Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
While recently on a tour at a juvenile detention facility, one of my colleagues asked the staff how they make housing decisions for transgender youth. The staff responded, "We ask youth how they identify themselves, and if they would prefer to be placed in the girls unit or in the boys unit."
INDIANAPOLIS – In an open letter to Gov. Mike Pence and leaders in the Indiana House and Senate, national LGBT and civil rights groups call on lawmakers to quickly enact legislation fixing SB 101, which could allow discrimination against gay and transgender people, and end the firestorm of protests that “Indiana is already on the verge of losing billions of dollars and thousands of jobs because of this dangerous law.
The list of companies threatening to reduce business or leave states that have passed or plan to pass so-called “religious freedom” bills is growing daily. Walmart, Apple, and the Arkansas Chamber of Commerce are among the business interests that have come out against a proposed religious exemption bill in Arkansas.
Georgia lawmakers are considering the passage of a so-called “religious freedom” bill that would overturn all existing state and local civil rights ordinances protecting gay and transgender people. However, SB 129 stands to harm Georgians of all backgrounds.
While anti-LGBT legislation makes its way through legislatures across the country, one state stands out as a beacon of hope. Already in 2015, the incredible team at Freedom Oklahoma fended off a whopping 17 discriminatory bills. We caught up with Executive Director Troy Stevenson to get an inside look at how they won.
This is a critical moment for our movement. While a positive marriage ruling from the Supreme Court is hopefully only weeks away, states across the country are facing a deluge of anti-LGBT bills, and over 200 million Americans currently live in states that only have a patchwork of nondiscrimination protections. Advocates in the South are at the front lines fighting for fairness and equality.
“With Equality Federation celebrating its 20th anniversary, this year marks two decades of state equality groups coming together to strategize, share, and learn from each other. We believe that we are stronger and better together, and our record proves it.
Equality Federation’s member organizations have volunteers, staff, and board members who are transgender veterans. Here are a few of their reactions to Trump’s plans to ban transgender people from serving in the military.
WASHINGTON — Today, over 200 leaders from the LGBTQ civil rights movement are gathered in Alexandria just across the river from Washington, D.C. for the annual Equality Federation Leadership Conference as President Trump announced his intention, in a series of tweets, to ban transgender people from serving in the military.
As Texas prepares to enter a special legislative session to consider a growing number of discriminatory bills targeting transgender people and their families, the United States House of Representatives is today considering a amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would strip transgender service members and their dependents of access to health care. The harmful amendment was introduced by Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO).
This is personal. As the son, grandson, and brother of veterans, I am horrified that some service members and their dependents could be denied life saving health care simply because they are transgender.
Leaders of state-based equality organizations—from Equality California to Equality Maine—and key national partners, will convene at Equality Federation’s 20th annual Leadership Conference in Alexandria, Virginia July 26-29.
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.