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, the Illinois House passed the freedom to marry in a decisive 61 to 54 vote, following Senate passage on Valentine’s Day earlier this year. On November 20, Governor Pat Quinn signed the bill into law and gave committed same-sex couples across the state the protection and dignity they deserve.
State-based organizations across the country are making change in the communities we call home -- where the work is hard, but the impact is great. Nearly every week, we hear about another victory that provides LGBT people with the protection, respect and dignity they need and deserve, but far too often, these wins go unsung by the broader LGBT movement.
The gross irony that Native Americans are being abused by overzealous police during Thanksgiving has not been lost on Equality Federation. For this #SolidarityWednesday we encourage you to consider donating to one of the organizations supporting the protestors at Standing Rock in the Dakotas who are fighting to preserve the land and water for future generations.
In recent months, Assembly Bill 1266, the School Success and Opportunity Act, was passed by both chambers of the California legislature and signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. This bill restates existing anti-discrimination law requiring that transgender students, like all students, be provided with a safe and supportive school environment where they can succeed.
WASHINGTON — From coast to coast, America’s cities are demonstrating a commitment to treating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people with dignity and respect by passing laws and implementing policies that treat all people equally. That’s according to a new report by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization.
In June, the Federation launched a weekly "Members Only" newsletter for member staff and boards as well as a biweekly "Friends of the Fed" newsletter for our supporters, donors and friends. Over the past few months, we've gotten a wealth of positive feedback about our new communications, and we've also heard some great suggestions.
In the spring/summer of 2015, our partners at the Tyler Clementi Foundation are launching Day 1 - an effective, immediate and free way to reduce bullying, harassment and humiliation. And your organization can take part.
The LGBT movement is shifting. We are seeing the tides changing from a focus on marriage to one of states working for protections in nondiscrimination, safe schools, immigration, healthcare, and beyond. But what is constant throughout this change is the intersectionality of our work, and the need to look at each issue through multiple lenses.
On Monday, March 2nd, U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon ruled Nebraska's ban on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional calling it an "unabashedly gender-specific infringement of the equal rights of its citizens."
Equality Federation expresses our strong solidarity with the the family of Freddie Gray, local community leaders, and many community protesters in Baltimore, as well as those raising their voices across the country. We are also calling for meaningful, systemic change so that no lives are lost or negatively impacted in the future by mass incarceration or police brutality.
A bill that would have made it illegal for any transgender person to use a restroom that did not match their gender assigned at birth has failed in Florida. HB 583, the “Single-Sex Public Facilities” bill, or Florida’s “Bathroom Bill,” introduced by State Representative Frank Artiles, was aimed to punish transgender individuals.
Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend the LGBT* in the South Conference, hosted by Campaign for Southern Equality in Asheville, North Carolina.About 500 people from around the region gathered for two days of peer learning and collaboration.
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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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