Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
Advocates from across the United States traveled to Phoenix, Arizona last week to participate in the inaugural LGBT-University hosted by Freedom for All Americans.
Equality Illinois (EQIL), the state’s oldest and largest organization advocating for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, seeks a full-time Field Fellow for a one year paid fellowship. The Field Fellow is dedicated to advancing equal treatment for the LGBT community through education and advocacy in Illinois.
Equality New Mexico's Board was mostly white, mostly male, and mostly cisgender. With thoughtful consideration, extraordinary dedication, open hearts and a willingness to learn, they switched from a "recruitment model" to an "attraction model." Today, their Board is diverse and dedicated to intersectionality and social justice.
Equality New Mexico wants you to know the truth about Stonewall. Here is the educational flier they collaborated on with Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico, NM GSA Network, SURJ New Mexico, Solace Crisis Treatment Center, Prevention at Play, and some awesome Santa Fe community members.
For many young people, the first education they receive regarding their sexuality and sexual health is in school. It is critical, especially for LGBTQ youth, that this education is comprehensive, and addresses the needs of all young people.
Earlier this month, I flew to Albuquerque for a remarkable convening of activists from movements for reproductive rights, reproductive justice, and LGBT issues in the Southwest. Organized by ConwayStrategic (with funding from the Ford Foundation) the gathering included advocates from Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico, including Equality Federation members Equality New Mexico and Equality Arizona, along with some national organizations.
Over the past few months we have seen an increase in the number of anti-conversion therapy bills introduced in legislatures across the country. These bills call for the end of this dangerous practice that causes real harm to the LGBT community, and especially to LGBT youth who are subjected to it against their will.
Louisiana set a dangerous precedent this week. Two different nondiscrimination bills -- both positive pieces of legislation that would have extended protections to LGBT Louisianans -- were tabled.
Like its neighboring state of Oklahoma, Texas has seen a dizzying number of anti-LGBT bills this session, 22 to be exact. Federation member Equality Texas helped to soundly defeat four preemption bills that would have invalidated local LGBT nondiscrimination ordinances.
In the first half of 2015, we have seen many victories and challenges across the nation as advocates fight for protections for LGBT people in their state. In Michigan, opponents of the state’s recently introduced preemption bill have dubbed it a Death Star.
Equality Federation and partner Civil liberties and LGBT rights groups are hailing the failure by the Texas House of Representatives to pass HB 4105, which would bar the state from granting, enforcing or recognizing marriage licenses for same-sex couples even if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down state bans on such marriages as unconstitutional.
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.