News & Resources

Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.

The Latest

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Summer of Action Kicks-Off: Join the Volunteers Going Door-to-Door for LGBTQ Equality!

Summer of Action has kicked off in Phoenix, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Cleveland! Over the next three weeks we will have thousands of conversations about nondiscrimination with people on their front porches and on the phone!

July 23, 2016
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National TV Ad Depicting Transgender Discrimination to Premiere During RNC

Equality Federation is proud to partner in the launch of a groundbreaking ad depicting the challenges faced by transgender people in accessing public restrooms—and highlighting the lack of state and federal nondiscrimination protections for transgender people.

July 11, 2016
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VICTORY! Mass. Governor Signs Transgender Nondiscrimination Protections

Today Equality Federation celebrates Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s signing of a historic bill that updates Massachusetts state law to ensure explicit protections for transgender people from discrimination in public places, including restaurants, hospitals, parks, and public restrooms.

July 8, 2016
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Anti-Transgender Campaign Fails in Washington

The I-1515 campaign – an effort to repeal Washington State’s 10 year old non-discrimination law protecting our transgender friends, co-workers and family members – failed to turn in enough (246,372) signatures to qualify for this year’s fall election ballot. The WA Secretary of State’s office announced late this afternoon that the I-1515 campaign cancelled its appointment to turn in signatures.

July 8, 2016
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LGBTQ Advocates Convene in Portland to Build Power of Movement #EQFED16

Leaders of state-based equality organizations—from Equality California to Equality Florida—as well as several national partners, will convene at Equality Federation’s Leadership Conference in Portland, Oregon July 13-16th.

July 7, 2016
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Chairman Chaffetz: Cancel July 12 Hearing on Discriminatory Anti-LGBT Bill!

Equality Federation stands in strong opposition to the “First Amendment Defense Act,” known as FADA and has signed a coalition letter demanding the cancellation of the July 12th hearing for the legislation.

July 7, 2016

Press Releases

VICTORY: RFRA will not advance in Georgia!

At midnight last night, the Georgia General Assembly officially closed their doors for this legislative session and with it ended any chance that RFRA could move forward in Georgia in 2015. Congratulations to the teams at Georgia Unites Against Discrimination and Georgia Equality for all your hard work to protect the LGBT community in your state!

April 3, 2015
New National Campaign Seeks to Close Youth Prisons, Improve Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

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." 

April 1, 2015
LGBT, Civil Rights Groups Urge Support for Fairness for All Hoosiers Act

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.

March 31, 2015
Walmart, Apple, Salesforce, and Yelp Join Chorus Against Discriminatory Religious Exemption Bills

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.

March 29, 2015
Opposition Mounting Against Georgia’s Anti-Gay Religious Exemption Bill

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.

March 26, 2015
How 17 Anti-LGBT Bills Died in Oklahoma

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.

March 25, 2015
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