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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Elections 2024: A Rainbow Wave?

As of today, Equality Federation has finalized $240,000 in seed grants for our partners' electoral work. Many groups have been using these grants to leverage more funding. However, members still report that they need to raise $6M to contact every voter we need to win. Help us move more resources quickly to states with the greatest needs.

September 6, 2024
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Reflecting on Leadership Conference 2024

We held our largest Leadership Conference to date, with 360+ attendees from across the country coming together to build relationships and learn from one another. 

August 29, 2024
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Say Hello to Our Newest State Partner!

Our state partner network is growing, and we’re so excited to introduce you to our newest member: Lavender Rights Project!

May 22, 2024
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Introducing our Newest State Partners!

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to the newest members of our state partner network: BlaqOut and the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico! 

March 14, 2024
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Launched: Vanguard HIV Policy Change-Makers Fellowship

Equality Federation Institute (EFI), empowered by ViiV Healthcare and our network of state-based LGBTQ+ advocacy partners, launched a bold pilot program this month: The Vanguard HIV Policy Change-Makers Fellowship!

March 14, 2024
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REPORT: Preempting LGBTQ+ Rights: How States Undermine Local Leadership and Innovation on LGBTQ+ Equality

In a new paper from A Better Balance, Local Solutions Support Center, and Equality Federation, we trace the local roots of LGBTQ+ equality in the United States and highlight the different types of abusive preemption that target local authority to protect LGBTQ+ individuals.

February 13, 2024

Press Releases

Transphobia is a Waste of Money

Investing in furthering transphobic laws is a waste of precious resources, resources that come from our hard work. There are so many other things to invest in instead. 

April 14, 2023
Equality Federation Leader Speaks Out on Trans Youth Participation in Sports

The Biden administration has issued new proposed regulations under Title IX, the federal civil rights law, stating that schools cannot categorically ban transgender students from joining athletic teams consistent with their gender identity.‍The regulations are a response to a coordinated nationwide effort to erase trans people from public life, including 64 bills seeking to bar transgender students athletes from participating in school sports. Since 2021, 20 states have banned trans student athletes from participating in school sports.‍Equality Federation Executive Director Fran Hutchins had the following comment on the proposed regulations:

April 7, 2023
LGBTQ+ Communities Fight Back Against Coordinated Nationwide Assault

LGBTQ+ Communities Fight Back Against Coordinated Nationwide Assault State legislators have passed 28, proposed 460 anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ bills‍ In 2023, state lawmakers have introduced 460 bills attacking LGBTQ+ people, with 356 bills specifically targeting transgender people. Recent reports indicate that the record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills result from a coordinated, nationwide effort by far-right politicians with ties to extremist groups.‍So far in 2023, states have enacted 28 anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ bills, including legislation or executive action banning or further restricting gender-affirming health care for adults or children in twelve states:, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi, Montana, Tennessee, Idaho, and Arkansas. In 2022, Arizona and Alabama passed similar laws banning health care. Advocates expect as many as twenty states will ban gender-affirming health care this year. 

April 3, 2023
How this Southern Team Defended Trans Rights

Trans people are the experts in their own lives and are not a monolith. We should listen to as many trans people as we are willing to share and trust that their lives will adequately supplement the data we have and are continuing to collect to create robust and effective policy.

March 28, 2023
President Biden Signs the Respect for Marriage Act

December 14, 2022 - Yesterday, President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law, ensuring that the federal government respects and protects all marriages equally.

December 14, 2022
Equality Federation Institute Honored to be Recipient of Major Gift from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott

Today, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott announced that she has made a major gift to Equality Federation Institute as part of her pledge to give away a majority of her wealth through the Giving Pledge. Equality Federation received a $2 million gift to support the organization’s work as an advocacy accelerator for the state-based LGBTQ+ movement.

November 14, 2022
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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.