News & Resources

Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.

The Latest

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Moving Forward After Today’s Executive Orders

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.

July 21, 2014
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LGBT Movement Leaders Applaud President Obama’s Historic Executive Orders Protecting LGBT Workers 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.

July 21, 2014
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Curtis Thornhill

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.

July 17, 2014
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Michael Lewis

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.

July 17, 2014
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Julia Rosen

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.

July 17, 2014
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Member Resource: Build Support in Your Community Through Mayors for the Freedom to Marry

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.

July 16, 2014

Press Releases

President Obama Supports Equality Act

We applaud President Obama for his support of the Equality Act, an important piece of legislation that would help ensure all Americans, including LGBTQ people and their families, are fully and clearly protected from discrimination. The announcement builds upon seven years of this administration’s support. They have extended hospital visitation to LGBTQ families, ended discrimination among federal employees and contractors, supported marriage equality, opposed conversion therapy, and so much more.

November 11, 2015
Supporting State Leaders Advancing the Movement

Strong and sustained leadership is an important part of building strong and effective state groups with the capacity to fend off the opposition and secure important wins for the LGBT community. We know that in the past year, states were able to withstand and defeat more than 100 anti-LGBT legislative attacks thanks to incredible state-based movement leaders.

November 4, 2015
Salt Lake City Elects Lesbian Mayor

Salt Lake City voters elected Jackie Biskupski as Utah’s first openly gay mayor and only the second female top executive in the capital city, according to the unofficial election-night count. Those vote tallies had Biskupski with 52.19 percent to two-term Mayor Ralph Becker’s 47.81 percent — less than a 5 percentage-point spread.

November 4, 2015
Midwest/West Leadership Summit: LGBT State Leaders Discuss Ongoing Fight for Rights in a Marriage Equality World

CHICAGO – Leaders from lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) state equality organizations meet next week in Chicago for a conference on how to tackle serious challenges that remain despite the Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality.

November 4, 2015
Our Determination Lives On: The Repeal of Houston's Equal Rights Ordinance

On Tuesday, November 3rd voters in Houston repealed the city’s Equal Right Ordinance (HERO) which provided protections from discrimination based on 15 classes including race, disability, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Throughout the campaign, opposition used fear, lies, and misinformation to confuse voters.

November 4, 2015
Equality Virginia's Summit to Support the Transgender Community [interview]

This October, I was honored to participate in an event that is a great model for transgender advocacy and community building: the Transgender Information and Empowerment Summit (TIES) organized by Federation member Equality Virginia. I’ve asked James Parrish, executive director of Equality Virginia, some questions about this inspiring event to share the wealth of knowledge.

November 3, 2015
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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.