Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
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Last month, we hosted our New Executive Director Intensive, one of our longest-running leadership programs. For over a decade, this program has brought together Executive Directors who are new in their role to foster healthy, sustainable organizations and leadership practices. Here are inspiring takeaways we got out of this year’s intensive!
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In recognition of HIV is Not a Crime Day and Maryland's recent groundbreaking progress toward HIV law reform, we sat down for a conversation with Ronnie at FreeState Justice, one of our state partners. We discuss Maryland’s historic progress, its significance in the current landscape of HIV criminalization across the United States, and the importance of Black LGBTQ+ leadership in shaping HIV justice.
The Iowa Legislature this evening passed a repeal of 18-year-old nondiscrimination protections for transgender people. We denounce Iowa’s rollback of civil rights protections for trans people in the strongest possible terms, and call on all Americans of conscience to stand up for their LGBTQ+ friends, family, and neighbors.
To everyone in our community: We are here. We will keep fighting for us, showing up for us, and creating spaces where we can all feel safe and loved.
President Biden signed into law the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. This annual defense policy bill included a new provision blocking health care for the transgender children of military servicemembers. This provision is the first anti-LGBTQ+ federal law enacted since the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.
Hear from the Fed team, and take a look at what we’ve been up to in 2024!
This is personal. As the son, grandson, and brother of veterans, I am horrified that some service members and their dependents could be denied life saving health care simply because they are transgender.
As Texas prepares to enter a special legislative session to consider a growing number of discriminatory bills targeting transgender people and their families, the United States House of Representatives is today considering a amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would strip transgender service members and their dependents of access to health care. The harmful amendment was introduced by Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO).
Leaders of state-based equality organizations—from Equality California to Equality Maine—and key national partners, will convene at Equality Federation’s 20th annual Leadership Conference in Alexandria, Virginia July 26-29.
Unjust: LGBTQ Youth Incarcerated in the Juvenile Justice System examines how LGBTQ youth who are incarcerated in juvenile detention and correctional facilities face bias in adjudication, and mistreatment and abuse in confinement facilities.
In 1997, a few state LGBTQ leaders came together at the Highlander Center in Tennessee. State by state, they were often working in isolation. Sitting in a circle of rocking chairs, they envisioned coming together as a state-based movement to form what would become Equality Federation.
“For the LGBTQ community, today marks the beginning of Pride Month – a month dedicated to celebrating the vibrancy of our community, living our truth, remembering those we have lost and those who have paved the way, and preparing for the next year of hard work and accomplishments ahead of us.
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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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