Today we are thinking first and foremost of the family and friends of George Floyd, and of their Minneapolis community which has had to endure the nightmare of witnessing the brutal murder of a family member and neighbor, and the additional trauma of this trial.
Our hope is that this verdict brings some measure of relief, comfort, and a starting point for healing for Floyd’s loved ones, and for Black families and communities who have particularly borne the weight and trauma of a country finally forced to begin reckoning with our history of racism.
Today’s guilty verdict provides a measure of accountability for a deeply unjust death, and is a step toward justice. But we cannot forget that true justice would see George Floyd alive today.
Accountability for police violence is still too rare. And for Black and Brown communities across the country, the nightmare and loss experienced by George Floyd’s family is too common and too persistent a threat. We must continue the work of confronting systemic racism in policing, end qualified immunity, and invest in our communities to create a system of public safety that is focused on safety for all rather than inherently deadly to some.
GLAD joined more than 60 partner organizations in signing on to a public comment submitted to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology by Fenway Institute, recommending the adoption of standards for adding sexual orientation and gender identity status, as well as intersex status and preferred name and pronouns, to health data collection. Adoption of these recommendations would make a substantial positive impact on the health data available with respect to LGBTQ people.
For the first time in over a decade, our country has a real chance to protect LGBTQ+ Americans and expand civil rights for everyone by passing la loi sur l'égalité. The Equality Act passed the House and has the full support of President Biden. The last hurdle: The Senate.
Zoom with your Senator’s office and let them know that you support the Equality Act. Your participation matters. The time is now to expand protections for LGBTQ people, women, people of color, and people of minority faiths.
We share in the anguish and anger over the death this week of another Black man – a son, father, brother, friend, and partner – at the hands of a white police officer. Our hearts are with Daunte Wright’s family and the community in Minneapolis, and with every Black family across the country who are already exhausted, furious, and heartbroken living through the trial of Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd just one year ago.
Daunte Wright’s death during a traffic stop should not have happened. This incident, like far too many others, highlights the embedded anti-Black racism that persists in our institutions and impacts all of us. And it demonstrates – once again – the urgent need to reenvision and rework our system of policing and public safety, so that it is focused on safety for all and not inherently deadly to some.
On April 11, 2001, seven courageous couples and GLAD made history when we filed Goodridge c. Ministère de la Santé publique. We invite you to celebrate this anniversary that was the first step toward marriage equality in Massachusetts and, eventually, the nation.
Watch our video commemorating the tenth anniversary of our victory in Massachusetts – Goodridge at 10.
We know that we can win enormous victories for LGBTQ justice, just like we did with marriage equality. Right now we have another chance to expand nondiscrimination protections by passing the Equality Act.
This critical legislation builds on the promise of the Civil Rights Act to cover more vulnerable Americans than ever before. Join us in the next crucial opportunity to expand discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, women, people of color, and people of minority faiths. Take action for your community and beyond:
Thank you for your support as we work together toward justice and equality for all Americans. And thank you to the couples who put their lives and love in the spotlight to push our movement forward. Happy anniversary!
Celebrate this important milestone with us, and help make history one more time. Make a gift today.
UPDATE: June 23, 2021 – Victory! On June 23rd, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of high school student B.L. in Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. This important ruling protects students’ freedom of speech off-campus, and is especially significant for students of historically marginalized backgrounds who experience disproportionate levels of discipline and scrutiny at school. Read the ruling here.
GLAD joined a friend-of-the-court brief in Mahanoy v. B.L., a case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. The brief raises important issues about the potential impact of the Court’s decision in this case on students from historically marginalized backgrounds who experience disproportionate levels of harassment and school discipline, including LGBTQ students and students of color. We urge the Court to issue a ruling that allows schools to address off-campus speech that targets and invades the rights of students, but does not enable over-policing of out of school free speech.
Today, the Pentagon is set to issue new guidance on transgender service members that, as reported, rolls back Trump-era restrictions on enlistment and service by qualified transgender people. This step reinstates rules and policies that had been put in place originally by Secretary Ash Carter that equalize terms of service for transgender people. In response to this announcement of the anticipated guidance, transgender experts issued the following statements:
“It’s a relief to see the Pentagon releasing new policy guidelines reinforcing the end of the transgender military ban, and it’s especially meaningful to see this policy announced today, on Transgender Day of Visibility,” said Nicolas Talbott, an aspiring service member who challenged the transgender military ban. “I look forward to seeing the military’s core values of fairness and respect reflected in a clear policy that welcomes all people who are qualified and willing to serve and I’m more confident than ever that when I apply to enlist, I will be judged on my skills and my accomplishments, instead of my transgender status, which has nothing to do with my ability to serve.”
“With this new set of regulations, the military is putting an end to an ugly and shameful chapter in our nation’s history and once again embracing our nation’s highest ideals of equal opportunity for all. The new policies recognize the contributions of transgender service members and will increase the strength and stability of our armed forces,” said Shannon Minter, Legal Director at National Center for Lesbian Rights. “Increasing troops’ access to gender-affirming medical care will help transgender service members focus on their work, so they can do the best they can at their job, instead of having to worry about red tape stopping them from getting the health care they need.”
“With this policy, the Pentagon is setting a clear example for our federal government when it comes to fairness and equal opportunity,” said Jennifer Levi, Director of Transgender Rights Project at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). “These policy changes are an important step toward strengthening the military. Of course, we still need comprehensive federal nondiscrimination protections like la loi sur l'égalité so that transgender service members are able to live with freedom and dignity whether in uniform or in civilian life.”
En ce Mois de l'histoire des femmes, nous avons choisi de rendre hommage à quelques-unes des innombrables femmes LGBTQ, personnes non binaires et femmes qui ont marqué le monde à travers l'histoire. Notre communauté est puissante, et chaque personne a un rôle remarquable à jouer. Nous les célébrons ce mois-ci et tout au long de l'année : celles qui nous ont précédées ou qui écrivent l'histoire aujourd'hui. Chez GLAD, nous restons déterminés à faire entendre ces voix et à bâtir un monde qui les célèbre sans réserve.
Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha P. Johnson (24 août 1945 – 6 juillet 1992) était une militante engagée pour la libération homosexuelle et une drag queen autoproclamée. Aux côtés de son amie proche, Sylvia RiveraElle fut l'une des figures clés du soulèvement de Stonewall en 1969. Les récits divergent quant à savoir si elle lança une brique ou un verre à liqueur, mais elle est devenue un symbole de l'événement jusqu'à ce jour. Actrice populaire de la scène artistique new-yorkaise, elle a travaillé avec Andy Warhol et s'est produite en tant que drag queen. Après avoir œuvré au sein du Front de libération gay, Marsha a cofondé Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries (STAR). Elle a collaboré avec STAR pendant des années, fondant la STAR House, un refuge pour les jeunes transgenres et non conformes au genre. Elle s'est plus particulièrement lancée dans l'activisme lié au sida dans les années 1980, en collaborant avec des groupes comme ACT UP.
Marsha était une figure emblématique de la communauté queer de New York et d'ailleurs jusqu'à sa mort en juillet 1992. Initialement considérée comme un suicide, sa mort a été réévaluée après de nombreuses pressions de la part de ses proches, de sa famille, d'associations de défense des droits et de ses collègues militants. Depuis sa disparition, elle demeure l'une des figures les plus connues de la communauté queer. Son histoire, récemment relatée dans le documentaire « La mort et la vie de Marsha P. Johnson, a inspiré de nombreux militants et personnes LGBTQ aujourd'hui à se battre pour ce en quoi ils croient. En sa mémoire, le Fondation Marsha P. Johnson se bat pour l'égalité et les droits des personnes transgenres noires.
Pragati Singh
Pragati Singh est une militante et l'une des figures de proue du mouvement pour les droits des personnes asexuelles en Inde. Elle a débuté sa carrière comme médecin de santé maternelle, après avoir découvert l'absence de communautés en ligne pour tous. spectre asexué en Inde. Elle a créé As indiens, un groupe conçu pour favoriser le développement d'une communauté et le soutien. Le Dr Singh a également mené des recherches pour identifier les défis et les espoirs spécifiques de la communauté asexuelle indienne. Elle a su s'opposer à un système médical rigide pour faire publier ses recherches, contribuant ainsi à sensibiliser le public aux personnes atteintes du spectre de l'asexualité, tant dans le milieu médical que dans le pays. Son travail novateur lui a permis de présenter des conférences internationales et a été sélectionnée parmi les 100 femmes de l'année 2019 par la BBC. Elle continue d'œuvrer pour offrir un espace et une voix à la communauté asexuelle en Inde. Lisez l'interview du Dr Singh avec Asexual Magazine ici.
Christine Jorgenson
Christine Jorgenson (30 mai 1926 – 3 mai 1989) fut la première personne connue aux États-Unis à avoir subi une opération de changement de genre. Originaire du Bronx et vétéran de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, elle reçut des soins médicaux au Danemark en 1952 et devint immédiatement une sensation médiatique. Christine souhaitait initialement vivre sa vie privée, mais elle réalisa qu'elle avait une tribune pour s'exprimer. Elle devint artiste, participa à des talk-shows et à des émissions de radio, et écrivit son autobiographie. Des années 60 aux années 80, elle parcourut les campus universitaires et autres lieux pour s'exprimer sur les droits des personnes transgenres. Décédée en 1989 d'un cancer, Christine laissa néanmoins un héritage qui a contribué à changer la perception des personnes LGBTQ. Sa célébrité lui a apporté une visibilité à une époque où rares étaient les personnes ouvertement transgenres et a façonné le débat national sur l'identité de genre.
Tammy Baldwin
Tammy Baldwin a été la première personne ouvertement homosexuelle à être élue aux deux chambres du Congrès. Elle a défendu les droits des personnes LGBTQ+, l'accès aux soins de santé et l'allègement de la dette étudiante. Elle a présenté la loi sur l'élimination des disparités en matière de santé LGBTQ+, qui visait à financer la recherche et la compétence culturelle en matière de soins de santé LGBTQ+. Elle s'est régulièrement battue sur ces questions, notamment en soutenant le prochain projet de loi. Loi sur l'égalité, ce qui comblerait de nombreuses lacunes dans la protection contre la discrimination pour les personnes LGBTQ, les femmes, les personnes de couleur et les personnes de confessions minoritaires.
Brenda Howard
Brenda Howard (24 décembre 1946 – 28 juin 2005) a été fortement impliquée dans l'organisation de la première Marche des Fiertés en 1970, après avoir coordonné des rassemblements pour commémorer le mois, l'année et les anniversaires suivants de la rébellion de Stonewall de 1969. Surnommée par certains « Mère de la Fierté », Brenda est largement reconnue pour avoir inventé l'idée moderne de la Marche des Fiertés d'une semaine, aujourd'hui célébrée dans le monde entier. Initialement active dans les mouvements féministes et pacifistes, elle s'est tournée en 1987 vers une mobilisation plus spécifique aux personnes bisexuelles, au sein d'organisations comme BiNet États-Unis et le Réseau bisexuel de la région de New YorkElle a contribué à l'organisation de dizaines de marches et a mis en avant les questions de représentation bisexuelle au sein de la communauté queer, et a œuvré pour la visibilité du kink et du polyamour. Malheureusement, elle est décédée d'un cancer en 2005, mais son héritage perdure dans les célébrations de la Fierté à travers le monde.
Kim Coco Iwamoto
Kim Coco Iwamoto est une femme politique hawaïenne. De par son expérience de personne transgenre et l'expérience de ses grands-parents, survivants de l'internement des Japonais en Californie, elle a grandi dans une conscience aiguë de l'impérieuse nécessité de protéger les droits de tous. À ce titre, elle a siégé au Conseil de l'Éducation d'Hawaï, puis à la Commission des Droits Civiques d'Hawaï. Kim est ainsi devenue la première personne ouvertement transgenre élue à un poste à l'échelle de l'État. Elle s'est présentée aux élections de lieutenant-gouverneur et de représentante de l'État, perdant de justesse les deux élections. Kim continue de défendre les intérêts de la communauté LGBTQ d'origine asiatique et se bat pour représenter les intérêts de tous dans son travail, notamment en menant des actions de défense des jeunes LGBTQ sans domicile fixe à Hawaï.
Janet Mock
Janet Mock est une militante pour les droits des personnes transgenres, écrivaine et productrice média. Originaire d'Hawaï, elle a travaillé comme rédactrice en chef du magazine People, où elle a fait son coming out. Elle a écrit sa première autobiographie en 2012, marquant ainsi le début de son engagement plus ouvert en racontant son expérience de transition à l'adolescence à Hawaï. Elle a travaillé pour divers médias et médias avant de se lancer dans l'écriture de scénarios. Après sa deuxième autobiographie, elle a commencé à écrire la série Pose, acclamée par la critique, sur FX. Pose a été une véritable révolution dans le choix d'acteurs transgenres pour incarner des personnages transgenres et dans la représentation fidèle du monde des bals de promo du New York des années 1980. Janet est la première femme de couleur ouvertement transgenre à écrire un épisode télévisé et à décrocher un contrat avec un grand studio. Son travail, à l'écran comme en dehors, a contribué à renforcer la représentation cruciale des personnes transgenres dans les médias.
Incroyable LeThi
Née à Saïgon, Amazin LeThi est une fervente défenseure des jeunes LGBTQ+ dans le sport. Adoptée par une famille blanche en Australie, elle a commencé sa passion pour le sport dès l'âge de 6 ans, en pratiquant le culturisme. Victime de harcèlement en raison de son appartenance à la fois asiatique et LGBTQ+, son travail à l'intersection de ces deux identités a eu une influence déterminante. Elle a fondé la Fondation Amazin LeThi, qui lutte contre les discriminations anti-LGBTQ+ et contre le sida. Elle œuvre sans relâche pour l'inclusion des personnes LGBTQ+ dans le sport et a œuvré publiquement pour promouvoir la représentation des personnes queer asiatiques dans le sport et les médias, notamment avec Athlete Ally, la BBC et la Maison Blanche d'Obama.
Angela Davis
Angela Davis est une militante de longue date, première du mouvement contre la guerre du Vietnam et figure emblématique de la deuxième vague féministe noire. Communiste autoproclamée de longue date, elle a ardemment défendu l'abolition des prisons et les alternatives à l'incarcération. Angela a enseigné pendant de nombreuses années et donné des conférences sur le féminisme dans des universités du monde entier. Par son engagement au sein de ces mouvements, Davis a constamment défendu les droits des femmes et de la communauté LGBTQ, allant même jusqu'à rompre avec d'autres leaders qui n'écoutaient pas leurs voix. Elle a été une fervente défenseure du plaidoyer et de l'activisme intersectionnels et a montré l'exemple dans ce domaine. Elle vit actuellement avec sa compagne de longue date et professeure à l'UC Santa Cruz, Gina Dent.
Jennicet Gutierrez
Jennicet Gutierrez défend la communauté transgenre sans papiers. Arrivée aux États-Unis à 15 ans, elle a appris l'anglais tout en étant victime d'intolérance. Elle a notamment interrompu le président Obama lors d'une réception de la Gay Pride LGBTQ pour soulever la question du traitement réservé par son administration aux immigrants transgenres. Cela a suscité un débat national sur cette question et sur les enjeux de respectabilité au sein du mouvement LGBTQ. Elle a été membre fondatrice de La Familia : Mouvement de libération trans et queer, une organisation qui œuvre aux niveaux local et national pour la libération collective des personnes trans, queer et latino-américaines à l'identité de genre élargie.
Yasmin Benoit
Yasmin Benoit est une militante asexuelle et aromantique au Royaume-Uni. Elle est l'un des premiers et des plus célèbres mannequins noirs alternatifs. Implantée dans un milieu dominé par les Blancs et aux standards de beauté eurocentriques, elle a été l'objet de nombreuses questions de la part des journalistes et a dû défendre ses droits dès le début de sa carrière. En tant que mannequin, elle a également été l'objet de nombreuses questions sur son asexualité et lutte contre les idées reçues sur la communauté des asexuels. Benoit a déclaré lors d'interviews : « Je n'essaie pas de me vendre, je vends un produit », un refrain qu'elle a dû répéter tout au long de sa carrière. Elle a collaboré avec AVEN, le Réseau de visibilité et d'éducation à l'asexualité (dont elle siège désormais au conseil d'administration), dont l'objectif est de mieux faire connaître et accepter la communauté asexuelle et aromantique. Elle apporte également son point de vue à un mouvement souvent dominé par des voix blanches, démontrant ainsi la diversité de la communauté queer.
Déborah Batts
Deborah Batts fut la première juge fédérale ouvertement homosexuelle du pays. Elle fut procureure adjointe des États-Unis à New York et professeure à la faculté de droit de Fordham avant d'être nommée au siège du district sud de New York, sur recommandation du sénateur Patrick Moynihan. Sa confirmation en 1994 fit d'elle la première juge fédérale ouvertement lesbienne, et la première juge afro-américaine lesbienne. Bien qu'elle n'ait jamais insisté sur sa sexualité, elle savait qu'elle était un modèle pour beaucoup. Entretien 2019Lorsqu'on lui a demandé ce qu'elle pensait du fait d'être un modèle, elle a répondu : « On peut certainement être un mentor, quelqu'un qui encourage les gens qui pensent qu'ils ne peuvent pas y arriver. Ils peuvent y arriver. »
Washington, DC — In a historic vote on Wednesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Rachel Levine as assistant secretary of health at the Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Levine, an experienced pediatrician who has led Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Health since 2017, is the first openly transgender presidential nominee to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
During her tenure as Pennsylvania’s highest ranking health official and top doctor, Dr. Levine led the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as addressing the opioid and HIV epidemics and increasing the rate of childhood immunization. She has personally worked to raise awareness of LGBTQ issues, where discrimination creates barriers to healthcare access and healthcare quality.
GLAD congratulates Dr. Levine on her confirmation to this role. She has the opportunity to make an immense positive impact on the health of LGBTQ people, people living with HIV, and Americans as a whole. As our nation continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be well-served by Dr. Levine’s experience and expertise, as well as her commitment to ensuring that all LGBTQ people can access the healthcare they need. Dr. Levine’s confirmation and leading role at our nation’s federal health agency will also inspire a new generation of transgender youth by showing that there are no limits to what they can achieve.
Le Freedom & Opportunity For All campaign launches with support from hundreds of nation’s top leaders in civil rights, faith, education, health care, and advocacy. The campaign will continue growing nationwide support for federal anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, women, people of color, and people of all faiths.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, a new national campaign advocating for urgent passage of the Equality Act launched with support from hundreds of the nation’s top leaders in civil rights, faith, education, health care, and advocacy. The Liberté et opportunités pour touscampaign will continue growing the nationwide effort (already supported by hundreds of the nation’s top business leaders) advocating for the Equality Act — historic federal legislation that would modernize and improve our nation’s civil rights laws by including explicit, permanent protections for LGBTQ people, as well as women, people of color, and people of all faiths. The Equality Act passed the House with bipartisan support last month and had its first-ever hearing in the Senate last week.
The campaign — launching with an initial investment of $4 million that will grow to eight figures as the campaign continues beyond the launch and initial phases — will collaborate closely with hundreds of supporting organizations to harness the grassroots energy of millions of members across the country. With the support of these organizations, the campaign will work to grow support for the Equality Act, educate Americans on the urgent need for the Equality Act, and engage and mobilize supporters to take action and reach out to their lawmakers. The campaign will do this through a mix of activities including legislative advocacy and lobbying, building and implementing national advertising campaigns, and executing traditional communications tactics and social media campaigns.
Broad, Overwhelming Support for the Equality Act
Freedom & Opportunity For All — co-founded and led by 16 of the nation’s leading advocates for equality — reflects the broad and overwhelming support for the Equality Act mirrored in communities across the country, and its announcement comes on the heels of new polling from Hart Research Associates finding that 70 percent of Americans (including 50 percent of Republicans) support the Equality Act.
To date, a majority of Americans, hundreds of members of Congress, hundreds of advocacy organizations, and more than 60 business associations — including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers — have endorsed the Equality Act. Nearly 400 major U.S. companies — including dozens of Fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola, Apple, General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, and Kellogg — have endorsed the Equality Act because they believe it is good for their employees and their businesses. Collectively, these companies have headquarters based in 33 states overseeing operations in all 50 states, and generate a collective revenue of $6.5 trillion. In total, these companies employ more than 13.5 million people across the United States.
Liberté et opportunités pour tous is co-founded and led by 16 of the nation’s leading advocates for equality, including Center for American Progress, Equality Federation, Freedom for All Americans, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, GLSEN, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for Transgender Equality, National LGBTQ Task Force, National Women’s Law Center, PFLAG National, SAGE, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, and The Trevor Project.
The full list of organizations supporting the Equality Act can be found ici. Below are quotes from the 16 co-founding organizations of Freedom & Opportunity For All. Janson Wu, Executive Director, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders:
“This is the moment to pass the Equality Act. Every day we hear the stories of individuals from communities across the country who continue to face discrimination and harassment. Our federal nondiscrimination laws are in place to advance fairness for everyone, and the overwhelming majority of Americans agree it is past time to ensure LGBTQ people are included in those protections. Because it extends nondiscrimination protections for women in public spaces and federal services, addresses the discrimination that people of color and people of minority faiths encounter in such areas as contemporary retail spaces and transportation including car services, and adds clear and explicit protections for LGBTQ people, the Equality Act is the civil rights legislation we need now to move us closer to the promise of freedom and opportunity for all.”
Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President, External Affairs, Center for American Progress:
“We stand at the precipice of history for the LGBTQ community. The Equality Act will finally enshrine into law the fundamental and uncontroversial principles of fairness and dignity for all people, and our coalition is committed to seeing it passed. An overwhelming majority of the American people — as well as lawmakers from both parties, the Biden administration, faith leaders, and corporate giants — support the Equality Act because they recognize that LGBTQ people deserve to be treated fairly and with respect by their employers, health care providers, educators, and civil servants. We stand united to work with the U.S. Senate to fulfill its obligation to the American people to support and defend the rights of everyone equally.”
Fran Hutchins, Executive Director, Equality Federation:
“For far too long, LGBTQ people across this country have been denied basic protections from discrimination simply based on what state or zip code they call home. The Equality Act is much-needed legislation that will ensure a more just and equal America for all of us. That is why Equality Federation is proud to be a founding member of the Freedom & Opportunity For All coalition, formed with the purpose of advocating for swift passage of these needed protections. From California to New York to Alaska to Florida, there is a groundswell of people in state and local communities calling on lawmakers to pass this legislation as soon as possible. We commit to ensuring the public’s demand for passage is heard all across the country.”
Kasey Suffredini, CEO and National Campaign Director, Freedom for All Americans:
“For the first time in nearly 50 years of trying, our nation is poised to ensure our LGBTQ friends, family members, and neighbors are treated with dignity and respect no matter who they are, who they love, or where they live. Majorities of Americans in every state and of every demographic and political ideology support federal LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections, as do hundreds of faith leaders and our nation’s most recognizable corporate brands. America is ready for Congress to pass the Equality Act, and Freedom for All Americans is proud to be working to make the people’s will a reality as a founding member of Freedom & Opportunity For All.”
Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, Interim Executive Director, GLSEN:
“In this transformational moment, as our nation rethinks what our education system can look like amid the pandemic and reopening, we have the opportunity with the Equality Act to implement a robust new commitment to equity in all aspects of education, from school policies to school lunch programs to classroom repairs to curriculum materials. The ongoing pandemic has hit hardest the communities already vulnerable in our school system — including LGBTQ+ students who face unique challenges — and support and protection to the students and families who need it most will create a stronger school community that benefits all students in our system.”
Alphonso David, President, Human Rights Campaign:
“The Equality Act is a pivotal moment in history and serves to be one of the landmark civil rights moments in our country’s long march toward a more perfect union. Today, the United States Senate holds equality for the LGBTQ community in its hands and we plan to engage on all fronts, utilizing all tools to ensure that our voices are heard. More than two-thirds of LGBTQ people face discrimination in this country and the overwhelming bipartisan majority of Americans agree: discriminating against someone for who they are or who they love is simply wrong. We plan to work in coalition to end the discrimination, violence, and injustice that LGBTQ people live with every day and ensure that federal non-discrimination protections finally become the law of the land. The time to pass the Equality Act is now.”
Kevin Jennings, CEO, Lambda Legal:
“Lambda Legal is proud to stand with advocates for LGBTQ people, people of color, women, and immigrants as a part of the Freedom & Opportunity For All coalition to make the Equality Act a reality. Our communities continue to face pervasive, often-devastating discrimination in our everyday lives. Congress needs to close the many civil rights gaps that have left so many of our community members vulnerable, unprotected, and too often defenseless against injustice in virtually every aspect of public life. We deserve dignity and the same rights and protections as everyone else. There has never been an opportunity like the one now to finally get this done.”
David J. Johns, Executive Director, National Black Justice Coalition:
“One of our nation’s foundational promises is freedom, but if we are going to celebrate freedom, it must be for all of us: the white Jewish kid denied a haircut at the only barber shop in town because of their religious beliefs; the Black same gender loving couple given a higher home loan interest rate because of their sexual orientation and race; the interracial couple denied the opportunity to foster or adopt a child because the agency’s bias overshadows its mission to give every child a forever home — freedom from discrimination and the ability to participate in public programs must be universal. All of us includes Black transgender women profiled by police and Black boys murdered under the guise of resembling a suspect. All of us include innocent medical workers like Breonna Taylor killed while sleeping at home in their own beds by police officers paid by taxpayer funded federal law enforcement grants. Discrimination should not be legal in a country with the motto ‘Out of Many, One.’ Passing the Equality Act is necessary if we are to live into our national promise and be who we say we are: The land of the free.”
Imani Rupert-Gordon, Executive Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR):
“NCLR is proud to be joining a coalition of advocates from the LGBTQ, women, people of color, immigration, and faith communities who have all joined the Freedom & Opportunity For All coalition to urge the swift passage of the Equality Act in the Senate. The tragic fact is that the LGBTQ community, especially the most vulnerable Black and transgender individuals, continue to report dramatically higher rates of discrimination in every aspect of their lives. Whether it be housing, healthcare, education, lending, or any other facet of everyday life, no one deserves to be discriminated against or denied services simply because of who they are. The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act to finally ensure that everyone is protected from this pervasive discrimination, which is why the Senate must vote to pass it swiftly and send it to President Biden for his signature.”
Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality:
“Passing the Equality Act would mean that transgender people could worry less about disrespect, discrimination, and even violence, and we could live our lives as more full members of society. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Transgender people, like all people, should be able to count on protection from discrimination no matter what state they call home. It is long past time for Congress to get this done.”
Kierra Johnson, Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund:
“The lives of millions of LGBTQ people in this country and our families would be improved through the Equality Act, best exemplified by the comments of Rep. Marie Newman (D) at the recent Senate Judiciary hearing: ‘No American should have to live a lie… you will feel deep depression, anxiety, and yes, suicidal.’ This is what is at stake for our community. Our lives. Our children’s lives. Our friends’ and families’ lives. The gift and opportunity of this moment is to look deep inside of our collective selves and ask, ‘What are the limits of Love and Justice?’ We believe they are unlimited. We will do the work to prove it and are proud to be part of Freedom & Opportunity For All.”
Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO, National Women’s Law Center:
“The Equality Act represents a landmark step in the fight against all sex discrimination. The lives of LGBTQ women are marked by discrimination at every step, from the class room to the board room to the locker room, and this bill will strengthen the rights of all women to live free of fear from discrimination. This is especially true of transgender women and LGBTQ women of color, whose risk for violence and abuse is worsened when we deny them full rights under the law. Our commitment to inclusion of transgender women is inseparable from our commitment to safety, dignity, and justice for all women.”
Brian K. Bond, Executive Director, PFLAG National:
“Parents of LGBTQ+ people want for their children what all parents want for their children: The opportunity to live, learn, work, pray, and play safely, fairly, and free from discrimination, harassment, and harm. It is especially painful to see faith used as a weapon to exact such discrimination, when so many parents of LGBTQ+ kids ARE people of faith. PFLAGers in every corner of the country will continue to reach out to their lawmakers and send a clear message: To be a person of faith, and to be a person who is — or loves someone who is — LGBTQ+ are not mutually exclusive; our families matter, we are your constituents, and we support passage of the Equality Act.”
Michael Adams, CEO, SAGE:
“Our elders have taught us that freedom and opportunity advances when people of good will come together. That is why SAGE is proud to lift up our elders’ voices as a co-founder of the coalition to pass the Equality Act.”
Andy Marra, Executive Director, Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF):
“TLDEF is proud to be a founding member of the Freedom & Opportunity For All coalition. For too long, transgender people have experienced discrimination in every aspect of life. The Equality Act will finally provide protections for LGBTQ people nationwide and bring us one enormous step closer towards full legal and lived equality for transgender people. The moment to pass the bill is now, and we are honored to work alongside a bipartisan group of people of faith, business leaders, and civil rights partners to get the job done.”
Amit Paley, CEO and Executive Director, Le projet Trevor :
“The Trevor Project is proud to join the Freedom & Opportunity For All coalition to pass the Equality Act and protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination. When LGBTQ young people are excluded or treated differently solely because of who they are, it can negatively impact their mental health and sense of self. According to The Trevor Project’s research, LGBTQ youth who experienced discrimination in the past year attempted suicide at more than twice the rate of those who did not. It is long past time to grant LGBTQ people the same legal protections as everyone else.”
À propos de la loi sur l'égalité
Currently, 29 states do not have laws that explicitly protect LGBTQ people from discrimination. Without the Equality Act, LGBTQ Americans remain vulnerable to being evicted from their homes, kicked out of a business that’s open to the public, denied health care, or denied government services in a majority of states simply because of who they are. The Equality Act would provide clear, consistent non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people across critical areas, including housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service. The Equality Act also extends protections to millions of women — who aren’t covered by some existing federal anti-discrimination laws — to ensure they don’t have to live in fear of harassment or discrimination. In addition, it modernizes public accommodations law to provide increased protections to people of color and people of all faiths.
Liberté et opportunités pour tous is a national campaign advocating for the urgent passage of the Equality Act — historic federal legislation that would modernize and improve our nation’s civil rights laws by including explicit, permanent protections for LGBTQ people, as well as women, people of color, and people of all faiths.The campaign — supported by des centaines de hauts dirigeants du pays in civil rights, faith, education, health care, and advocacy — is co-founded and led by 16 of the nation’s leading advocates for equality, including Center for American Progress; Equality Federation; Freedom for All Americans; GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders; GLSEN; Human Rights Campaign; Lambda Legal; National Black Justice Coalition; National Center for Lesbian Rights; National Center for Transgender Equality; National LGBTQ Task Force; National Women’s Law Center; PFLAG National; SAGE; Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund; and The Trevor Project.
Les récentes décisions de la Cour suprême soulèvent des questions urgentes pour les personnes LGBTQ+ et les personnes vivant avec le VIH. Notre ligne d'information juridique, GLAD Law Answers, peut vous aider. Contactez-nous aujourd'hui.
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