Family Equality

Family Equality advances lived and legal equality for LGBTQ+ families through advocacy, education, resources, and storytelling. 

As the leading national organization for current and future LGBTQ+ families, we work to ensure that everyone has the freedom to find, form, and sustain their families by advancing LGBTQ+ equality through advocacy, education, resources, and storytelling. 

And what we're doing works!

This spring, we won our lawsuit against Florida! After nearly two years of pushing back against Florida’s infamous “Don’t Say Gay or Trans” legislation in a lawsuit with Florida families and fellow equality organizations, compassion was restored to Florida classrooms with our historic win which rolled back key discriminatory provisions in the law – essentially nullifying its effects. We DO say GAY and we DO say TRANS – even in Florida classrooms!

Earlier this year, Family Equality policy team members convinced legislators to kill harmful bills in many separate states including Louisiana, Colorado, Vermont, and New York.

In Michigan, we were able to improve the state's assisted reproduction and surrogacy law. Michigan was the last state to criminalize surrogacy, and that changed because of Family Equality’s work. 

That's just a sample of our successes this year. And our successes impact the lives of real, everyday families!

We're a national nonprofit with local connections.

Last month we hosted Family Weekend in the Midwest — an event designed to bring LGBTQ+ families together for fun and connection — in Minneapolis! Families enjoyed a jam-packed schedule of activities tailored for all ages including a pizza party, magic tricks, a drag queen performance, Minnesota Vikings U.S. Bank Tour, Nickelodeon Universe®, and Trunk-or-Treat (hosted by our incredible partner, Twin Cities Pride)!

Family Weekend in the Midwest demonstrates how essential LGBTQ+ gatherings are for our families.  

It’s clear. We’re fighting a well-funded anti-LGBTQ+ machine. 

With the 500+ anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced this year in states across the country, it can be tough as an LGBTQ+ person in America. The LGBTQ+ community needs support now more than ever.

Family Equality is necessary. Legal, societal, and economic barriers still prevent LGBTQ+ people from starting, protecting, or sustaining families. State-sanctioned attacks on LGBTQ+ youth and families continue, and the Supreme Court has already signaled threats to additional freedoms like marriage and more.

The data tells us there is broad support for LGBTQ+ protections and equality in the U.S.:

• 8 in 10 support nondiscrimination laws to protect LGBTQ+ people against discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing
• 2/3 support marriage equality

At Family Equality, we continue fiercely protecting our families. And what we’re doing really does work! In 2023, thanks to our tireless efforts, along with those of our movement partners, 87% of anti-LGBTQ+ bills in 2023 failed to become law and 20% of the PRO-equality bills were secured and signed into law.

LGBTQ+ families all across the country need and deserve protections in all aspects of our lives. And that’s exactly what Family Equality is fighting for. Together, we will create a future where all LGBTQ+ families live in communities that recognize, respect, protect, and value them. 

But that work takes every one of us.

Join the fight for LOVE, FAMILY, and FREEDOM today! Family unites us all.  

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