Human Rights Campaign

Equal Rights and Protection

During the last decade, the HRC has advocated for numerous pieces of legislation to secure equal rights and protection. For instance, since 1997 the HRC has been a key promoter of hate crime legislation; such legislation recently become law with President Barack Obama's signature on the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA) on October 28, 2009. The HCPA includes protection for violence against someone based on his or her race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. The HRC also continues to work in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would protect individuals in the workplace against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The EDNA is currently being discussed in various Congressional hearings.

In recent years, a primary focus has been on marriage equality. On the federal level, the HRC has worked to gain passage of the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA), which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and grant same-sex couples equal marriage rights on the federal level. On the state level, the HRC has worked with state leaders in the slow progression of state-recognized civil unions, domestic partnerships, and marriage rights for same-sex couples.

In January 2009, the HRC held it's first Women and Leadership conference; it brought together 24 women who supported LGBT rights, were active in the HRC, or were committed to being community leaders for discussions and trainings on leadership, the affect of gender bias on race, sexuality, and class, and the development of leadership skills. The Women and Leadership program promotes the engagement of women as leaders in their communities and in the HRC.