Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
WASHINGTON — From coast to coast, America’s cities are demonstrating a commitment to treating lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people with dignity and respect by passing laws and implementing policies that treat all people equally. That’s according to a new report by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization.
Made possible by support from Gill Foundation and written by three Federation staff members -- Fran Hutchins, Ian Palmquist, and Jace Woodrum -- Building Momentum for Change carefully considers the power of local and incremental campaigns, making a strong case for doing and funding this work. The report also offers recommendations for movement leaders to ensure that these efforts avoid a number of common pitfalls.
Since 2006, the State of the States report by the Equality Federation has documented the strength and sustainability of state-based advocacy organizations that advance equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.
In the course of just one month, our movement has charged forward -- winning marriage for same-sex couples in three more states. Like many of you, I’m in awe of what has happened in just a matter of weeks.
Despite the significant advances that have been made to win marriage for same-sex couples, a majority of states in this country still lack basic protections for LGBT people in employment, housing, and public accommodations. At the Equality Federation, we're working to change that.
After two decades, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has passed the Senate, moving us one step closer to ensuring that LGBT individuals are secure and free from discrimination at work. With a final vote count of 64 to 32, this transgender-inclusive bill passed with bipartisan support in the Senate for the first time in history.
In November 2012, three states -- Maine, Maryland, and Washington -- extended the freedom to marry to same-sex couples. And in the past few months, three additional states -- Rhode Island, Delaware, and Minnesota -- have followed suit, reaching 12 states in the nation that allow all loving couples to share in the joys and responsibilities of marriage.
In just a few weeks, leaders from across the country will gather together to learn from each other and to build the skills and relationships that are so critical to growing a strong state-based movement for equality.
Over the last 30 years, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has seen great strides in the movement for full equality. Much of this success is the result of a concerted movement, which was galvanized in response to the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.
Equality Federation is pleased to announce the hiring of Jace Woodrum as our first-ever Director of Communications.Jace brings to the Federation more than eight years of experience in communications and three years working with LGBT organizations, including one of our member groups: One Colorado.
Equality Federation and Equality Federation Institute are winning equality in the communities we call home. You can fuel that momentum by making a contribution to support our work right now:
Equality Utah welcomes state and national leaders to the 16th Equality Federation Institute Summer Meeting. The meeting will be held at the Sheraton Salt Lake City, located in the beautiful, complex state of Utah. Reserve your room online.
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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.
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