LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
HRC SENIOR STAFF Joe Solmonese President Michael Cole Press Secretary Ann Crowley Membership & Online Strategy Director Robert Falk General Counsel Andrea Green Finance Director John Greene Human Resources Director Allison Herwitt Legislative Director Anastasia Khoo Marketing Director Don Kiser Creative Director Cathy Nelson Vice President for Development & Membership
The Path Forward to Equality
‘So where do we go from here?’
Betsy Pursell Vice President for Public Education & Outreach Jim Rinefierd Vice President for Finance & Operations Marty Rouse National Field Director Fred Sainz Vice President of Communications & Marketing Susanne Salkind Managing Director
It’s a question I’m hearing a lot after our historic victory to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. Although winning the 17-year battle to allow lesbian and gay patriots to serve proudly and openly in our armed forces was a truly landmark achievement, we still face big obstacles in the fight to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. After the defeat of many champions of equality in the 2010 elections, we’re confronting a dramatically altered political landscape. With anti-LGBT lawmakers in charge of the U.S. House of Representatives, advancing LGBT civil rights in Congress has become much more difficult. We face a similar challenge on the state level, where election gains by antiLGBT forces threaten marriage equality in New Hampshire and open the door for attacks on adoption by lesbian and gay couples in Florida, Arizona and Tennessee. Right now, HRC is working to harness the momentum from our “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” victory to protect our hard-won progress and move forward on LGBT civil rights, including the opportunity to advance marriage equality in New York and Maryland, and civil unions in Delaware and Hawaii. Efforts are also underway in Rhode Island. The current political realities make it clear that we cannot limit our efforts to just legislative and electoral battles. So HRC is intensifying our focus on touching and changing hearts and minds — to make everyday life better for LGBT individuals and their families. HRC is also stepping up our work to combat bias-based bullying through initiatives like our “Welcoming Schools” program, which helps elementary schools teach children respect and tolerance — to prevent name-calling and bullying later in middle and high school. We’re also publicly calling out religious and political
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leaders who denigrate young people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
David M. Smith Vice President of Programs Christopher Speron Development Director Cuc Vu Chief Diversity Officer
Meanwhile, HRC’s Workplace Project is working to improve conditions for LGBT workers by convincing more corporations to implement pro-equality policies. Our Religion and Faith Program is engaged at every level, creating a new movement for change that embraces a culture of compassion. And our Family Project is aiming to build on the historic progress we made last year when we played a key role in convincing President Obama to issue the directive requiring hospitals to provide equal visitation rights to LGBT families. Although we face daunting challenges ahead, our success in the fight to overturn “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has given a critical boost to the LGBT rights movement. I am confident that we will continue moving forward if we join together and recommit ourselves to the fight for equality. Thank you in advance for your continued support of HRC in 2011.
HRC EQUALITY STAFF Janice Hughes Publications Director Sarah Streyle Senior Graphic Design Specialist Robert Villaflor Design Director OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Joanna Blotner, Liz Cooper, Alison Delpercio, Ryan Fleury, Justin Giaquinto, Allison Herwitt, Ellen Kahn, Anastasia Khoo, Don Kiser, Mollie Levin, Tommy Lodge, Jason Lott, Timothy Mahoney, Adam Marquez, Cathy Nelson, Kevin Nix, Jeremy Pittman, Karin Quimby, Margot Rosen, Marty Rouse, Fred Sainz, Susanne Salkind, Carolyn Simon, James Servino, David M. Smith, Chris Speron, David Stacy, Tom Sullivan, Sarah Warbelow, Monica Watson
Equality is a publication of the Human Rights Campaign and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Equality (ISSN 1092-5791) is published quarterly by HRC, 1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: Free to members. Printed in the USA. The Human Rights Campaign and HRC Foundation names and Equality logos are trademarks of the Human Rights Campaign and HRC Foundation.
Gratefully, To join HRC, call 800-777-HRC3, visit www.hrc.org or TTY at 202-216-1572. Are you an HRC member? Have a question?
Joe Solmonese P.S. As HRC expands the scope of our fight for LGBT equality, we need your help more than ever before. So please consider rushing a special contribution to HRC today or giving online at www.hrc.org/winter2011. And if you can take your support to a higher level at this time, please become a monthly HRC Partner or join our Federal Club program. Thank you!
HRC’s Member Services Team, led by Dana Campbell, works every day to provide HRC’s more than 750,000 grassroots members and supporters with the best membership experience possible. To contact Member Services, e-mail membership@hrc.org or call 800-727-4723.
All advertisers in Equality magazine are Human Rights Campaign National Corporate Partners. Because of HRC’s commitment to improving the lives of LGBT Americans in the workplace, all of our National Corporate Partners must demonstrate their own dedication by achieving a score of 85 percent or greater on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index. Companies such as these have advanced the cause of LGBT equality in the workplace. For specific scores, criteria and more information on the Corporate Equality Index, please visit www.hrc.org/CEI.