At Equality Federation, we believe the movement for equality is not done once the freedom to marry has been extended to same-sex couples nationwide. We know we have more work to do.

Marriage equality will not keep LGBT young people in their homes and loved by their families. It will not keep them in school and out of the criminal justice system. It will not ensure transgender people access to accurate identity documents or critical healthcare services. It will not make our streets and our communities safe and free from violence. It will not make our military, our prisons, our immigration system, or our healthcare inclusive and just. It will not erase the vulnerability our community feels as we age in a world without an adequate safety net.

Marriage means a lot, but our movement is not finished. It’s time for us to go back to the roots of our movement toward our goal of lived equality.

Lived equality is about freedom. Freedom from bigotry, freedom to be who we are and live without facing nearly insurmountable obstacles, freedom to love and be loved. This freedom is not only measured in policies and laws; it must also be measured in the lived experience of real people.

That’s why we’re working on critical issues that impact how LGBT people experience the world, from cradle to grave.

Safe & Just Schools

All young people deserve to pursue an education in schools where they’re safe and respected. But we know that LGBT students often face nearly insurmountable odds to staying and thriving in school.

In 26 states, LGBT students aren’t protected by laws prohibiting bullying, harassment, and discrimination. And in even more states, all young people, including LGBT youth, are subject to schools with policies that systematically push students out of the education system and into poverty, homelessness, or the criminal justice system.

That's why, at Equality Federation, we're committed to building safe and just schools where students are free from bullying, harassment, and discrimination and where harsh discipline policies don’t force young people out of the classroom.

Our team is working in targeted states to develop strategies for securing strong, effective safe and just schools policies at the local and state level. In collaboration with the LGBT advocacy organizations in these states, we’re creating plans to utilize organizing, youth engagement, and communications strategies to advocate for policy change. We’re partnering with GSA Network and their state affiliates to build coalitions with educational justice organizations who have the necessary expertise in ending the school-to-prison pipeline. We’re engaging with key allies, including civil rights groups, teachers unions, and professional associations who can help articulate the need for comprehensive legislation protecting LGBT students. In 2013, we made significant progress toward these goals, and we’re poised to build on them in 2014.

Immigration

Comprehensive, compassionate immigration reform is an urgent priority for our nation — and for the more than 267,000 LGBT immigrants who need Congress to fix the country’s patchwork of failed and mismanaged immigration policies and provide a clear and direct path to citizenship.

At Equality Federation, we joined a coalition of national LGBT organizations working to ensure that everyone understands the positive impact that immigration reform will have on LGBT young people, detainees, workers, and others — whether or not they are a part of a binational couple. As a part of the coalition, we worked with our members to build support and momentum through community education and organizing through Pride and the National Day of Dignity and Respect.

Our efforts, in partnership with Federation members, helped to elevate LGBT support for immigration reform in 2013. LGBT voices joined with immigrant communities in America as well as faith, labor, and civil rights groups to call on Congress to pass this critical legislation.

Strengthening State Organizations Beyond the Marriage Milestone

In 2013, the movement celebrated countless historic wins to secure the freedom to marry for same-sex couples, including the Supreme Court’s landmark decision striking down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). With this and subsequent court decisions, we’re closer than ever to securing marriage for all families nationwide.

At Equality Federation, we believe that, in many cases, statewide LGBT advocacy organizations have more work to do, even after winning marriage. We’ve been working in states beyond the marriage milestone with organizations including EqualityMaine, Garden State Equality, OutFront Minnesota, Equality Maryland, Equality Hawaii, and Equality New Mexico as they engaged in a process to determine their organizations’ futures and the futures of the movement in their states.

We’re providing tailored support to our members who have achieved the marriage milestone, from strategic planning to executive transition management. We’re hosting peer learning opportunities to allow for sharing of best practices and collaborative innovation. And we’re creating a national conversation about our movement beyond the marriage milestone, ensuring that “What’s next?” is a question that’s wrestled with strategically and courageously.