Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
As the spread of the novel coronavirus a.k.a. COVID-19 increases, many LGBTQ+ people are understandably concerned about how this virus may affect us and our communities. We want to remind all parties handling COVID-19 surveillance, response, treatment, and media coverage that LGBTQ+ communities are among those who are particularly vulnerable to the negative health effects.
At Equality Federation, we work with many politically and civically engaged LGBTQ folks, and we often hear that they don’t feel welcome in other (even progressive) political spaces. What’s more, a 2019 report from Williams Institute found that 21% of LGBTQ people are not registered to vote, compared to 17% of the general population.
We, the undersigned, a coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) state and local organizations, make the following statement in response to the introduction of the Equality Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.
We applaud Gov. Newsom for announcing this long overdue pardon of civil rights hero Bayard Rustin along with the new clemency initiative to correct a historical wrong.
The State Equality Index (SEI) is a comprehensive state-by-state report that provides a review of statewide laws and policies that affect LGBTQ people and their families. The SEI rates all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. in six areas of law and assigns the states to one of four distinct categories.
When we celebrate sports and protect transgender youth from discrimination, making sure that all young people can access the opportunities that sports afford, everyone wins.
Every year, the Equality Federation Institute hosts its annual Summer Meeting, bringing together LGBT movement leaders from across the country to build skills and forge connections that strengthen the incredible work that’s happening in all the communities we call home.
Today the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging same-sex marriage bans in four states in the Sixth Circuit, and a ruling is expected in June.
Last year, Idaho and Montana became two of the 36 states (and D.C.) that now have the freedom to marry. This was a great advancement for LGBT people in these states, but it also brought about a new reality: it is now legal to marry a same-sex partner in the same state where protections against discrimination are limited.
State-based organizations across the country are advancing major progress in the communities we call home -- where the work is hard, but the impact is great. We are only two weeks into 2015, and already another state has won the freedom to marry, and another could be on its way.
LGBT state organizations are led by some of the best leaders -- both new and long-serving executive directors who are working for change in their communities. To develop the skills of these amazing leaders and their organizations, our friends at the Victory Institute are offering a fellowship just for LGBT nonprofit executives.
For many of our movement’s state-based organizations, funding is often stretched too thin.Groups continue to make progress, but there is always more work to be done and more support than can be provided. Luckily, there is a new opportunity for some of our groups to receive this needed funding.
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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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