Equality Federation won’t stop until all LGBTQ+ people are fully empowered and represented in their communities, experiencing full equality in their lives.
Based in Salt Lake City, Equality Utah is the state’s leading Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) political advocacy organization. With a vision of a fair and just Utah, Unity Utah was founded in 2001, by a group of visionary members of the Utah LGBT Community. Unity Utah’s initial goal was to increase the number of fair-minded elected officials holding office.
Based in Salt Lake City, Equality Utah is the state’s leading Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) political advocacy organization. With a vision of a fair and just Utah, Unity Utah was founded in 2001, by a group of visionary members of the Utah LGBT Community.
In just a few weeks, advocates, attorneys, organizers, ministers and community members will come together to strategize about new approaches to LGBT advocacy in the South. The Federation’s Ian Palmquist will join the conversation.
State-based organizations across the country are making change in the communities we call home -- where the work is hard, but the impact is great. Nearly every week, we hear about another victory that provides LGBT people with the protection, respect and dignity they need and deserve, but far too often, these wins go unsung by the broader LGBT movement.
Thinking back to this time last year, I certainly didn’t expect to be looking at an equality map showing that 17 states and the District of Columbia have extended the freedom to marry to same-sex couples. But in nearly every region of this country, we’ve seen monumental progress that has dramatically changed the map.
On November 5, 2013, voters in the Michigan community of Royal Oak approved a local ordinance protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people from discrimination. Passage of this ordinance, in a 54 to 46 percent vote, comes 12 years after Royal Oak residents previously voted down a similar proposal. Federation member Equality Michigan was a key player in the fight for fairness and equality in Royal Oak. We talked with Emily Dievendorf and Sommer Foster about the campaign that led to this historic win.
Summer of Action has kicked off in Phoenix, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Cleveland! Over the next three weeks we will have thousands of conversations about nondiscrimination with people on their front porches and on the phone!
Equality Federation is proud to partner in the launch of a groundbreaking ad depicting the challenges faced by transgender people in accessing public restrooms—and highlighting the lack of state and federal nondiscrimination protections for transgender people.
The I-1515 campaign – an effort to repeal Washington State’s 10 year old non-discrimination law protecting our transgender friends, co-workers and family members – failed to turn in enough (246,372) signatures to qualify for this year’s fall election ballot. The WA Secretary of State’s office announced late this afternoon that the I-1515 campaign cancelled its appointment to turn in signatures.
Today Equality Federation celebrates Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s signing of a historic bill that updates Massachusetts state law to ensure explicit protections for transgender people from discrimination in public places, including restaurants, hospitals, parks, and public restrooms.
Equality Federation stands in strong opposition to the “First Amendment Defense Act,” known as FADA and has signed a coalition letter demanding the cancellation of the July 12th hearing for the legislation.
Leaders of state-based equality organizations—from Equality California to Equality Florida—as well as several national partners, will convene at Equality Federation’s Leadership Conference in Portland, Oregon July 13-16th.
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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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