Eleven of the locations are in nine states -- Florida, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia -- that have not passed comprehensive legal protections for people based on their sexuality or gender. Some additionally restrict adoption rights for gay couples, bar transgender people from using the bathrooms of their choice or banned cities from instituting equal rights protections of their own. "Placing HQ2 in one of these states would not only be morally wrong, but also inconsistent with your stated values. We are asking you to only consider states that would protect your LGBTQ workers, their families, and your customers," the group writes in the letter, a draft of which was obtained by The Washington Post. The letter is part of a new campaign called "No Gay? No Way!" aimed at leveraging Amazon's high-profile search to press state and local officials for better protections. The group has chartered a plane to fly a banner with its message over the technology giant's headquarters in Seattle and taken out advertisements in the nine states.

'No gay, now way'!: The campaign seeks to use Amazon's high-profile search to press politicians for better protections. Credit:Peter Harrington Supporters of many of the rules opposed by equal rights advocates defend their actions, some insisting they are aimed at not discrimination but protection for a Christian way of life. When the Georgia Senate last week passed a bill that would allow state-backed adoption agencies to refuse assistance to same-sex couples, its sponsor, Republican state Senator William Ligon told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that "just because you are a faith-based organisation doesn't mean you have to check your faith at the door and cannot participate in government programs." The mayors of some of the targeted cities have spoken out, saying their communities are diverse, inclusive places that should not be punished for state-level actions. Actor Alan Cumming is one of the voices calling on Amazon to consider LGBTQ rights in its HQ decision. Credit:Rob Kim

And some LGBT activists have argued that putting 50,000 Amazon workers in a politically red state might bring change there. Corporate heavyweights in North Carolina, Indiana and Georgia have had some success beating back legislation that LGBT advocates view as discriminatory. "Given [Amazon's] values on LGBTQ policies it would be good to have them in the state, as a force for good, as part of that growing ally base," Austin's Democrat Mayor Steve Adler said in January after his city was named a finalist. 'Ideal of equality is ingrained' Bezos won the equality award "for his long-standing personal commitment to building a more equal society and shining a spotlight on the challenges LGBTQ people face in their daily lives," Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said in a statement. At the group's October gala in Washington, Bezos expressed strong support for equality: "I believe that the ideal of equality is ingrained deeply within all of us. It is inalienable."

Those beliefs are palpable at the Seattle headquarters, where a rainbow flag flew last June for LGBT Pride Month. It has more than 40 "GLAmazon" chapters for LGBT affinity worldworld. But whether that ethos extends to the decision about where to grow Amazon is unknown. In its search requirements, Amazon says it requires "the presence and support of a diverse population." Loading Company officials have declined to expand on the meaning of that but Anthony Little, president of GLAmazon, issued a statement saying diversity and equality are "ingrained in the leadership principles" of the company. "I am very proud of the support Amazon has provided to the LGBTQ community, both with internal policies like the expansion of transition health benefits to fully cover transition surgeries for transgender employees and with external support of policies like our fight against the bathroom bill in Washington State that targeted transgender residents," he said.

"Ultimately, I think Amazon wants us to do what is right for LGBTQ employees." Advocates behind the letter, among them actors Alan Cumming and Omar Sharif Jr., and former New York City mayoral candidate Chrisine Quinn, say that doing best for its employees can't include putting 50,000 of them in any of 11 final locations: Atlanta, Austin, Columbus, Dallas, Indianapolis, Miami, Nashville, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Raleigh. Conor Gaughan, manager of the "No Gay? No Way!" campaign, said the HQ2 search -- the biggest economic development prize in decades -- is so consequential that it could become a model for other companies' choices. "It sends a bigger signal to states across the country that lack protections, that the biggest companies, the most innovative companies aren't coming to your state unless you fix this," he said. The Washington Post