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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How We’re Going to Win Equality in 2016

With barely a moment to take a deep breath, the LGBTQ community is back in the trenches, ready to fight for equality and justice in a critical legislative year. Immediately following a historic victory on marriage, after the balloons and confetti, we faced a tide of anti-LGBTQ attacks.

January 21, 2016
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Tide of Anti-LGBTQ Legislation Washes Across the U.S.

Today, Equality Federation launched the Legislative Action Center (LAC). The LAC will empower state-based LGBTQ organizations to hold their ground during turbulent state legislative sessions while also winning nondiscrimination protections and other important policy advances for LGBTQ people and their families.

January 21, 2016
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Equality Federation Calls for Clemency for Chelsea Manning

Equality Federation supports commuting Chelsea Manning’s court-martial sentence to time served and calls on President Obama to grant her clemency petition. Chelsea has served longer than anyone else with similar charges, and as a transgender woman, has been treated inhumanely and denied fair treatment.

January 14, 2016
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Equality Federation Joins Amicus Brief in Texas Abortion Case

Equality Federation and a coalition of 13 other LGBT, racial justice, and health equity organizations have filed an amicus brief in Whole Woman’s Health v. Cole asking the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down draconian restrictions on abortion providers enacted by the State of Texas in 2013 which, if upheld, would lead to the closing of most abortion clinics in the state. The brief urges the Court to carefully scrutinize the state’s asserted justification for the law, just as the Court has done with other laws that infringe upon fundamental freedoms.

January 7, 2016
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We’re Winning LGBTQ Victories in…. Oklahoma!

Last year we reported that 17 anti-LGBTQ bills were defeated in Oklahoma thanks to the hard work of Freedom Oklahoma and the many advocates and allies on the ground working for equality. It was an incredible feat in a very challenging political environment; most of the legislators in Oklahoma lean conservative.

January 6, 2016
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6 Candidates for President Make Anti-LGBTQ Pledge

Equality Federation is disappointed to learn that six candidates for president signed a pledge supporting the so-called First Amendment Defense Act (FADA). FADA is an unnecessary piece of legislation that would enshrine discrimination into law, prohibiting the federal government from stepping in when people or businesses discriminate because they believe “marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman” or that “sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.”

December 22, 2015

Press Releases

State Equality Index - Equality Federation Institute & the Human Rights Campaign

The State Equality Index (SEI) is a comprehensive state-by-state report that provides a review of statewide laws and policies that affect LGBT people and their families. The SEI rates all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. in six areas and assigns the states to one of four distinct categories.

March 7, 2015
Anti-Transgender Bills Moving Forward in Three States

Texas, Kentucky, and Florida have anti-transgender bills making their way through the legislative process. The bills could have very real, harmful consequences for transgender people and anyone else who may not fit in with the narrow assumptions some people have about how a man or woman is expected to appear.

March 6, 2015
More Than 300 Republicans Come Out in Support of Same-Sex Marriage

On March 5th, more than 300 Republicans filed a friend of the court brief at the Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage nationwide. Organized by former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, the amicus brief was filed for the four same-sex marriage cases the Court will hear on April 28th that could legalize marriage nationwide.

March 6, 2015
Historic LGBT-Faith Coalition Backs Nondiscrimination in Utah

SAN FRANCISCO - Today, Equality Federation hails the progress made by Federation member Equality Utah in bringing together faith and political leaders to draft nondiscrimination legislation, Senate Bill 296, to ensure no hardworking Utahn is unfairly fired from a job or denied a place to live.

March 4, 2015
Federation Plans for the Work Ahead with Newly Merged Freedom Oklahoma

A year and a half ago, I flew to Tulsa to work with The Equality Network. At that time, TEN was a small organization of committed volunteers. While they were doing remarkable work with few resources, they recognized it was time to grow so they could have an even bigger impact on their state.

March 4, 2015
Unlikely Ally Helps Georgia Equality Fight “Religious Freedom” Bill

Just last week, former Georgia Republican Attorney General and prominent GOP leader Michael Bowers joined the fight over the proposed Religious Freedom Restoration Act in the Peach State, but not on the side you would expect.Bowers, who is well known for defending anti-gay sodomy laws in the Supreme Court’s 1986 Bowers v. Hardwick decision, is now standing on the right side of history and supporting those who believe in fairness for all.

March 4, 2015
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