On September 23, 2009, the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee held a full committee hearing on an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). ENDA would address discrimination in the workplace by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote an employee based on the person’s sexual orientation or gender identity at [...]

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary _______________________________________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2009 President Obama Names Medal of Freedom Recipients 16 Agents of Change to Receive Top Civilian Honor   WASHINGTON – President Obama today named 16 recipients of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom.   America’s highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom is [...]

Progress has been made to pass the Healthy Families Act, an act which will provide seven paid sick days a year for workers to recover from their own illnesses or to care for sick family members. Sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), this bill includes LGBT families. On Thursday, June [...]

On June 1st, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued remarks in support of LGBT rights and in honor of the beginning of LGBT Pride Month. Sec. Clinton begins her remarks by recognizing the history and hardships of the LGBT movement for equality. She goes on to express the gratitude of the State Department and throughout the [...]

Terri Boggis, Director of Center Kids at the LGBT Center in NYC,  was honored with the first ever Hostetter-Habib Family Award at the 4th Annual Night at the Tavern for her leadership in working for LGBT families. For those who could not see her accept the award in person, we’ve posted the entire transcript of her moving speech about her work [...]

  Last Tuesday, April 7, the entire Boston staff of Family Equality Council lobbied at the Massachusetts Statehouse in support of House No. 1728, a bill aimed at ending hate crimes and discrimination based on gender identity and expression. (Sexual orientation is already included in current law.) If passed, the bill would prohibit discrimination against [...]

Good news from Columbia, Missouri! In an important win for equality a Domestic Partnership Registry was passed unanimously by the City Council of Columbia last night.The Family Equality Council is proud to have worked with PROMO and other local lobbyists in framing and lobbying for the ordinance. Below is the press release by PROMO. ______________________________ [...]

Five Family Equality Council Staff attended this year’s National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change in Denver, Colorado. Creating Change is hosted annually by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and is the LGBT equality movement’s premier national gathering for activists. Family Equality Council staff hosted the second Family Institute, a day-long session focused [...]

Word on the street is that Mary Beth Maxwell, a lesbian mother, supporter of Family Equality Council and Executive Director of American Rights at Work, is on the short list for Secretary of Labor. If appointed, she would be the first out gay cabinet member in history! And she’s a mom! Maxwell has a long [...]

The Advocate is featuring coming out stories of LGBT notables this week in honor of National Coming Out Day, this Saturday, October 11. Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of Family Equality Council, shared her story on “Day 2″ of the series this past Wednesday: “I came out the first time in 1990 at Smith College. I [...]