Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
Equality Federation denounces North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory for signing into law the most extreme, anti-LGBTQ legislation in the country. House Bill 2 repeals Charlotte’s nondiscrimination ordinance, prevents other towns from passing their own nondiscrimination ordinances, prevents transgender people from being able to use the restroom that matches the gender they live every day, and even prevents cities from adopting living wage ordinances.
BREAKING (Stay tuned for updates): Equality Federation calls upon North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory to veto the extreme, anti-LGBTQ legislation that was passed in the General Assembly on Wednesday. HB2 is one of the most discriminatory pieces of legislation to emerge in the country this year.
March 10th came and went without much fanfare, yet it was a milestone day for Equality Federation member Freedom Oklahoma. When the Oklahoma Legislature gaveled into session earlier this year, Oklahoma’s LGBTQ community faced a daunting challenge to overcome 27 anti-LGBTQ pieces of legislation — many carried over from the previous legislation.
In state after state this year, opponents have used ever-evolving strategies to legislate anti-LGBTQ discrimination. The two most common strategies are religious exemption bills (so-called “religious freedom” bills) and bills focussed on restroom access.
Update: Equality Federation extends our deepest gratitude to the eight courageous Senators in Missouri who filibustered for a historic 39 hours to prevent a discriminatory religious exemption bill from moving forward in the legislature. SJ39 is a dangerous bill that would ask the voters of Missouri to amend their constitution to allow religious organizations and individuals to use their faith to legally justify refusing services and benefits to LGBTQ people.
Now is the time for transgender equality, and more states are doing the right thing. They are no longer forcing transgender people to have surgery or obtain court orders in order to change the gender marker on their birth certificates.
Just moments ago, I was standing in the East Room of the White House as President Obama signed two historic executive orders. For the first time in the history of our country, federal contractors can no longer discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and transgender employees in the federal civil service are explicitly protected from discrimination.
Equality Federation, the strategic partner to state-based organizations advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, is celebrating the signing of two executive orders today. Executive Order 11246 will now prohibit federal contractors from discriminating against workers based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Curtis Thornhill is the CEO and Founder of Apt Marketing Solutions, an organization that creates tools and services to help marketing teams improve the visibility, accountability, and effectiveness of marketing programs.
Michael Lewis is a Director at PepsiCo, Inc. and works in marketing on their North America beverage business. He started his marketing career in the consumer packaged goods industry over a decade ago at Procter & Gamble and has also worked in marketing for Teach For America.
Julia Rosen is the Digital Director at ActBlue, where she brought a decade of online organizing experience on both electoral and issue campaigns. She comes from MoveOn.org, where she served as a Campaign Director, helping lead their electoral efforts, multi-issue advocacy and fundraising.
Looking for a concrete, meaningful project to engage activists in your state? Consider helping to grow the list of Mayors for the Freedom to Marry. Or use the list to help find allies in key districts you may be targeting for nondiscrimination campaigns.
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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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