Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
Federation member PROMO Missouri is celebrating victory as anti-LGBTQ, religious exemption legislation, SJR 39, has failed to make it out of committee rendering it dead.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has signed discriminatory legislation that allows counselors and therapists to refuse treatment based on their religious objections or personal beliefs. The American Counseling Association has called the legislation an “unprecedented attack” on the counseling profession.
On Thursday, April 28th, the House Armed Services Committee voted to pass a discriminatory amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act introduced by Representative Steve Russell (R-OK). The amendment applies the private employer religious exemptions of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act to religious organizations receiving any federal contract or grant – which could include universities and hospitals employing thousands of people.
President Obama called for the repeal of Anti-LGBTQ bills in North Carolina and Mississippi at a joint press conference with British Prime Minister, David Cameron. The British Government recently issued a travel warning to LGBTQ tourists visiting those states.
In a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU of Virginia, a federal court of appeals ruled in favor of plaintiff Gavin Grimm, a transgender student at Gloucester High School who was not permitted to use the facilities and participate in the programs that match the gender he lives everyday. This is a historic victory for transgender students who, like all students, deserve a fair opportunity to fully participate and succeed in school as their authentic selves.
Equality Federation member Forum For Equality issued the following statement praising Governor John Bel Edwards for signing an executive order forbidding state government and government contractors from discriminating based on a person’s sexual orientation and gender identity, while also repealing Gov. Bobby Jindal’s maligning Marriage and Conscience executive order.
Many Federation members are actively engaged in efforts to support LGBTQ young people. Some are working to develop Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs); some are fighting to end school pushout; some are advocating for bans against harmful conversion therapy. No matter what form it takes, ensuring that LGBTQ young people are safe and thriving is a key part of all of our members' youth programs. That's why we're excited to share a new resource from our friends at The Trevor Project.
The Regional Field Director (Western U.S.) is a regular, full-time position who reports to the Deputy Field Director and is based in Washington, DC. The states included in the Western Region are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
In 2013, the board and staff of the Equality Federation completed an exciting branding process to reinvigorate and reenergize our brand, message and story. During this process, we modified our logo, updating it with bright new colors that have been integrated into all of our communications.
It took hundreds of hours, thousands of miles, and countless conversations. But it was worth it.As a result of that work, the Equality Federation helped secure more than $650,000 to fuel the campaign to win nondiscrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Pennsylvanians. That brings our “dollars marshaled” total to more than $1.5 million invested in state-based campaigns.
After the long-awaited repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) in 2011, the movement for equality celebrated. Finally, lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) servicemembers could be open and honest about who they are.
All of us at Equality Federation Institute are proud to welcome Andy Garcia as Program Manager. Andy has joined our nondiscrimination team and will work with veteran movement leaders Roey Thorpe and Anne Stanback to implement our expanded program focused on advancing policies that protect LGBT people from discrimination.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
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.
.png)
