Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
Today the Obama Administration’s Department of Education (DOE) and Department of Justice (DOJ) signed a groundbreaking letter that was sent to public schools directing them to embrace transgender students by allowing them to participate fully and use the facilities that match the gender they live every day.
In 2013, Equality California and its coalition partners successfully advocated for the passage of the School Success and Opportunity Act (AB1266), which went into effect on January 1, 2014. AB1266 ensures that schools have the guidance they need to make sure all students, including those who are transgender, have the opportunity to do well in school and graduate.
It's an exciting time here at the Federation! Each year, we ask our beloved members to complete our recertification survey. Recertification is a chance for you to update the Federation about your work, your priorities, and your team. It’s also an opportunity to let us know of any changes we can make to improve your experience as a member.
In the past few years, we have seen growing public support for allowing same-sex couples to marry. This support has come from years of important public and private conversations about marriage for same-sex couples -- between friends, families, neighbors -- and in the media for all to hear.
We are excited to announce the addition of two new member organizations to the Equality Federation: Gender Justice League and Wyoming Equality! Gender Justice League is a Washington State trans* and allied activist group based out of Seattle.
It’s been almost a year since the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in Windsor v. United States, and in that short time, we have seen a promising surge in impact litigation to secure marriage for same-sex couples. In fact, since the Supreme Court’s ruling last summer, not one federal judge has ruled against the freedom to marry.
At Summer Meeting 2013, our friends from the National Center for Transgender Equality joined us to facilitate an important topic of discussion: trans inclusion
In the weeks following the Supreme Court’s ruling on DOMA and Proposition 8, member groups across the nation have held statewide celebratory rallies in response to these historic decisions. But Federation member organization Equality Alabama went one step further, holding a Marriage Town Hall Meeting focused on shedding some light on what the Court’s rulings mean for residents of Alabama.
The Obama Administration is continuing to implement the Supreme Court's landmark decision striking down Section 3 of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.Soon after the ruling was handed down, the President directed the Attorney General to work with other members of his Cabinet to review the Justices' decision and determine its impact on Federal benefit programs to ensure swift and smooth implementation.
Our member organizations are always striving to do the best work they can to serve the diverse LGBT communities in their states. To continue to do just that, Fair Wisconsin and Equality Wisconsin have decided to combine their efforts to create a more unified, stable, and successful LGBT equality movement in Wisconsin!
Here at the Federation, we focus on building the leadership capacity of our movement by enhancing the skills of individuals, particularly those who are just entering the sector as college interns. Created in 2008, the Federation Internship Program was formed to connect smart, engaged, passionate young people with active statewide LGBT advocacy organizations.
You may have noticed a few changes lately at the Equality Federation – a new website, new member newsletter, new logo. We're working hard to elevate our brand so that we can better tell the story of the state-based movement for equality.
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.