The American system of government is founded on two counterbalancing principles: that the majority of the people governs, through democratically elected representatives; and that the power even of a democratic majority must be limited, to ensure individual rights. The mission of the ACLU is to preserve all of these protections and guarantees: Your First Amendment rights-freedom of speech, association and assembly. Freedom of the press, and freedom of religion supported by the strict separation of church and state.; Your right to equal protection under the law - equal treatment regardless of race, sex, religion or national origin; Your right to due process - fair treatment by the government whenever the loss of your liberty or property is at stake; Your right to privacy - freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your personal and private affairs. Close

AIDS Project Los Angeles is dedicated to: improving the lives of people affected by HIV disease; reducing the incidence of HIV infection; and advocating for fair and effective HIV-related public policy. AIDS Project Los Angeles aspires to be a recognized leader in the development and provision of multidisciplinary, high quality, cost effective initiatives designed to stop HIV transmission and to reduce the human suffering caused by HIV disease. AIDS Project Los Angeles is a flexible organization that responds rapidly to changes in the populations, priorities or needs of people affected by HIV disease. AIDS Project Los Angeles strives to improve the overall quality of life for people living with HIV by sharing or pooling assets and working in partnerships and collaborations, thereby maximizing the overall effectiveness of resources. Close

The Bisexual Foundation publishes a quarterly Journal of Bisexuality, written in lay terms, with professional articles and serious essays on bisexuality and its meaning for the individual, the community, and society. Their websites, www.bisexual.org and www.bimagazine.org, reach both a professional and lay audience of readers and users. Close

The mission of California Faith for Equality is to educate, support and mobilize California's faith communities to promote civil marriage equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and safeguard religious freedom. In partnership with Equality California (EQCA), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (The Task Force), the Pacific School of Religion and the Equality for All campaign, California Faith for Equality is designing a statewide organizing and educational strategy to identify, train, mobilize, and publicize clergy and congregations supportive of the freedom to marry. This effort will set the foundation for an awareness-raising campaign dedicated to educating and mobilizing faith communities to support LGBT people and religious freedom. Close

This site provides information on the Canadian Unitarian Universalists and their stance on gender and sexual diversity. The Gender and Sexual Diversity Monitoring Group seeks to uphold Unitarian Universalist Principles in order to assist and support the safe and equitable representation and inclusion of sexual and gender minorities and their supporters in Canadian Unitarian Universalist congregations by offering education, representation, political action, and historical preservation. Close

The mission of COLAGE is to engage, connect, and empower people to make the world a better place for children of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender parents and families. In the United States alone, more than 10 million people have one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender parent(s). Today, COLAGE is the only national organization in the world specifically supporting children, youth and adults with LGBT parent(s). Using their experiences and creativity, COLAGE offers a diverse array of support, education and advocacy by and for folks with LGBT parents. Whether you already know lots of other people with LGBT parent(s), or always thought you were the only one, COLAGE is a source of friendship and understanding. It is a place where you can talk about your family with complete honesty and pride. COLAGE is an organization that accepts your family AND celebrates it! Close

This sub-grouping of Conjure.com provides an extensive collection of search engines for Queer, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered resources. No real mission other than dissemination of information to interested parties. Close

The Family Pride Coalition (FPC) has for 25 years been the only national non-profit organization solely dedicated to equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parents and their families. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., FPC supports nearly 200 membership-based LGBT parenting groups nationwide with a base of 35,000 supporters. FPC focuses its work in three primary areas:

Advocacy

• Influence and support laws establishing our ability to create and protect our families
• Create a positive educational environment for our children
• Seek positive workplace policies that protect our families

Education

• Educate the public about our families
• Educate our families about issues important to them

Support

• Help parents and families come together to share information and provide social support to one another
• Help parents gain access to necessary resources about our issues

Close

Since 1993, The Freedom To Marry Coalition of Massachusetts has been engaged in grassroots education, advocacy, and lobbying in support of civil marriage rights for same-sex couples. While marriage is not the only form that family takes in our society, the union of two people in a long-term, committed, and loving relationship has long been considered by many to fulfill basic human needs for sharing, commitment, and love.

There are over 1,000 rights and responsibilities associated with civil marriage. These rights are intended to protect and promote the relationships which are the core of our society. We believe that marriage rights are not only essential to protect families formed by same-sex couples but we also believe that marriage is a central issue in the struggle for equality for all gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals. Only when we have the freedom to choose marriage will we be equal in the eyes of the law and society. Close

The GLBT National Help Center is dedicated to meeting the needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and those questioning their sexual orientation and gender identity. They are an outgrowth of the Gay & Lesbian National Hotline, which began in 1996 and now is a primary program of the GLBT National Help Center. They offer several different programs including two national hotlines that help members of the GBLT community talk about the important issues that they are facing in their lives. They help end the isolation that many people feel, by providing a safe environment on the phone or via the internet to discuss issues that people can't talk about anywhere else. Close

The Student Center is a web community for college students, high school students, and teens. It requires registration, which takes about 2 minutes, then students can be on their way to access profiles, forums, personality tests, chat rooms, auctions and contests. No educational content here – it's strictly a fun site! Close

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. GLAAD has not only reached media insiders, but has also impacted millions through newspapers, magazines, motion pictures, television and visibility campaigns. Close

GLSEN, or the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, is a national education organization working to ensure safe schools for ALL students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to accept and respect all people, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression. In support of their overall vision, GLSEN's work can be briefly described in this way: They are working to make anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment unacceptable in America's K-12 schools. They engage and empower educators as partners in creating schools where every student can fully participate in school life. They are ensuring the national education agenda to ensure effective schools includes LGBT issues. Close

HeartStrong is a non sectarian organization established to provide outreach to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and other persons adversely affected by the influence of all denominations of religious educational institutions. HeartStrong is also committed to educating the public about the persecution of GLBT's and others at religious educational institutions. Close

The Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI), Home of The Harvey Milk High School, believes all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential. HMI creates this environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth between the ages of 12 and 21 and their families. Through a comprehensive package of direct services and referrals, HMI seeks to foster healthy youth development. HMI's staff promotes excellence in the delivery of youth services and uses its expertise to create innovative programs that other organizations may use as models. Close

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all. HRC seeks to improve the lives of GLBT Americans by advocating for equal rights and benefits in the workplace, ensuring families are treated equally under the law and increasing public support among all Americans through innovative advocacy, education and outreach programs. HRC works to secure equal rights for GLBT individuals and families at the federal and state levels by lobbying elected officials, mobilizing grassroots supporters, educating Americans, investing strategically to elect fair-minded officials and partnering with other GLBT organizations. Close

An ecumenical group of denominational representatives of the Welcoming Church Movement created the Institute for Welcoming Resources (IWR) in 2002. The purpose of IWR is to help build church homes that are truly welcoming and nurturing, where everyone knows 'they're okay, just like they are.' In early 2006, IWR became a program of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), through a formal merger. IWR's mission is to create resources that support the unconditional welcome of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities and their families in the church home of their choice. Special features of the website include a locator, by state, of welcoming churches. The resources and links on this website include subject areas such as: "Bible Interpretation and Theology'; How to Become a Welcoming Church', and 'Marriage Equality'. Click on 'Shower of Stoles' to discover a collection of over 1,000 liturgical and sacred items representing the lives of LGBT people of faith. Close

The International Foundation for Gender Education was founded in 1987 and continues to be a leading advocate and educational organization for promoting the self-definition and free expression of individual gender identity. IFGE is not a support group, it is an information provider and clearinghouse for referrals about all things which are transgressive of established social gender norms. They offer a comprehensive bookstore on transgenderism and also publish the quarterly "Transgender Tapestry" geared towards a diverse population exploring gender issues. Articles include Research, Feature Articles, Reviews, Personal Narrative, Fiction, and more. They host an annual conference in the spring. Close

The Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) is devoted to systemic change to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital surgeries for people born with an anatomy that someone decided is not standard for male or female. We have learned from listening to individuals and families dealing with intersex that:

• Intersexuality is a primarily a problem of stigma and trauma, not gender.
• Parents' distress must not be treated by surgery on the child.
• Professional mental health care is essential.
• Honest, complete disclosure is good medicine.
• All children should be assigned as boy or girl, without early surgery.

Close

Interweave is a membership organization actively working to end oppression based on sexual orientation and gender identity, recognizing that people will not be free until all oppression is a thing of the past. Interveave is an affiliate organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and their work is guided by Unitarian Universalist principles. They value and affirm the lives and experience of Queer people of faith of all ages, races, ethnicities, income levels, and abilities. They strive to connect and nurture all Queer individuals, communities, groups, and their allies by providing and supporting leadership, and working in collaboration with other organizations of similar vision. There are chapters in more than 40 congregations and 200+ families of all kinds across Canada and the US. Close

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. Lambda Legal carries out its legal work principally through test cases selected for the likelihood of their success in establishing positive legal precedents that will affect lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV. Lambda Legal pursues litigation in all parts of the country, in every area of the law that affects communities we represent, such as discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations and the military; HIV-related discrimination and public policy issues; parenting and relationship issues; equal marriage rights; equal employment and domestic partnership benefits; "sodomy" law challenges; immigration issues; antigay initiatives; and free speech and equal protection rights. Our overall mission to combat sexual orientation discrimination in this country has become an intrinsic part of the struggle for civil rights. Close

LifeWorks is dedicated to helping lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, ages 14-24, reach their goals and dreams. LifeWorks Mentors and the organization's program services help youth in five achievement areas: wellness, education, career, home and personal development. The Client Mentoring Program matches clients with adult professionals trained to be LifeWorks mentors. The Client Consultant works with clients to develop a 'Life Plan' and offers referrals, and resources to support goal achievement. They also offer social community events. All client services are offered free of charge! Close

The LGBT Religious Archives Network (LGBT-RAN) is an innovative venture in developing archives and encouraging historical study of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) religious movements. The LGBT-RAN can best be viewed as a "virtual" archive. They serve as a resource for LGBT religious leaders and groups in determining how to preserve their historical records. They then provide an information clearinghouse for these archival collections in a central electronic directory for the use of historians, researchers and other interested persons. Their overarching purpose is to ensure the preservation and accessibility of the voices and experiences of LGBT religious leaders and organizations. Close

The National Black Justice Coalition is a civil rights organization dedicated to empowering Black same-gender-loving, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people. The Coalition works with their community and allies for social justice, equality, and an end to racism and homophobia. They are committed to: religious affairs, public policy development & education, community capacity building, coalition building, leadership development, and grassroots mobilization. Close

The National Center for Transgender Equality is a national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people.

By empowering transgender people and our allies to educate and influence policymakers and others, NCTE facilitates a strong and clear voice for transgender equality in our nation's capital and around the country. Close

Since 1977, the National Center for Lesbian Rights has worked to create a world in which every lesbian can live fully, free from discrimination. NCLR is a national, lesbian-feminist, non-profit law firm with headquarters in San Francisco and regional offices in St. Petersburg, Florida and Washington, D.C. Winning legal protections for LGBT families in all their diverse forms is, and has always been, NCLR's top priority. They achieve this through impact litigation, public policy advocacy, public education, direct legal services, and collaboration with other social justice organizations and activists. As part of a broader social justice movement, NCLR advances the legal and human rights of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual and transgender individuals across the United States. Each year NCLR serves more than 4,500 clients in all fifty states. Close

To critically transform higher education environments so that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni/ae have equity in every respect. Achievement of this vision is advanced through three major goals:

• Goal 1 - Providing support to colleagues serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities in higher education
• Goal 2 - Consulting with higher education administrators in the interest of improving campus climate and services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender faculty, staff, students, administrators, and alumni/ae
• Goal 3 - Advocating for institutional policy changes and program development that recognize the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people

Close

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, now called The Task Force was founded in 1974 and works to build the grassroots political power of the LGBT community in order to attain complete equality. They do so through direct and grassroots lobbying to either help defeat anti-LGBT ballot initiatives and other measures or help push pro-LGBT legislation and other measures. We also analyze and report on the positions of candidates for public office on issues of importance to the LGBT community. Other areas of focus for the Task Force include organizing and training, a Policy Institute think tank, the Creating Change conference and the Transgender Civil Rights project. Close

The National Youth Advocacy Coalition is a social justice organization that advocates for and with young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) in an effort to end discrimination against these youth and to ensure their physical and emotional well being. They take a comprehensive approach to improving the lives of LGBTQ youth and operate through a social justice framework. NYAC strongly believes that to be effective in creating change at the national level, focused, grassroots advocacy at the local level is critical. NYAC is committed to addressing the connections between race, gender, class, and sexual orientation; and to bridging the gap that exists between adult LGBTQ civil rights organizations and the mainstream youth movement. They not only focuses on the problems affecting LGBTQ youth but also work to promote their strengths. NYAC works to end discrimination facing lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and questioning youth and to promote opportunities for empowerment and healthy youth development for these youth. Close

The ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives houses the world's largest research library on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered heritage and concerns. ONE is affiliated with but not governed by the University of Southern California. ONE relies wholly on community and corporate support. The ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives is now the custodian for the gay and lesbian Twice Blessed collection and website which was created by Johnny Abush (now deceased) as well as adding other Jewish LGBT materials to significant holdings. Close

OutProud, The National Coalition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Youth, serves the needs of these young men and women by providing advocacy, information, resources and support. Their goal is to help queer youth become happy, successful, confident and vital gay, lesbian and bisexual adults. They provide outreach and support to queer teens just coming to terms with their sexual orientation and to those contemplating coming out. They let them know they're not alone by helping them find local sources of friendship and support. OutProud believes in effecting change at a grass-roots level by catalyzing and fostering the development of a new generation of queer youth activists who will take positions at the forefront of our civil rights and social movements. Close

We, the parents, families and friends of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, celebrate diversity and envision a society that embraces everyone, including those of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Only with respect, dignity and equality for all will we reach our full potential as human beings, individually and collectively. PFLAG welcomes the participation and support of all who share in, and hope to realize this vision. PFLAG promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays provides opportunity for dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. Close

Queers for Economic Justice is a progressive non-profit organization committed to promoting economic justice in a context of sexual and gender liberation. Their goal is to challenge and change the systems that create poverty and economic injustice in our communities, and to promote an economic system that embraces sexual and gender diversity. They are committed to the principle that access to social and economic resources is a fundamental right, and they work to create social and economic equity through grassroots organizing, public education, advocacy and research. They do this work because although poor queers have always been a part of both the gay rights and economic justice movements, they have been, and continue to be, largely invisible in both movements. Close

HRC offers a free e-mail subscription to the Religion and Faith newsletter. See the 'Out In Scripture' link to HRC's project of providing commentary on the Christian bible, from a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight-supportive perspective. The Religion and Faith Program of the Human Rights Campaign website offers a number of resources. Examples include over 20 religions' and denominations' positions on LGBT issues, sermons and spiritual reflections written by LGBT clergy, and an extensive religion library with topical books of interest including brief commentary. Under the Resources and Publications menu there is a guide to "Living Openly in Your Place of Worship." Close

SAGE is a social service organization dedicated to meeting the unique needs of the senior gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. It is committed to providing high quality, life enriching programs and services in an intergenerational environment that values age, gender, racial, religious, ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic diversity. SAGE is further committed to fostering a greater understanding of aging, to promoting positive images of life in the later years, and to supporting and advocating for the rights of senior gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in both the gay and straight communities. Close

The LGBT Community Foundation in San Diego ascribes to the following values statement: San Diego's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Foundations create a culture of philanthropy in and for LGBT communities and their allies in order to end oppression in all its forms and to create a just society that values human variety, where all people can live fully with dignity and confidence. This work is done through the support of programs that build healthy communities, serve people affected by enduring anti-LGBT prejudice, promote visibility and education and provide opportunities for people to connect with each other and the larger society. Close

Soulforce is a coalition of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight people of faith working toward social justice, particularly for the LGBT community. The site includes series of essays countering anti-gay points of view espoused by Christian religious right leaders and has list of books, videos and audio recordings including teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi. Soulforce also sponsors the Equality Ride. Equality Ride is two months of sustained activism inspired by the Freedom Rides of the civil rights era. It is a journey by bus to initiate discussion about faith and sexuality in communities where it is most controversial. Close

TYFA empowers children and families by partnering with educators, service providers and communities, to develop supportive environments in which gender may be expressed and respected. They work to educate and inform schools, healthcare professionals, daycare centers, courts and legal representatives, child welfare agencies and communities about discrimination on the basis of gender identity or gender expression. They have an on-line support group for parents and caregivers for transgender youth aged 3-18.

888-IMA-TYFA
info@imatyfa.org
Close

The Williams Institute is a national think tank dedicated to the field of sexual orientation law and public policy. The Institute supports legal scholarship, legal research, policy analysis, and education regarding sexual orientation discrimination and other legal issues that affect lesbian and gay people. Drawing on the intellectual and material resources of UCLA, one of the world's leading research universities, the Williams Institute provides a national center for the interdisciplinary exploration of these issues by scholars, judges, practitioners, advocates, and students. Close

A website by and for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning (GLBTQ) young people takes a holistic approach to sexual health and exploring issues of concern for GLBTQ youth.

Advocates for Youth is dedicated to creating programs and advocating for policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates provides information, training, and strategic assistance to youth-serving organizations, policy makers, youth activists, and the media in the United States and the developing world. Advocates for Youth envisions a society that views sexuality as normal and healthy and treats young people as a valuable resource. The core values of Rights, Respect, Responsibility® (3Rs) animate this vision. Close