Through smart advocacy and strategic public education, our movement has secured key policy victories that have dramatically improved the lives of LGBT people. But as more than a dozen states have now won the freedom to marry for same-sex couples, in addition to several other critical protections for LGBT people and families, our state-based movement has reached a turning point. Some state groups are wrestling with what their work looks like after winning marriage while other organizations are fighting for their first policy victory.

At the Equality Federation, we've developed a strategic policy program that assists state groups at every level of work. We're the national leader on securing inclusive non-discrimination protections in employment, housing and public accommodations. We're partnering with our allies to advance safe and just schools policies that keep students in school and learning. We're providing strategic guidance and assistance to policy efforts to win transgender justice, immigration reform, marriage, and more.

Nondiscrimination

No one should have to live in fear that they could lose their job, their home, or their security simply because of who they are or who they love. And yet in most states, it's entirely legal to fire someone, deny them a mortgage, or refuse them a hotel room on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. At Equality Federation, we're leading the national effort to pass statewide laws protecting LGBT people from this pervasive, harmful discrimination. Our team is building coalitions, creating campaign plans, helping to secure funding, and providing the kind of expertise and experience that's critical to winning in states that have never before passed a statewide policy in support of LGBT people. For support on advancing a nondiscrimination law in your state, contact Roey Thorpe.

Safe and Just Schools

All young people need to be in school and feel safe there in order to learn. That's why, at Equality Federation, we're committed to building safe and welcoming schools where students are free from bullying, harassment, discrimination and harsh discipline policies. In partnership with GSA Network, we're working with targeted states to develop strategies for securing strong, effective safe and just schools policies at the local and state level.

In these states, we're exploring intergenerational collaborations and partnering with education justice organizations to address all the ways that our young people are pushed out of schools and into poverty or the criminal justice system. For more information and support for safe and just schools campaigns, contact Ian Palmquist.

Marriage and Relationship Recognition

All across this country, committed same-sex couples are doing the hard work of building strong families, and yet they are denied the critical legal protections to take care of the ones they love. At the Federation, we support the state-based organizations that are working to advance marriage and relationship recognition policies that will provide thousands of couples with the security they need to protect their families.

From ballot or legislative campaigns to win the freedom to marry to local advocacy to secure domestic partnership registries -- we connect our members with the best available resources and ensure they have the tools they need to advance these critical policies. For more information on our work to ensure that all loving couples are treated with dignity and respect, contact the staff representative for your region.

Transgender Policy

Transgender and gender non-conforming people face injustice at every turn: in childhood homes, in school systems that promise to shelter and educate, in harsh and exclusionary workplaces, at the grocery store, the hotel front desk, in doctors’ offices and emergency rooms, before judges, and at the hands of landlords, police officers, health care workers, and other service providers.

At the Federation, we help state-based organizations identify opportunities to address these injustices -- providing support and connecting groups with needed expertise for policy initiatives ranging from identification documents to shelter procedures to health care access. For more information on how we help advance transgender policies, contact the staff representative for your region.

Post-Marriage Equality

The Federation is the national leader on addressing one of the movement's biggest questions: what does a statewide LGBT advocacy organization do after winning marriage? After the victory celebration, after families are given the protection they need, after the confetti is all cleaned up -- what's next? In most cases, winning the freedom to marry does not complete our movement's work for full and lasting justice and equality for LGBT people.

That's why we're working to develop a model for post-marriage work in this exciting new environment. We're bringing together leaders from states that have won the freedom to marry to discuss priorities and explore how their organizations’ work could change to continue forward momentum on our issues. People in post-marriage and soon-to-be post-marriage states can engage in this critical conversation by contacting Fran Hutchins.