Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
For years, we've been sending our members Fed Head News, a somewhat monthly email newsletter with announcements, news, and tips all focused on building a strong movement for equality. Today, we bid farewell to this old friend. It has served us well, but it's time to move on.
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.
This weekend, families across the country celebrated Father's Day. My partner Brad and I got to spend the evening with my parents, relaxing on their screened porch here in Raleigh.
This year’s Summer Meeting is shaping up to be one of the best yet. We’re planning sessions that will fuel collaboration within regions, caucus groups that will connect attendees based on their organizational roles, and workshops that are geared toward helping state leaders build greater success in lobbying, organizing, communications, organizational development, and more.
This Pride season, we have so much to celebrate in our community. I’m proud of the marriage victories and non-discrimination wins that Federation members have had a part in this year. I’m also extremely proud of the stand that the LGBT community, including many Federation members, has taken on immigration reform.
In November 2012, three states -- Maine, Maryland, and Washington -- extended the freedom to marry to same-sex couples. And in the past few months, three additional states -- Rhode Island, Delaware, and Minnesota -- have followed suit, reaching 12 states in the nation that allow all loving couples to share in the joys and responsibilities of marriage.
Just last week, former Georgia Republican Attorney General and prominent GOP leader Michael Bowers joined the fight over the proposed Religious Freedom Restoration Act in the Peach State, but not on the side you would expect.Bowers, who is well known for defending anti-gay sodomy laws in the Supreme Court’s 1986 Bowers v. Hardwick decision, is now standing on the right side of history and supporting those who believe in fairness for all.
A year and a half ago, I flew to Tulsa to work with The Equality Network. At that time, TEN was a small organization of committed volunteers. While they were doing remarkable work with few resources, they recognized it was time to grow so they could have an even bigger impact on their state.
SAN FRANCISCO - Today, Equality Federation hails the progress made by Federation member Equality Utah in bringing together faith and political leaders to draft nondiscrimination legislation, Senate Bill 296, to ensure no hardworking Utahn is unfairly fired from a job or denied a place to live.
Last night, the Charlotte City Council rejected a proposed nondiscrimination ordinance supported by Equality Federation member Equality North Carolina and their coalition partners. The measures would have added sexual orientation and gender identity, among other characteristics, to already protected classes in four city non-discrimination ordinances.
Swampscot, MA has joined the movement led by towns and cities across the country to protect people from discrimination based on gender identity. Carly Burton, interim co-executive director of Federation member MassEquality, released the following statement in response to the decision.
Twenty-three advocates championing nondiscrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people were arrested on March 2nd at the Idaho State Capitol. The demonstrators asked lawmakers to include protections for LGBT people in the Idaho Human Rights Act.
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.