of 16 points in under two years – now support marriage for gay and lesbian couples, while the number of Catholics supporting marriage has grown to 62 percent, according to the New York Times. These numbers continue to grow, with no indication that support will slow down.
