Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
Every year, the Equality Federation Institute hosts its annual Summer Meeting, bringing together LGBT movement leaders from across the country to build skills and create strong connections. This year’s meeting will be here before you know it, and it's time to mark your calendars and save the date!
On Saturday, February 8, I joined tens of thousands of people—including an impressive team from Equality North Carolina—for the Moral March on Raleigh, the largest gathering in the South since Selma.
Less than 5% of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community gives to an LGBTQ cause, according to research from the Horizons Foundation and Movement Advancement Project. To increase this number, Bolder Giving created Give OUT Day, a national initiative that aims to mobilize thousands of donors across the country on one day in May to give in support of the LGBTQ nonprofit community.
Based in Salt Lake City, Equality Utah is the state’s leading Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) political advocacy organization. With a vision of a fair and just Utah, Unity Utah was founded in 2001, by a group of visionary members of the Utah LGBT Community. Unity Utah’s initial goal was to increase the number of fair-minded elected officials holding office.
Based in Salt Lake City, Equality Utah is the state’s leading Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) political advocacy organization. With a vision of a fair and just Utah, Unity Utah was founded in 2001, by a group of visionary members of the Utah LGBT Community.
In just a few weeks, advocates, attorneys, organizers, ministers and community members will come together to strategize about new approaches to LGBT advocacy in the South. The Federation’s Ian Palmquist will join the conversation.
South Dakota Governor Dauggard met with transgender students on Tuesday, February 23rd, just days before he needs to make a decision on signing an extreme, anti-transgender bill (HB 1008) that would require students to undergo DNA, Birth Certificate, or genital checks and force them to use restrooms and facilities that do not match the gender they live every day. South Dakota would become the first state to enact such a law if he signs it.
Equality Federation extends a hearty congratulations to Federation member Equality North Carolina, HRC, MeckPAC and the TurnOUT! Charlotte coalition for making history tonight with Charlotte’s passage of nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, in public accommodations, vehicles for hire, and in government contracting. And, thank you to the Charlotte City Council!
Steve Knight, pastor of social justice and activism at Missiongathering Charlotte, spoke passionately in favor of the nondiscrimination ordinance passed by the Charlotte City Council on February 22nd.
Things are moving quickly in Georgia, having passed the half-way point of our legislative session just last week. Georgia Equality, through our campaign Georgia Unites Against Discrimination, is currently focusing our attention on stopping House Bill 757.
Federation member Georgia Equality caught this fascinating, must-watch, moment of debate over the “licence to discriminate” bill, HB 757, in which Sen. Emanuel Jones, D-Decatur asked Sen. Greg Kirk, R-Americus, if the bill would give cover to the KKK on religious grounds.
The nation’s major child advocacy groups (including American Academy of Pediatrics, American Counseling Association, American School Counselor Association, Child Welfare League of America, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Social Workers, and the National Education Association) have issued an open letter to governors asking that they veto any anti-transgender youth legislation that lands on their desk.
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.