Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
Nearly 200 leaders from Equality Federation’s state-based partner membership as well as leaders from national LGBTQ organizations attended our annual Leadership Conference this July in Portland, Oregon. Local hosts Basic Rights Oregon supported the efforts and an array of new sponsors ensured the event was a smashing success.
Tina Kotek, a Representative from Oregon, became the nation’s first openly lesbian House Speaker when she was sworn into office in 2013. She’s a longtime advocate of LGBTQ equality but is also well-known for her advocacy efforts around housing, health care, and other important issues that most impact marginalized communities.
Summer of Action has kicked off in Phoenix, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Cleveland! Over the next three weeks we will have thousands of conversations about nondiscrimination with people on their front porches and on the phone!
Equality Federation is proud to partner in the launch of a groundbreaking ad depicting the challenges faced by transgender people in accessing public restrooms—and highlighting the lack of state and federal nondiscrimination protections for transgender people.
The I-1515 campaign – an effort to repeal Washington State’s 10 year old non-discrimination law protecting our transgender friends, co-workers and family members – failed to turn in enough (246,372) signatures to qualify for this year’s fall election ballot. The WA Secretary of State’s office announced late this afternoon that the I-1515 campaign cancelled its appointment to turn in signatures.
The Heart of Dixie has grown colder today. This afternoon, the Alabama House of Representatives passed HB24, deceptively named the Alabama Child Placing Agency Inclusion Act, on a 87-0 vote with 6 abstaining. The bill now heads to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk.
Today’s the day! We’re currently in third place with momentum on our side.
Tomorrow is Give OUT Day, a national day of giving to LGBTQ organizations, and Equality Federation could win $10,000 for our work to achieve equality all across the country! Will you chip in to propel us to victory?
Equality Federation has been proud to partner with Lyft since last year, and a new announcement from the company reinforces why we value them as a business leader in inclusivity.
Equality Federation congratulates the hard work of Federation member Equality New Mexico, all of the national partner organizations, and the courageous advocates on the ground who shared their personal stories to achieve today’s victory: banning the dangerous and unscientific practice of sexual orientation and gender identity conversion efforts! New Mexico joins five states and the District of Columbia in banning the practice, and Equality Federation is currently supporting bills that would ban it in 19 more states.
Today the Senate confirmed Judge Gorsuch to the Supreme Court of the United States. He will be sworn into office on Monday. Equality Federation had previously expressed concern about Gorsuch’s record and personal philosophy, and those concerns were only amplified during the Judge’s confirmation hearings.
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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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