Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
The shocking outcome of the elections has made it clear that likely progress for LGBTQ rights will be happening in each state in the near future. Equality Federation is focused on doing just that.
The Freedom New Hampshire coalition – currently comprised of Transgender New Hampshire, New Hampshire PFLAG, Rights and Democracy, ACLU of New Hampshire, GLAD and Freedom for All Americans – introduced a comprehensive trans nondiscrimination bill this session.
After recently meeting with anti-LGBTQ mogul Jerry Falwell Jr. about education issues, Donald Trump has chosen Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. DeVos and her family foundations have donated millions of dollars to extreme, anti-LGBTQ organizations. Some have promoted dangerous, unscientific “conversion therapies” to convert LGBTQ youth and all of them have fought against basic nondiscrimination protections, school safety, and more.
Join Equality Federation condemning President-elect Donald Trump for meeting with one of the nation’s most prominent anti-LGBTQ leaders, Jerry Falwell Jr., to discuss a potential position in his Administration’s Department of Education.
Equality Federation is deeply concerned that Donald Trump has surrounded himself with a team of individuals who actively support the denial of LGBTQ equality and promote racism, xenophobia, and misogyny. Together with our state-based equality group membership we are prepared to defend our hard-fought gains at every level.
In every corner of the nation, state-based groups have spent the month of June celebrating Pride. Many are using these events to grow their list; others are mobilizing supporters around a legislative or ballot campaign; still more are taking this opportunity to educate their base on critical issues facing LGBT people.
Like many of you, the Equality Federation team was glued to SCOTUS Blog yesterday morning. And like you, we were elated when the decisions were released. DOMA struck down. Marriage restored in California. A giant weight was lifted off our shoulders, and we breathed a sigh of relief. We won.
Today, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its highly anticipated decisions in U.S. v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry. In the case of U.S. v. Windsor, the Justices struck down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1993 policy that denies married same-sex couples equal protection under the law. In Hollingsworth v. Perry, the Court let stand the landmark Federal District Court ruling striking down Proposition 8.
In every state across the country, LGBT people are celebrating historic Supreme Court victories. And while our work continues, this Pride month has been one for the history books!
Today, the Supreme Court struck down a central part of the Voting Rights Act, invalidating crucial protections passed by Congress in 1965 and renewed four times in the decades since. The sharply divided decision will significantly reduce the federal government’s role in overseeing voting laws in areas with a history of discrimination against African-Americans.
With July right around the corner, we're really looking forward to seeing all of our members and partners in Salt Lake City at the 16th Annual Summer Meeting, hosted by Equality Utah.
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.