Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
On November 5, 2013, voters in the Michigan community of Royal Oak approved a local ordinance protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people from discrimination. Passage of this ordinance, in a 54 to 46 percent vote, comes 12 years after Royal Oak residents previously voted down a similar proposal. Federation member Equality Michigan was a key player in the fight for fairness and equality in Royal Oak. We talked with Emily Dievendorf and Sommer Foster about the campaign that led to this historic win.
Mobilize the Immigrant Vote (MIV) is a California alliance of organizations advancing the broader movement for social change by building immigrant voting power. MIV strategies include building the capacity of community-based organizations working with New American and immigrant communities of color to educate and mobilize their constituents to vote; linking these efforts with ongoing community organizing; shaping the debate on immigrant civic participation; and developing models for collaboration.
A coalition of local and national organizations is planning a grassroots public education campaign to win the freedom to marry in Nevada. This newly formed program will work with Nevada businesses, faith communities, community groups and opinion leaders to increase support for marriage, pass the necessary legislative resolution and lay the groundwork for a ballot measure campaign.
Oregon United for Marriage (orunited.org) is building a broad coalition of individuals and organizations to win the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Oregon. We believe marriage and family are about love and commitment, working together, bettering the community, raising children, and growing old together. We believe in an Oregon that supports strong families and values freedom and equality. And we believe that marriage matters to all Oregonians.
Oregon United for Marriage (orunited.org) is building a broad coalition of individuals and organizations to win the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Oregon. We believe marriage and family are about love and commitment, working together, bettering the community, raising children, and growing old together. We believe in an Oregon that supports strong families and values freedom and equality. And we believe that marriage matters to all Oregonians.
Oregon Says I Do is building a broad coalition of individuals and organizations to win the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Oregon. We believe marriage and family are about love and commitment, working together, bettering the community, raising children, and growing old together.We believe in an Oregon that supports strong families and values freedom and equality. And we believe that marriage matters to all Oregonians.
Over 3,000 children are awaiting adoption in Michigan, yet on Thursday, June 11, Governor Rick Snyder signed a law permitting faith-based adoption agencies that receive public funding to discriminate against potential parents - including same-sex or unmarried couples - if doing so would violate the agencies' religious beliefs, leaving the needs of children on the sidelines.
Equality Federation denounced today the enactment of North Carolina Senate Bill 2, an anti-LGBT law that allows magistrates and other public officials to opt out of performing marriage services for couples if they have religious objections to certain marriages. The law had been vetoed by Governor Pat McCory, but today the House of Representatives voted 69-41 to override his decision, which means SB 2 will become law.
Despite these laws and guidance, Media Matters for America found that various conservative media outlets have promoted myths that policies protecting transgender students "create confusion, violate students' privacy rights, and can be exploited by students who will pretend to be transgender in order to sneak into the restrooms for the opposite sex."
Want to be even more connected to the LGBT movement at this critical time?Follow these simple steps.
You won't want to miss this! Garden State Equality's executive director Andrea Majanik Bowen was interviewed in Slate's fun series Ask A Homo about how to talk with trans people with respect. Garden State Equality is a member of the Equality Federation.
On Monday, the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a best practices guide that will ensure transgender employees has access to the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity. The 4-page "Guide to Restroom Access for Transgender Workers" provides guidance to employers on best practices regarding restroom access for transgender workers, with the goal of assuring that employers provide a safe and healthy working environment for all employees.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
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.
.png)
