DEMANDING EQUALITY FACE TO FACE THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN AND NO EXCUSESHUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION FROM THE PRESIDENT 2010 was a historic year for the lesbian, gay, Our nation’s capital extended equal marriage equal benefits. The discriminatory HIV travel head-to-head with our anti-equality opponents. bisexual and transgender community. Federal rights to same-sex couples, and Maryland ban was lifted after 20 years. A fully inclusive We helped ensure that America sees the issues and state governments, employers and health- began recognizing our marriages. Other states Employment Non-Discrimination Act gained and our community clearly. care providers extended protections for our increased benefits and protections for our support, and the assistant attorney general for community. The American people continued to families. And we blocked hateful anti-LGBT civil rights testified in favor of ENDA — Everywhere you are, everywhere we live, and show their support for equality. Although measures across the nation. on behalf of a supportive administration. everywhere there is a decision maker, HRC is our right-wing foes fought our priorities moving the ball forward. This historic year was more strongly than ever, our community has The U.S. House of Representatives and the Our nation’s leading employers keep setting the unprecedented. With your help, the best is yet emerged with increased protections. While we Senate Armed Services Committee took standard for non-discrimination, health benefits to come. acknowledge these accomplishments, much historic votes to begin the process of repealing and diversity policies. In 2010, record numbers work remains to be done. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” These votes honor the scored 100 percent on our Corporate Equality Index. Sincerely, thousands of service members who were When President Obama signed the Matthew discharged or resigned under the law. The We also launched the Religion and Faith Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” continues to scholarship and mentorship program. As part Prevention Act, our community was explicitly be a huge target of HRC’s grassroots and of this work, we brought graduate students to protected under federal civil rights law for the lobbying efforts. an intensive, weeklong institute — fueling a very first time. After years of stalling at the White much-needed dialogue on LGBT equality and House door, this historic legislation is finally Federal employees received increased religion. We’re creating the next generation of U.S. law. The Department of Justice is working protections for their families, thanks to a religious leaders, scholars and activists. with the Human Rights Campaign and other memorandum expanding workplace benefits civil rights groups to ensure that the legislation for same-sex partners, and the president HRC spokespeople made our voices heard Joe Solmonese is used to the fullest extent necessary to protect supported the Domestic Partnership Benefits in local and national media, moving opinion President, Human Rights Campaign and us from hate violence. and Obligations Act, which would provide leaders and poll numbers when we stood Human Rights Campaign Foundation FROM THE HRC BOARD CO-CHAIRS In 2010, we are fighting our way to success. Just months after HRC launched a massive policies for our community, including: federal the face of a ballot challenge and enact laws The days when ballot initiatives and hateful campaign to push for the repeal of “Don’t health regulations ending the HIV travel that will benefit thousands of real families. amendments overwhelmed our community’s Ask, Don’t Tell,” the U.S. Congress made ban; protection for LGBT people under the resources and dominated the public’s attention critical legislative advances toward ending the Violence Against Women Act; proposed The right wing remains strong, and the electoral are behind us, and our community must be military’s discriminatory law. regulations mandating that all hospitals landscape always uncertain, but bit by bit we agile in responding to the opportunities that respect LGBT families and do not discriminate; are succeeding, accumulating achievements this new time presents us. The Human Rights Executive branch policies affect our and protections for federal employees. This of equal rights for LGBT people and families Campaign is on the offense, pushing our civil community in a variety of areas — including ongoing work exemplifies HRC’s vision to around the country. rights agenda forward. health, protection from domestic violence, pursue equality everywhere with expertise travel and federal employment. That is why and perseverance. Sincerely, We’ve moved pro-LGBT legislation, and HRC developed an extensive blueprint of the president signed the hate crimes law — meaningful changes that the executive In the states and localities, we have made the first civil rights legislation specifically branch can make without legislative strides in relationship recognition protections protecting our community. In Congress, a fully approval, encompassing more than 70 policy and employment non-discrimination laws. inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act recommendations. By mobilizing our members and providing had historic hearings, securing support from strategic advice, resources and staff on the Obama administration and from leaders This year, through continued lobbying, HRC the ground, we helped to preserve critical Ken Britt and Rebecca Tillet in corporate America. helped to establish groundbreaking federal protections for transgender people in Human Rights Campaign Board Co-Chairs From THE HRC FOUNDATION BOARD CO-CHAIRS To achieve equal rights under law, the LGBT The HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality to promote fair policies while expanding our The HRC Foundation continues to show community must foster greater understanding Index, which assesses hospitals’ policies and reach. The HRC Foundation’s new Degrees vision in stepping beyond the halls of state and cooperation with our neighbors and practices for LGBT patients and families, served of Equality report showed that while there capitols and beyond the reaches of our allies, further our positions in the institutions as a foundation for our work with the federal are policies in place to fight discrimination in community to build fairer institutions, build that affect our everyday lives — places of government to craft and promote practices for the workplace, many LGBT employees still our knowledge, and move Americans toward worship, workplaces, hospitals and schools all hospitals receiving federal funds. experience a negative workplace climate. We fairness — wherever they are. — and demonstrate our commitment to the built our workplace coalitions to support non- greater good. When the president issued a memorandum discrimination and family benefits legislation. Sincerely, ordering visitation policies that protect We continued to press this community to The Human Rights Campaign Foundation LGBT families from discrimination, the HRC support those companies that support us. has made extraordinary strides in achieving Foundation’s standards of fairness were on this mission. In 2010, we expanded our their way to becoming national standards. Our Religion and Faith Program continues commitments to our fellow civil rights The HRC Foundation is uniquely positioned to inform America that we need not choose communities by working on voting rights in to ensure that this long-overdue civil rights between religion and LGBT rights — they can Latino/a communities, partnering with faith protection becomes a reality. and should be in harmony. Our efforts include communities of all kinds, and strengthening partnering with clergy and faith coalitions, Marty Lieberman and Anne Fay our work on behalf of LGBT people through The workplace has long been a capstone hosting town hall events and creating resources Human Rights Campaign Foundation groundbreaking research. in advancing equality. This year, we continued for diverse, religious communities. Board Co-Chairs HRC 2010 ANNUAL REPORT 3 EVERYWHEREEVERYWHERE WE win equality by seeKing it everywhere EVERYWHERE& fighting for it everywhere Discrimination has existed in every sphere of American Ask, Don’t Tell” is still on the books, forcing them to serve in THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, HRC HELPED life. And so we must build equality everywhere that LGBT silence and resulting in thousands of discharges. people live. Federal law prohibits discrimination based FACILITATE MORE THAN 1,375 FACE-TO-FACE upon race, sex, national origin and disability. In the 21st To win, all of us — friends, neighbors, co-workers, family MEETINGS AMONG CONSTITUENTS, LAWMAKERS century, there are no excuses to exclude sexual orientation members, fellow parishioners — have to put the pressure AND THEIR STAFF AS PART OF OUR CAMPAIGNS and gender identity. on. That is why HRC has engaged more people than ever TO CHANGE HEARTS AND MINDS. before to meet with their lawmakers face-to-face, talk with We are building families in every county in the country, but their neighbors and families on the issues that matter, and the Defense of Marriage Act means that we are strangers reach out to the people and institutions that affect us. in the eyes of our federal government. Thousands of LGBT people serve our country in the Armed Forces, but “Don’t HRC 2010 ANNUAL REPORT 5 ENGAGING MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER BEFORE ON ISSUES THAT MATTER PUSHING FOR CHANGE ON MArrIAGE EQUALITY, “DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL” aND OTHER crUCIAL ISSUES MEANS REACHING KEY MOBILIZEMEMBERS OF CONGRESS, WORKING WITH ADVOCACY GROUPS AND STATE LAWMAKERS, AND SHARING THE PERSONAL STORIES OF THOSE WHO ARE AffEctED BY THESE ISSUES. 1000+ grassroots lobby visits both in Washington, D.C., and in-district to push for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” FORMER U.S. MILITARY VETERANS LOBBY FOR REPEAL OF “DON’T AsK, DON’T TELL.” HRC MOBILIZED 10,000 VETERANS NATIONWIDE. in the statehouses It was clear that on balance, it was a banner relationship recognition; both Washington Equality is making gains at the local level, The road is not an easy one, and HRC will year for LGBT equality at the state level.