Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality
Take Action to Support LGBTQ+ Rights
We have made important advances towards LGBTQ+ equality over the past decade, and there is much to celebrate. Unfortunately, we have also experienced significant rollbacks. Even today, with the most pro-equality administration in U.S. history, LGBTQ+ rights are being threatened at the state level and in communities, schools, and homes across the country.
Here’s what you can do about it.
Recognize and root out compounding vulnerabilities caused by intersecting identities
LGBTQ+ individuals are not always free to live their authentic selves, nor are they equally protected by law, which is why we need an intersectional approach to LGBTQ+ equality. LGBTQ+ people who hold multiple marginalized identities, including age, immigration status, race, ethnicity, incarceration status, and disability often face additional discrimination, marginalization, and exclusion. Research shows that LGBTQ+ people with multiple marginalized identities are more likely than their peers to experience:
Bullying and harassment
Violence, including hate crimes, physical assault, and sexual assault, sometimes resulting in death
Homelessness and food insecurity
Systemic housing and employment discrimination
Higher rates of incarceration and overrepresentation in prisons, jails, juvenile detention, and immigration detention centers
Suicidal thoughts and mental health crisis
Community stigmatization and social exclusion
We must support policies, programs, and services that incorporate an intersectional approach.
Learn more about, donate to, and take action with the following organizations and causes.
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)
Learn more at National Black Justice Coalition and NQAPIA, or check out It Gets Better’s list of BIPOC-serving LGBTQ+ organizations.
The Movement Advancement Project and GLADD have a Talking About series with tips on how to start the conversation in Black and Latinx* communities and The Trevor Project has a guide for Black LGBTQ youth on Approaching Intersectional Conversations.
Donate to the Mental Health Fund for Queer and Trans Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. They provide financial support to queer and trans BIPOC to access mental health support and address the economic barriers inherent in healthcare and the mental health system.
Immigrants
Learn more at Immigration Equality, GLAAD, and the Center for American Progress.
Sign the pledge by Immigration Equality to restore LGBTQ+ immigrant rights.
Sign up with United We Dream’s Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project (QUIP) to become an immigrant and LGBTQ+ advocate and organizer in your community.
People with disabilities
Learn more at RespectAbility, Movement Advancement Project, and Stonewall.org.
People who are incarcerated
Learn more at Black and Pink, Beyond These Walls, and the Transgender Law Center - and consider donating to their legal, bail, court, reentry, and housing support programs.
Become a penpal by corresponding with an incarcerated LGBTQ+ person to provide harm reduction, affirmation, and a support network outside of prison.
People living with HIV/AIDS
Learn more at Human Rights Campaign and Ready, Set, PrEP.
Sex workers
Learn more at GLITS, the Global Network of Sex Work Projects, and Survivors Against SESTA.
Youth
Learn more at The Trevor Project, It Gets Better, Advocates for Youth, and GLSEN.
Volunteer to provide life-saving crisis intervention services as a phone or text crisis counselor with The Trevor Project.
Organize a Solidarity Week, No-Name Calling Week, or Day of Silence in your community. Learn how at GLSEN.
LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning. We use the “plus” in LGBTQ+ to show support for and inclusiveness of a range of sexual orientations and gender identities. This ensures that no one is overlooked or rejected and that everyone can identify with the term and have a place to belong. Some identities represented by the “plus” include intersex, non-binary, gender fluid, pansexual, omnisexual, asexual, among many more.
Latinx has emerged as a gender-neutral term to represent people of Latin American descent since, in Spanish, latino refers to males and latina refers to females. Some find the pronunciation (luh-TEE-neks) unnatural and prefer the terms “latine” as an alternative that is more consistent with the way Spanish is spoken. Others criticize latinx as a U.S.-imposed term that is not grounded in the culture or origins of the people it is meant to represent. You can also use “latin@” in written language, although it does not have a verbal pronunciation.
Check out our posts Making the Most of Your Monetary Donations and What Is A Nonprofit to increase your impact when you donate.
Pass the Equality Act
On February 25, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Equality Act. The bill would protect the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people by banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (think: employment, housing, credit, and federally funded health and education programs). The bill’s fate in the Senate is unclear, and it’s time to build pressure. Join in solidarity to ensure that all LGBTQ+ Americans can live, work, and access public spaces free from discrimination.
Contact your senators and tell them to pass the Equality Act. This National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund petition makes it easy.
Meet with your senators directly or join a lobbying day event in key states organized by equality advocates. Learn more at #EqualityTime. They provide the tools you need to conduct a successful visit.
Defeat anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and defend pro-LGBTQ+ bills
Instead of advancing equality, protecting LGBTQ+ people, and recognizing their human rights, over 29 states have introduced legislation that will limit the rights and protections of LGBTQ+ people, particularly trans youth. Proposed bills aim to restrict trans minors’ access to medical care, lift bans on conversion therapy, and prevent trans youth from participating in sports, among others.
Find out how your state compares
Use the Human Rights Campaign’s State Equality Index and Scorecards to find each state’s laws and policies affecting LGBTQ+ people and their families.
Track anti-LGBTQ+ state legislation and take action at the state level using The Ally Coalition’s Action Center database. Track pro-LGBTQ+ legislation using Freedom For All Americans legislation tracker.
Contact your state reps
Let them know you oppose discriminatory legislation and support legislation to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
Sign this petition by Human Rights Campaign telling state lawmakers to stop targeting the rights and dignity of transgender youth.
Not sure who your representatives are or how to contact them? Use this Common Cause database or Ballotpedia tool to find their contact info. You can also see the bills they’ve introduced, committees they serve on, and political contributions they’ve received.
Support inclusive policies at the local level
Encourage your community (think: work, school, government) to create and implement inclusive and welcoming policies. The Center for American Progress offers a comprehensive blueprint on how to enact LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination policies at the local level.
Volunteer for LGBTQ+ equality
Phonebank
Make calls for LGBTQ+ Justice with National Equality Action Team (NEAT!). Volunteers talk to the public about conversion therapy, recruit volunteers, advocate for LGBTQ+ protections, and get out the vote. NEAT! provides an easy-to-use web calling tool, the materials you need, quick OnDemand video training, and live support while you dial. You can also host your own virtual calling party.
Participate in virtual town halls
The town halls are a place for grassroots leaders, community organizations, and everyday people to come together to discuss significant events affecting the LGBTQ+ community and provide information on how to take action. Learn more at NEAT!
Provide support as a hotline volunteer
If you are over 18, and a caring, non-judgemental listener, you can volunteer with the LGBT National Hotline. You will be trained to provide a supportive, listening, and affirming space for all LGBTQ+ people. You can also sign up as a youth chat room moderator or resource detective.
Create safe and nurturing homes where LGBTQ+ youth can thrive
LGBTQ+ youth who are not accepted by their families are more likely than their peers to experience homelessness, food insecurity, sexual exploitation, and suicidal thoughts. These risks increase even more among youth from certain conservative ethnic, racial, and religious groups. Over the past year, isolation due to the pandemic has increased domestic abuse and mental health crisis for LGBTQ+ living in unsupportive homes.
Educate yourself and others on how to support young LGBTQ+ people who come from ethnically, racially, and religiously diverse families. Learn more at the Family Acceptance Project.
Become a foster parent. LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately represented in foster care and the child welfare system. They need expanded housing options and supportive caseworkers and child welfare professionals that respect their whole selves and provide a safe and welcoming environment. You can become an emergency or long-term foster care parent if you are at least 21 years of age, meet basic income guidelines, provide adequate bedroom space, and have reliable transportation. You can be single. Learn more at Adopt US Kids.
Increase LGBTQ+ political representation
We need LGBTQ+ leaders at all levels of government to humanize the lives of LGBTQ+ people, impact policy and legislative debates, and influence straight lawmaker colleagues to vote in favor of equality. The 2020 elections saw the biggest rainbow wave in U.S. history, with over 222 candidates across the country and at all levels of government winning their general election.
Learn more about how to support LGBTQ+ candidates (or run yourself!) at Victory Fund.
Expand access to quality, affirming, and inclusive health care
Every person deserves the ability to access medical and mental health care without worrying about discrimination, harassment, mistreatment, or refusal of services. Despite existing protections, many LGBTQ+ people lack access to welcoming and affirming medical and mental health providers, including at hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and private practices in their area. When healthcare providers either overtly discriminate or unintentionally create an unwelcoming environment, it endangers the lives of LGBTQ+ people because they are more likely than their peers to delay or avoid treatment. Transgender and LGBTQ+ people living with HIV face additional barriers and discrimination when trying to access life-saving and gender-affirming care.
Learn more at the National Center for Transgender Equality, the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, and National Coalition for LGBT Health. Check out The Coalition’s advocacy briefs for ways to take action.
Support the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network, an organization committed to healing justice that transforms mental health for queer and trans people of color.
Take Action
Choose one action and just do it!
Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis. Everyone has something important to offer. We present a range of actions that empower you to help in ways that are right for you. Whether you have five minutes or five hours, you can make a difference.
Learn more in our How To Be An Everyday Activist guide.
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Originally published June 1, 2021.
Posts identify both fast actions that you can take in under five minutes and more time-intensive actions that deepen your engagement. Our fast actions tend to be time-bound, as a result, some posts in the archive may contain expired links. Not to fret, we also recommend anytime actions that never go out of date.
