Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
2014 highlights.
One of the greatest challenges for the state-based LGBT movement is securing funding and resources to do the hard but necessary work on the ground in the communities we call home. For groups in the South, this continues to be a struggle. LGBT advocates in this region work to win equality for their communities with limited funding and capacity, all while facing often intense political and religious opposition.
Running an organization can be hard work. From supporting a board to interacting with donors to representing your brand -- being a successful leader takes commitment. One of the greatest responsibilities of an Executive Director is being a strong manager. And one way you can improve your management skills is through interactions with staff.
One in five Americans is financially “insecure,” meaning they recently experienced a significant loss in income without an adequate financial cushion. Because of outdated and discriminatory laws, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people face even greater economic insecurity than their non-LGBT counterparts simply because of who they are and whom they love.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s historic decision in Windsor v. United States last June, we have seen over 10 states win the freedom to marry for same-sex couples. We have witnessed 40 wins, and two losses, for the freedom to marry, and with 81 cases pending in 32 states, the time is right for the Supreme Court to consider one or more of the federal marriage equality cases.
At the end of 2013, New Jersey became the 14th state to extend the freedom to marry to same-sex couples. This historic victory was the result of the hard work of many LGBT activists and organizations, including Federation member Garden State Equality.
The impact of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision striking down Section 3 of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) continues to be felt across the country. As each federal department issues new rules and guidelines for implementing the decision, families in states across the country are asking more and more questions about what it all means for them. A number of member organizations have taken the initiative to inform folks in their states about what a post-DOMA country means for them.
As I look back on the past year, I’m still in awe. State organizations accomplished game-changing victories that were nothing short of historic. That’s why I’m proud to share with you Equality Federation’s 2012 Annual Report, which offers a small look into our role in last year’s incredible wins.
Since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision striking down Section 3 of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), many federal departments have issued guidance and policy updates detailing the impact of DOMA’s demise for same-sex couples.
We are pleased to welcome our newest member organization, the Fairness Campaign in Kentucky! The Fairness Campaign has recently merged with Kentucky Fairness Alliance to create a more unified, stable, and successful LGBT equality movement in the Bluegrass State!
Members of the LGBT community are more likely than the general population to lack adequate, if any, health coverage. But as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), millions of LGBT people and their families will experience improvements in the quality of coverage they have—such as LGBT-inclusive anti-discrimination protections—or will have access to health insurance coverage for the first time.
For too long, the LGBT community has been left out when it comes to health coverage. It has been too hard to find coverage that treats our families fairly, that covers the care we need, and that doesn't break the bank.
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With your support, we'll be able to continue our work to build the leaders of today and tomorrow, strengthen state-based LGBTQ+ organizations, and make critical progress on the issues that matter most—like protecting transgender people, ending HIV criminalization and ensuring access to care, and banning conversion therapy across the country.
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