Advancing Equality for LGBTQ+ Families

Note from the CREDO team: This June, Family Equality is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO community will help Family Equality fight back against the hundreds of anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in state legislatures this year, empower LGBTQ+ families to find community and celebrate their joy, and drive the LGBTQ+ family narrative.

Read this important blog post, then click here to visit CREDODonations.com to cast your vote to help determine how we distribute our monthly grant to this organization and our other amazing grantees this June.

At least 20 million American adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ+)—and many of them have or are considering expanding their families! Research shows that nearly 63% of LGBTQ+ millennials are considering expanding their families in the coming years.

That’s where Family Equality comes in! Since 1979, Family Equality has been working to advance lived and legal equality for LGBTQ+ families across the country, driven by the belief that everyone deserves the right and opportunity to form and sustain a loving family, live in communities that respect them, and access services free from discrimination. We work in four critical areas to usher in change for good: community-building, education, advocacy, and organizing.

Family Equality is advocating for lived and legal equality and organizing LGBTQ+ families to speak out and take action. As it stands, there is no federal law prohibiting anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination—and 13 states allow adoption and foster care agencies to turn away LGBTQ+ parents. In 2022 there was a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced across the country. This year we have seen that number almost double to over 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills. As hateful and damaging anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric also ramps up, our families’ freedoms are at stake.

Family Equality’s policy team tracks legislation on a range of issues that directly affect both existing LGBTQ+ families and the ability of LGBTQ+ individuals to expand their families. These attacks on LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender youth, in healthcare, in sports, and in the classroom, are very real threats to our families.

As well as advocating for the rights of LGBTQ+ families, Family Equality also connects LGBTQ+ families, youth from those families, and prospective parents across the country. Our equitable programming moves us closer to gender, racial, and economic freedoms through allyship bridge building, LGBTQ+ community building, and education and resource creation. 

Family Equality is addressing the needs of LGBTQ+ families right now. With the increased anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, policies, and rhetoric across the country, families are reaching out to us for information, resources, and help. In response, we created Path2Familyequality.org, a hub for families to stay informed, create a plan, and find hope. Whether a family decides they need to flee their home state or seek resources to advocate for their children as they stay put, Path2FamilyEquality is evolving to address their needs and buoy them in a challenging time.

We also work to educate community members, neighbors, and allies through important research, training, and resources. For instance, Family Equality’s Open Door Program offers family-building providers and HR professionals in-depth, interactive courses to equip them with the tools necessary to develop inclusive policies and practices.

(We also create resources by and for LGBTQ+ families, including our Path to Parenthood webinars with LGBTQ+ fertility experts and our robust resource library!)

Family is fighting for what matters most – Love. Family. Freedom. Advancing both legal and lived equality is our mission and we won’t stop this work until all families are recognized, respected and protected. Learn more at familyequality.org.