Equality Magazine Spring 2016 by Human Rights Campaign

H U M A N

R I G H T S

C A M P A I G N

SPRING 2016

THE FIGHT IS ON

195 ANTI-LGBT BILLS

IN 34 STATES

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lacey All WA, Ian Barrett TX, Bruce Bastian UT, Vanessa Benavides CA, Michael Berman DC, Scott Bishop NC, Chris Boone CA, Paul Boskind TX, Ken Britt GA, Todd Canon TX, Chris Carolan NY, Bill Donius MO, Patty Ellis PA, Christopher Flynn MA, Chad Griffin DC, Suzanne Hamilton OH, James Harrison TX, S. Kelly Herrick CA, Tom Knabel MN, Chris Labonte PA, Ryan Levy TX, DyShaun Muhammad MN, Robert Newhart IL, Bryan Parsons CA, Lester Perryman LA, Cat Reid WA, Cheryl Rose OH, Linda Scaparotti CA, Patrick Scarborough AL, Ames Simmons GA, Steve Sorenson CA, Meghan Stabler TX, Ben Waldman WA

FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gwen Baba CA, Bruce Bastian UT, Jay Biles NC, Scott Bishop NC, Todd Canon TX, Edie Cofrin GA, Bill Donius MO, Patty Ellis PA, Anne Fay TX, Charlie Frew GA, Chad Griffin DC, Suzanne Hamilton OH, Britt Kornmann TX, Tom Kovach NV, Joan Lau PA, Bobbi Lancaster AZ, Andy Linsky CA, Justin Mikita CA, Joshua Miller NV, Bryan Parsons CA, Cheryl Rose OH, John Ruffier FL, Linda Scaparotti CA, Candice Shapiro MA, Judy Shepard WY, Ames Simmons GA, Ashley Smith DC, Michael Smithson OH, Steve Sorenson CA, Deb Taft IL, Faye Tate CO, Rebecca Tillet PA, Paul Thompson CA, Robb Webb IL

BOARD OF GOVERNORS Marilyn Abalos NY, John Affuso MA, Jack Albers CA, Steve Amend NV, Tal Anderson MN, Debra Bacchi NY, Jennifer Bajorek TX, Greg Battaglia NY, Andrew Beaudoin FL, Christa Berry TX, Brittany Binler PA, Brooke Bishop OH, Angel Boord VA, Stefani Borg OH, Blake Brockway TN, Linda Brown OR, K Jason Bryan MN, Brian Buzby TX, Rory Cahn OH, Jeremy Carter NC, Blaise Caudill AZ, Steven Cayton GA, Angie Cottrell MO, Dolores Covrigaru NY, Thomas Cowley CA, June Crenshaw DC, Lynn Currie TX, Lance Demaline OH, Brad DiFiore GA, Cristina DiGoia NV, Jaime Duggan TX, Ann Dyste MN, Cate Eble NC, Cordy Elkins MA, Alex Ernst NY, Xavier Esters IL, Melanie Falls OH, Chris Fasser NY, Maria Fasulo NY, Michael Fifield UT, Gabe Fischer CO, Taylor Fiscus IL, Jenny Ford TN, Ashley Fowler IL, Sarah Garber MO, Matt Garrett GA, Ben Gibbs GA, Melinda Greene GA, Jon Groppe KY, Anne Groth AZ, Lisa Guillory LA, Erin Gurak TX, Randall Hance TX, Matt Hendry CA, Gary Hilbert NJ, Ann Hooper NC, Lon Hurst TN, Bob Jacobson AZ, Alyssa Jones MA, Korrine Johnson FL, Ann Kaner-Roth MN, Clayton Katz TX, Dean Keppler WA, Anne Klingeberger IL, Champ Knecht NY, Kevin Knoblock MA, Keith Laepple WA, David Lahti CA, Andrew Land GA, Jason Laney DC, Duane Lefevre MA, Chris Lehtonen CA, Luigi Lewin NY, Victor Lim IL, Alex Lindquist CO, Chris Lindsey TX, Anna Lineback NC, Michael Long OR, Thomas Macias CA, Lisa Marchbanks CA, Cody Martin CA, David Martinez, III AZ, Dan Mauney NC, Colette Melancon LA, Rich Meyers CA, Michael Moore OH, Earnest Morgan MN, Karen Morgan OH, Chris New GA, Khoa Nguyen MD, Roger Nyhus WA, Derek Osterman MA, Tonya Pacetti-Perkins TX, Byron Pelt GA, Densil Porteous OH, Kaitlin Porter GA, Ron Quinn NV, Layne Rackley CA, Victor Ravago CA, Catherine Reid WA, Brandie Reiner AZ, Barry Robertson TX, Marvin Rocha PA, Geri Rochino CA, Mario Rodas MA, Liz Rodriguez TX, Christian Rogers LA, Andrea Rubin LA, Brigid Scarbrough GA, Paul Schiminsky NV, Elizabeth Schlesinger MO, Shelly Schoenfeld NC, Dustin Schrecengost UT, Alicia Schwarz MN, Dan Slater CA, Matt Smith TX, Neil Smith NC, Michael Smithson OH, Greg Snow MA, Katherine Sprissler-Klein PA, Rick Straits OH, Jeff Strater TX, Rick Taylor OH, Julian Tovar TX, Bonnie Uphold CA, Sean VanGorder NV, Lauren Verrusio NY, Melissa Vivanco TX, Lou Weaver TX, Jamaul Webster NY, Aaron Weiner OH, Amy White WA, Andrew Winters MD, Phillip Wright TX

Photo: Matt McClain / Getty Images

EMERITUS COUNCIL David Beckwith CA, Ken Britt GA, Lawrie Demorest GA, Tim Downing OH, Jody Gates LA, Barry Karas DC, Joni Madison NC, Lucilo Peña TX, Dana Perlman CA, Henry Robin NY, John Sullivan MN, Rebecca Tillet PA CURRENT AS OF MARCH 22, 2016

Read Equality on your iPad — now available in the Apple iTunes Apps Store. Just type in “Human Rights Campaign Equality Magazine.”

DEAR FRIENDS,

ince that historic ruling at the U.S. Supreme Court last June, we have seen our opponents regroup like never before. They are well-funded, they are mobilized, and they are fighting us in nearly every state. They’re taking their assault on the rights of LGBT Americans to city councils and state legislatures all across this country. In the first ten weeks of 2016, we saw nearly 200 anti-LGBT bills introduced across 34 states. As we’ve seen from South Dakota, Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi, these legislative assaults are designed to do nothing more than strip away our rights, undo our progress and enshrine discrimination into state law. They’re using lies and fear to stir up hate, but we are fighting them at every turn. The Human Rights Campaign and our army of more than 1.5 million supporters and volunteers have been on the frontlines in states all across this country combating these hateful bills. In some states, we’ve been successful. In both South Dakota and Georgia, HRC and our partners provided on the ground support, mobilized thousands of members and supporters, activated countless fair-minded Americans and organized major businesses and Hollywood studios to fight back against these legislative assaults on our rights. Ultimately, the strategy worked and

Republican governors in both states vetoed discrimination. But in other states, we’ve encountered pandering politicians who refuse to listen to their constituents and who gamble with their state’s economy simply for the purpose of discriminating against LGBT people. We can’t let them take us backwards. These politicians have ignored the voices of their constituents, LGBT Americans, civil rights organizations and business leaders, ramming through discriminatory legislation that will inflict real harm on real people. In signing these bills, North Carolina Gov. McCrory and Mississippi Gov. Bryant have joined a list of disgraced Southern governors who have stood on the wrong side of history. And we must hold them accountable for their actions. That’s why we’re continuing to organize protests, push hundreds of leading businesses to call for repeal of these laws, and to make it perfectly clear that discrimination has consequences — not only for the real-life people it is inflicted upon, but also for those politicians who use it for political gain. Make no mistake about it: We are in the fight of our lives. These battles are a vivid reminder of just how far we have yet to go, not only at the state level but at the national level. Ultimately, we need to secure a pro-equality Congress that will pass the Equality Act, and we need to elect a president who will sign it into law and end this unacceptable patchwork of state non-discrimination laws, just as Hillary Clinton has vowed to do. Together, we have proven time and time again that equality and justice prevails, but only if we fight for it. And I am certain, with the pro-equality movement continuing to grow by the day, our biggest victories still lie ahead of us. Thanks,

Chad Griffin President, Human Rights Campaign

WWW.HRC.ORG

SPRING 2016

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud of our differences. All 65,000 of them. We support The Human Rights Campaign in the fight for equality for everyone and applaud the amazing work that has been accomplished. Northrop Grumman â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Committed to providing a diverse and inclusive work environment.

HRC SENIOR STAFF Chad Griffin President Jay Brown Director, Research & Public Education Nicole Cozier Director of Diversity & Inclusion Ann Crowley Vice President of Membership & Online Strategy Olivia Alair Dalton Senior Vice President of Communications & Marketing Robert Falk General Counsel Andrea Green Finance Director Ellen Kahn Director, Programmatic Development & Training Initiatives

INSIDE FEATURES

Anastasia Khoo Chief Marketing Officer Don Kiser Creative Director

5 UPFRONT

Ana Ma Chief of Staff & Chief Operating Officer

Mary Beth Maxwell Senior Vice President of Programs, Research & Training Ben Needham Director, Project One America Cathy Nelson Senior Vice President of Development & Membership Jim Rinefierd Vice President of Finance & Operations

Becky Ross Human Resources Director

15 A LANDMARK FIGHT, FUELED BY CONCERNS FOR THEIR FAMILY

Sarah Warbelow Legal Director

Hillary Clinton’s Openly Gay Campaign Manager

21 DONALD TRUMP: A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING 23 CAMPAIGN FEVER

Riding the Bus, Knocking on Doors, Talking the Issues…

25 RAISING AWARENESS

JoDee Winterhof Senior Vice President of Policy & Political Affairs

LGBT People Are Targets of ISIL’s Violence in Iraq and Syria

27 CATCHING UP WITH CARRIE BROWNSTEIN

HRC EQUALITY STAFF Janice Hughes Publications Director Robert Villaflor Design Director

28 SEASON OF PRIDE

Sarah Streyle Associate Director of Design

Mary Wood Design Assistant

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Erika Kehrer, Anastasia Khoo, Sara Winegardner

The Progress Made, the Hurdles Ahead

32 “I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE NOT TO FIT THE MOLD”

ABC’s John Quiñones at HRC’s Time To Thrive

OTHER CONTRIBUTORS Lynne Bowman, Liz Cooper, Olivia Alair Dalton, Steffan Declue, Johanna Eager, Ashley Fowler, Jean Freedberg, Justin Giaquinto, Noël Gordon, Dane Grams, Tari Hanneman, Zack Hasychak, Lauren Heasley, Kristian Hoysradt, Kaela Jeffers, Mitch Johnson, Jeremy Kadden, Don Kiser, Mollie Levin, Jason Lott, Adam Marquez, Rose Matias, Mike Mings, Cathy Nelson, Jeremy Pittman, Karin Quimby, Marty Rouse, Ben Shallenberger, Justin Snow, David Stacy, Adam Swaim, Marvell Terry II, JoDee Winterhof, Hope Wisneski Equality is a publication of the Human Rights Campaign and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. Equality (ISSN 10925791) is published quarterly by HRC, 1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. Subscription rates: Free to members. Printed in the USA. The Human Rights Campaign and HRC Foundation names and Equality logos are trademarks of HRC and the HRC Foundation. To join HRC, call 800-727-4723, visit www.hrc.org or TTY at 202-216-1572. Are you an HRC member? Have a question? Email membership@hrc.org or call 800-727-4723. All advertisers in Equality magazine are HRC National Corporate Partners. Because of HRC’s commitment to improving the lives of LGBT Americans in the workplace, all of our National Corporate Partners must demonstrate their own dedication by achieving a score of 85 percent or greater on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index. See www.hrc.org/CEI.

WHY MEMBERSHIP MATTERS “Without HRC putting skin in this game, I believe the outcome could have been very different.” — HRC member Kendall Balentine of South Dakota HRC recently mobilized its members across the country to speak out against a South Dakota bill attacking the rights of transgender children in public schools. HRC and its partners helped deliver 80,000+ signatures to the governor, urging him to veto the bill. He did.

Photo: Pam Balentine

Photos (top to bottom): HRC, Judy G. Rolfe, Rebecca Cabage / AP, Steph Grant Cover Photo: Rogelio V. Solis / AP

11 COVER: UNDER ATTACK IN THE STATES, HRC AND ALLIES FIGHT BACK

18 MAKING HISTORY WITH ROBBY MOOK

Susanne Salkind Vice President of Human Resources & Leadership Development

David Stacy Governmental Affairs Director

Transitioning at Work … “Empire” … Landmark Health Survey … Samantha Power … HIV and AIDS … Tripping …The Equality Act … Bisexual Pride … Biden, Davos & HRC … Book It!

17 5 QUESTIONS FOR… MYA TAYLOR

Marty Rouse National Field Director

Christopher Speron Vice President of Development

SPRING 2016

Portions of pages 1, 21, 23 and 30 paid for by the Human Rights Campaign PAC and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee; portions of pages 18, 19 and 30 paid for by Human Rights Campaign PAC and authorized by Hillary for America.

Do more. Achieve more. At Microsoft, we want every individual to thrive. That means, as the communities we serve evolve, we evolve. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the business of inclusion. Microsoft continues to be a proud sponsor of the Human Rights Campaign. youatmicrosoft.com

up front

1 2 IN

Photo: David Lienemann

BLACK GAY/BI MEN WILL CONTRACT HIV IN THEIR LIFETIME

This shocking finding is just one of several in a new report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If current trends continue, 1 in 11 white gay and bisexual men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. For Latino gay and bisexual men, the chances are 1 in 4. The report underscores the need for programs like the HRC Foundation’s HIV 360° Fellowship Program. Made possible with generous support from the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the HIV 360° Program trains young non-profit leaders ready to take HIV-inclusive organizations and initiatives to the next level. The fellows will attend a five-day leadership retreat at HRC headquarters in Washington. See www.hrc.org/hiv360.

Photo: Dan Steinberg / AP

60+ That’s how many major American companies have teamed up so far to support the EQUALITY ACT, a federal measure which would finally guarantee explicit, permanent protections for LGBT people under existing U.S. civil rights laws. Members of the new Business Coalition for Equality at its March 10th launch included Apple, Coca-Cola, the CVS Health Corp., Dow Chemical, Facebook, Gap and Marriott. Currently, a majority of states still lack fully-inclusive non-discrimination protections for LGBT people.

THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN PARTNERED WITH MICROSOFT AND SKYBRIDGE CAPITAL TO HOST A GLOBAL EQUALITY ROUNDTABLE FOR BUSINESS LEADERS AT THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN DAVOS, SWITZERLAND. Vice President Joe Biden spoke at the event, calling for an end to LGBT discrimination worldwide. “LGBT people face violence, harassment, unequal treatment… always in the name of culture,” Biden said. “Culture never justifies rank, war, discrimination or violation of human rights.” “Ending discrimination is not only the right thing to do, but it is also good for economies operating in a global context,” said Microsoft President & Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith. “Treating all our employees equally has

(L-R) SkyBridge Capital Founder Anthony Scaramucci, Vice President Joe Biden and HRC President Chad Griffin in Davos.

helped our business grow as well,” he said. HRC and Microsoft also partnered in 2014, co-hosting a discussion that marked the first time LGBT rights were the focus at a World Economic Forum side event. Among those attending the recent roundtable were leaders from several major companies involved in HRC’s groundbreaking

global coalition for LGBT workplace equality — a group forged through relationships built via HRC’s longstanding Corporate Equality Index.

I HAVE BEEN A PROUD HRC MEMBER FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS. — Jussie Smollett, star of the hit drama “Empire,” speaking at the recent HRC Los Angeles Gala. Smollett noted in his remarks that he has been “a proud member of the LGBTQ community all my life.” WWW.HRC.ORG

SPRING 2016

The stronger the love, the greater the responsibility.

Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation and its affiliates. ÂŠ 2016 Lincoln National Corporation. LCN-1417268-021016

BOOK IT!

Photo: Judy G. Rolfe

In a deeply affecting narrative, Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Debbie Cenziper and Jim Obergefell look at people and events behind Obergefell v. Hodges, the historic Supreme Court marriage equality case involving more than 30 courageous plaintiffs from four states. Longtime HRC member Obergefell was the named plaintiff in the case. [HarperCollins] In The Firebrand and the First Lady: Portrait of a Friendship: Pauli Murray, Eleanor Roosevelt and the Struggle for Social Justice, author Patricia Bell-Scott delivers a groundbreaking account of Pauli Murray — called by Salon “one of the most important figures in 20th century African-American civil rights history” — and her unlikely, longtime friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt. Murray, who grew up in working-class Baltimore, was arrested for taking part in sit-ins 20 years before the famous incidents at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in the 1960s. The Firebrand is a “tremendous book,” said The New York Times, about the women’s friendship as well as Murray’s struggles as a lesbian and a woman of color, including her arrest, while in her 20s, for wearing male attire and using a man’s name. [Alfred A. Knopf] Meanwhile, Audre Lorde is brilliantly memorialized by renowned scholar Dr. Gloria I. Joseph in her new book, The Wind is Spirit: The Life, Love and Legacy of Audre Lorde. Lorde’s partner

in her final years, Joseph reveals much about the black feminist lesbian poet that has not been told before. By blending together stories and memories with help from Sonia Sanchez, Angela Davis and more than 50 other contributors, Joseph celebrates the memory of the remarkable writer and activist. [Villarosa Media] Rethinking Sexism, Gender and Sexuality is a collection of moving stories discussing how to introduce LGBTQ and feminist content into educational programs, creating environments that foster the growth of all children. The book looks at questions such as “How do you respond when a child asks, ‘Can a girl turn into a boy?’” and “What does ‘queering the curriculum’ look like?” The anthology is edited by Melissa Bollow Tempel, an HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools consultant. [Rethinking Schools]

up front

HELP CHANGE THE FACE OF LGBTQ HEALTH BY PARTICIPATING IN A NEW LANDMARK STUDY. LGBTQ people face unique challenges in health and healthcare. But because most health studies fail to ask about being LGBTQ, there is not enough known about the LGBTQ communities’ disease risk factors (like smoking), healthy activities (like exercise), or unique strengths (like resilience in the face of adversity). This study aims to change that. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is partnering with The PRIDE Study, a national online, longterm study of LGBTQ health run by LGBTQ doctors and researchers. Study participants will be able to share their health history and experiences using a unique iPhone app or a webbased platform, available this summer. The technology allows participants to propose research questions and health topics to be studied. Take pride and transform the face of LGBTQ health. See hrc.org/pridestudy for more.

YOU ARE ONE OF OUR COUNTRY’S STRONGEST EXPORTS. WE NEED YOU OUT THERE DOING MORE OF THIS.” — Ambassador Samantha Power, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, in remarks to HRC’s national boards in Washington. HRC Global staff have partnered with advocates in countries like Mozambique, Nicaragua and the Philippines to help them strengthen their organizations, change attitudes and promote LGBTQ-inclusive policies.

WWW.HRC.ORG

SPRING 2016

It’s a celebration And everyone’s included

Employees of Bank of America are bringing the message of equality to people everywhere. Join us as we work to overcome every obstacle and celebrate every success. bankofamerica.com/diversity

Photo credit: Wayne White Photography

up front Photo: ThinkStock

“I CANNOT IMAGINE HAVING UNDERTAKEN MY GENDER TRANSITION WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF HRC. … SECTOR WATCH

TRIPPING? BE SMART.

Photos: Judy G. Rolfe, @JustJared

Summertime is nearly here! That means plenty of sunshine, tea dances and dinners on the porch — and, hopefully, a summer getaway. If you are planning a trip, be smart. Pick those companies that not only offer budget-conscious travel but that support workplace equality as well. Check out the HRC Foundation’s ratings of how companies score on equality, from 0 to 100, based on its 2016 Corporate Equality Index. Your dollars are worth it! Airbnb 100 Alaska Airlines 100 Groupon 100 · Groupon Getaways IHG 100 · Holiday Inn Orbitz 100 · Away.com · CheapTickets.com JetBlue Airways 100 Southwest Airlines 100 Uber 100 Wyndham 95 · Days Inn · Howard Johnson · Ramada · Super 8 Motel · Travelodge SkyWest Airlines 90 Virgin America 90 Expedia 90 · Hotwire.com Priceline.com 70 · KAYAK Hawaiian Airlines 65 HomeAway 55 · BedandBreakfast.com · VacationRentals.com · VRBO TripAdvisor 20 (unofficial) Spirit Airlines 10 (unofficial)

“… Trans people are visible at HRC within both the staff and volunteer corps. There are trans people in senior management and the ranks as well as co-chairing prominent policy-setting and financial board committees at HRC. LGB folks and allies see us, hear us, know us and respect us, and that is how hearts and minds are changed.” — Longtime HRC National Board Member Ames Simmons

“FAMILY IS A GIFT, AND NOT ALWAYS THE ONE YOU WERE BORN INTO. IT’S OFTEN THE FAMILY THAT YOU GET TO DEFINE AND BE A PART OF. HRC IS A FAMILY TO ME.” — Longtime HRC National Board Member Meghan Stabler Transgender advocates Simmons of Atlanta, Ga., and Stabler of Austin, Texas, are chairs of HRC National Board committees governing financial and public policy matters.

IN TOO MANY CASES, PEOPLE WHO EXPRESS SOME DEGREE OF BISEXUALITY ARE PRESSURED — FROM BOTH STRAIGHT AND GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITIES ALIKE — TO ‘CHOOSE’ OR ‘PICK A SIDE,’ MEANING TO IDENTIFY AS GAY, LESBIAN OR STRAIGHT.” Sound familiar? Find out more in HRC Foundation’s new Coming Out as Bisexual guide, available on hrc.org/comingoutbisexual. WWW.HRC.ORG

SPRING 2016

DIVERSITY. INCLUSION. EQUALITY. Ideals we truly live by.

Celebrating Life, Every Day, Everywhere. For Everyone.

UNDER ATTACK IN THE STATES,

HRC AND ALLIES

FIGHT BACK T

he Human Rights Campaign and its allies are battling dozens of anti-LGBT measures in states across the country, including two unprecedented, extreme antiLGBT laws in North Carolina and Mississippi.

In state after state, foes of equality have unleashed a barrage of bills which aim to strip away the rights of LGBT people, shaming them, and putting their lives at risk. In 34 states, anti-LGBT activists have introduced nearly 200 hateful measures which fall into four categories: anti-transgender, anti-marriage equality, religious refusal and municipal pre-emption laws. Many of these measures, which rely on antiquated myths and fear-mongering, specifically target the transgender community. Under the false guise of “public safety,” several bills make it impossible for transgender people to use communal bathrooms that correlate with their gender identity, interfering with equal partici-

pation in public life. HRC and its allied organizations have launched a multi-pronged campaign to repeal the atrocious laws in North Carolina and Mississippi as well as to fight back against others by reaching out to corporate America, telling stories about how such outrageous laws affect our daily lives, and petitioning elected officials to do the right thing. HRC is also mobilizing its members and supporters to speak out and raise awareness about these bills nationwide. We have deployed staff to nine states, delivered more than 125,000 emails and petitions, provided legal support and educated the press about the

real-world harms of the deluge of antiLGBT bills. We have worked with corporate allies to get hundreds of companies to support the LGBT community and publicly denounce the bills. The recent onslaught of discriminatory bills underscores the dire lack of clear protections in far too many states. The bills also demonstrate why it is so urgent to pass the Equality Act, a federal measure that would guarantee equal protections throughout the United States. HRC is spearheading its critical passage on Capitol Hill, with bipartisan and corporate support. In early April, a terrible measure was signed into law in Mississippi. Gov. Phil Bryant failed to listen to countless Mississippians, major companies and civil rights groups, and signed the anti-LGBT bill, HB 1523, into law. HRC worked with its on-the-ground members and supporters, the NAACP and other partner organizations to rally, lobby, call and meet with elected officials about the bill. HRC President Chad Griffin and WWW.HRC.ORG

SPRING 2016

NORTH CAROLINA

other coalition leaders spoke out at a rally in Jackson, Mississippi, urging the Republican governor to oppose the bill. On April 6, HRC announced that executives from GE, the Dow Chemical Company, PepsiCo, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Choice Hotels International, Inc., Levi Strauss & Co. and Whole Foods Market signed onto an open letter to the Mississippi governor, urging repeal of HB 1523. On March 23, the North Carolina legislature rammed through — in a single-day session — a wide-ranging anti-LGBT measure, HB 2, which was signed by Gov. Pat McCrory under the cover of night. Only days later, Griffin joined Equality North Carolina’s executive director, Chris Sgro, as well as a local transgender advocate, Candis CoxDaniels, in Raleigh to hand-deliver more than 100 signatures from business executives to the GOP governor, calling on legislators to repeal the law. In a meeting, which McCrory initially declined, Griffin urged him to meet with transgender North Carolinians to learn how the law acutely hurts their lives. HRC, Equality North Carolina and others continue to rally a growing coalition of 140-plus business leaders from across the country to demand repeal of HB 2. They include: Apple, Microsoft, Twitter, Facebook, Marriott and PayPal as well

EQUALITY

SPRING 2016

The Equality Act, a federal measure which HRC is spearheading on Capitol Hill, is crucially needed to protect all LGBT people, no matter where they live. as Bank of America, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Wells Fargo and Replacements Ltd., headquartered in North Carolina. The new North Carolina law puts $4.5 billion in federal funding under Title IX at risk and calls into question the state’s ability to host high-profile NCAA and NBA sports events there. In the meantime, major news outlets are criticizing North Carolina, which The New York Times called a “pioneer in bigotry.” Similar battles are occurring in other states. In Tennessee, HRC partnered with corporate leaders and local organizations to send a letter to lawmakers, urging them to abandon two bills targeting transgender youth, in addition to using similar tools and outreach as in North Carolina. In Georgia, the governor fortunately listened to his constituents. GOP Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed a dangerous bill that would have allowed anti-LGBT discrimination under the guise of religious freedom.

HRC and Georgia Equality organized a broad chorus of businesses, entertainment leaders and advocates to ensure that he heard the damage the bill could do. Earlier in the spring in South Dakota, GOP Gov. Dennis Daugaard responded to pressure from advocates, including HRC, by vetoing a bill that would have harmed transgender students. A year ago, in Indiana, there was a national outcry across the country — spearheaded in part by HRC — over the state’s adoption of its own religious refusal bill, which was weakened somewhat after the uproar. In Missouri, HRC has also been on the ground working closely with its partners to bring attention to legislation that would enshrine religious discrimination into the state constitution and have a negative impact on LGBT families if it were to pass at the ballot. Finally, opponents in Texas are already gearing up for a battle in 2017 to pass laws allowing religion to be used as a sword to discriminate against LGBT Texans. HRC is working with Equality Texas and others to fight alongside the LGBT community in the Lone Star State. HRC is dedicated to working closely alongside its allies, members and supporters in this historic moment. “We face countless battles ahead but we have proven year after year that equality and justice prevail — but only if we fight for it,” said Griffin.

Photos : John Amis / AP, Jason E. Miczek / AP, James Patterson / AP

GEORGIA

SOUTH DAKOTA

MISSISSIPPI

BY THE NUMBERS

MTWRF

65%

$60M

$42K

$4.5B

of the anti-LGBT bills are in just 8 southern states

Indiana’s lost revenue after passage of the state’s “religious liberty” bill

Cost to North Carolina taxpayers for the special legislative session to pass antiLGBT legislation

Amount of Title IX funding at risk in North Carolina alone resulting from anti-LGBT law

NEARLY 200

125,000+

9 STATES

anti-LGBT bills across 34 states in 2016

HRC email actions

where HRC has deployed staff so far

WWW.HRC.ORG

SPRING 2016

ROOM FOR EVERYONE

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A LANDMARK FIGHT FUELED BY CONCERNS FOR THEIR FAMILY

Photo: Timothy D. Easley / AP, Gary Landers / AP, courtesty of David Michener

early a year after the groundbreaking Supreme Court victory of June 26, 2015, more than 30 marriage equality plaintiffs from four different states are still coming to terms with being national heroes. When each of the couples fell in love years ago, little did they know the roles they would play in challenging America’s discriminatory marriage laws in the landmark case, Obergefell v. Hodges. But once they saw what was at stake and decided to join the legal fight, they dug in and pushed forward, devoting endless hours, days and months in meetings, in courtrooms and in the public eye. The anniversary of their win comes as the entire country is again talking about the Supreme Court — in particular, the next high court justice. Paul Campion and Randy Johnson, together for more than 21 years, feel “incredibly honored” to take part in the journey, said Campion. The couple, he noted, felt a “moral obligation” to do so. “As our children grew older and better understood our challenges as a family, we felt it was important to set a good

Randy Johnson (R) and his husband Paul Campion

example for them, showing the importance of standing up for what you believe in,” he said. The two have adopted four children and live in Louisville, Ky. What stands out the most from the experience is the support the couple received, not only from their friends and families, and not just within the United States, Campion said. “The most significant aspect of our journey to the Supreme Court must be the expressions of love and support we received from so many people throughout the world.” Nicole and Pamela Yorksmith also agreed to become plaintiffs because of concerns about their family. “The ultimate motivator was our family and the impact that the lack of equality and protection would have on us, should something happen to me while I was pregnant,” said Nicole. “Over the last several years, we also witnessed firsthand, several friends who lost custody and rights to their children because our judicial system did not recognize them as a parent and afford them equal protection and rights over their children.” The family lives in northern Kentucky. The most surprising part of the journey, Nicole says, was how relatively quickly the case “catapulted” to the high court and the speed by which the country has

(L-R) Pam and Nicole Yorksmith with their children

shifted over the last decade or so on the issue of marriage equality. Like Campion, she is overwhelmed by the goodwill coming from all quarters. “We had, and continue to have, a lot more support, acceptance and understanding from so many people, companies and communities, and that is incredible to see.” Certain moments remain frozen in time. “What stands out most for me about the journey … is how breathtaking it was walking up the steps of the Supreme Court,” said David Michener. He did so with his three children at his side. Michener’s partner, Bill Ives, had died unexpectedly from a bacterial infection about a month after the couple married in July 2013. The two lived in Ohio. Michener now lives in Delaware with the children. Promptly after Ives’ death, Michener joined the Obergefell case. “Having three kids to raise alone, it was my priority to teach them right from wrong. They watched me fight and show them that if something was not right, it is OK to fight the system to fix it,” he said. “We also have to remember that love equals marriage equals family.” “I am honored that I had the strength to be part of this landmark case, not only for my children but for the entire country.”

David Michener and family

WWW.HRC.ORG

SPRING 2016

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5 QUESTIONS FOR… MYA TAYLOR

Photo: Rebecca Cabage / AP

arlier this spring, Mya Taylor made history, becoming the first transgender actor to win a major film award — the Film Independent Spirit Award — for her role as “Alexandra” in the critically acclaimed film Tangerine, which tells the story of two transgender sex workers in Los Angeles. Not one to stand still, Taylor, 25, has another movie coming out this year. She portrays transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson in the hours before the Stonewall riots of 1969 in the short film Happy Birthday, Marsha!, working with, among others, the trans model Eve Lindley and Grace Dunham, the LGBT activist and sister of Lena Dunham. Also, Taylor is developing a TV show with Tangerine director Sean Baker about growing up transgender. Taylor, who grew up in a conservative Christian household in Texas, was kicked out of her home when she came out as transgender at the age of 18. After moving to Los Angeles and struggling to get by, a chance meeting at a local LGBT center changed everything. She talked with Equality recently. Tangerine has drawn widespread critical acclaim, playing an important role in building visibility about transgender issues and more. Before making the film and meeting Sean Baker, the director, and Chris Bergoch, the writer, I was in and out of sex work. I would post an ad and then guys would call me and pay me money for certain sexual favors. I got tired of doing that, but the reason why I was doing that was because I had applied for 121 jobs one month, then 146 the next month, then 186 the next month, and the most interviews that I did in one month was 26 interviews. And I did not get a job, period. And I know that I was more than qualified for all the positions I was applying for. I wasn’t picky. I

was applying for everything that I could possibly physically and mentally do. I found that I was discriminated against a few times. I caught them in the action, actually. But I didn’t sue them because that’s a long process. I was just hoping and praying to God: “Please just give me a job so I can live a normal life.” … But, you know what? God didn’t have that in store for me. God said, “You’re gonna be an actor.” I had always wanted to act and sing, to be an entertainer ever since I was a little kid. Was there an ad for a casting call? No. I was at the LGBT center on Santa Monica and McCadden and Sean and Chris were walking around, trying to talk to some people in the area — they were mainly transgender people and gay people — and a lot of people were blowing them off. They wanted to know about the area, to get some history on the area to be able to make a movie about it. But, there was no script yet or anything. They were just doing research. They came and they talked to me. Sean says he saw me from across the room and he said I just had that star quality. So, you know, that’s very flattering.

You’ve said that your experiences informed parts of the film. … I thought the most vulnerable and beautiful poignant moment of the film was your character, Alexandra, singing. Is that something that you injected into the film? You know, it’s funny. I told Sean that I wanted singing to be in the movie because I’m an amazing singer, you know. And I’m going to go ahead and toot my own horn when it comes to my voice because my voice is amazing. [Laughter.] I plan on getting into music this year. What do you think this next year holds for you, in terms of your career? I am working on a TV show. Basically, it will be very funny and it’s going to be educational at the same time… but it has to do with a trans person growing up. We have an amazing writer and my agent is helping. And Sean Baker is helping. If your show talks about someone growing up as transgender or transitioning, what do you think is important advice for trans youth and parents of trans youth? To the trans teens who are transitioning and everything: You have to be very strong and just live your life for you. You cannot think about what anyone else has to say about you. As far as parents go — you have to protect your kids and teach them right from wrong. Just make sure that you support your kids with everything that they’re doing. If you feel like they’re doing something wrong, then just let them know and tell them why it’s wrong. I can tell you this: Neither the Bible nor the Koran nor the Torah teaches hate. God put me in the world for a few reasons and that is to be the best person that I can be and to honor and worship him.

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ROBBY MOOK MAKES HISTORY, RUNS HILLARY’S WHITE HOUSE BID By Janice Hughes

ook got his start in politics at age 14, volunteering for a legislator in his home state of Vermont. When he was 16, he organized phone banks for the ClintonGore ’96 presidential campaign. After a stint as the field director for the Vermont Democratic Party upon graduating from Columbia University, he went on to work on White House campaigns for Howard Dean, John Kerry and the Democratic National Committee in the early 2000s, and then ran Hillary Clinton’s successful efforts in Nevada, Ohio and Indiana during her 2008 bid. He then managed Terry McAuliffe’s winning governor’s race in Virginia in 2013. Through it all, he has managed to stay out of the spotlight. Now, Mook manages Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign — the first openly gay person to run a major U.S. presidential effort — in an election year that’s already one for the history books. Equality sat down with Mook, who is 36, for an interview after he spoke to HRC’s national board members this spring in Washington. 18

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What about Secretary Clinton motivates you to work so hard, to work those extra-long days? Hillary Clinton is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met in my entire life. She is probably the hardest-working person I have ever met in my entire life. And more importantly than both of those things, her whole career has been about fighting for underdogs, fighting for people who were left out, who didn’t have the leg up that others did. So, I think for LGBT Americans, and for other Americans who are being held back for whatever reason, I know that, first and foremost, she is going to care every day. … that she has the smarts, the energy and the sheer will to actually get something done for them. And that’s exactly what I think we need in our next president. You’re a native of Vermont. What are your thoughts about another Vermonter, Bernie Sanders? I worked for Howard Dean’s campaign for president, so I am incredibly proud that a second Vermonter is running for president and I was honored to vote for Bernie [for the U.S. Senate] as a Vermont voter, and I think it has been a very spirited and good campaign. … We’ve made so much progress over the last seven years, and the right wing and extremists are focused on trying to rip all that away and we can’t let that happen. And I think Hillary’s really going to be the best person to protect everything that we’ve achieved, and to build on it. You worked with HRC to help support Gov. Dean after his backing of the recognition of same-sex relationships. What was that like? It was a really important lesson to me for two

reasons. First, I saw people who didn’t have to vote for civil unions, didn’t have to support that, and faced tremendous pressure from their families, from their churches, from their communities not to vote for it. But they knew that it was the right thing to do, and a lot of them lost their seats because of that vote. In some areas, we got wiped out completely. To me, that was an important lesson in both how important it is that we elect good people into public office who are going to make that right choice despite the pressure they face. But also, when somebody takes a brave vote like that, you have to have their back because someone else is going to go out and try and push them out. I saw this after civil unions passed, I saw it other times. People weren’t there to have these peoples’ back, and they deserve that. That’s part of why I’m working so hard right now. We have to make sure that the White House is in the right hands so we don’t lose everything that we’ve gained. What’s at stake for the LGBT community in this election? I think virtually every gain we’ve made under President Obama. The Supreme Court gave gay and lesbian Americans the right to marry. The Supreme Court hangs in the balance in this election. The next president will decide whether our Supreme Court upholds the right to marry or takes it away. A Democratic president and a Democratic Congress repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” A Congress and a Democratic president have the power to pass the Equality Act. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” could come back, the Equality Act could never get passed, so I think everything’s at stake. We can’t be-

Photos: Judy G. Rolfe

VETERAN POLITICAL FIELD ORGANIZER ROBBY MOOK HAS MOSTLY FLOWN UNDER AMERICA’S RADAR SCREEN FOR YEARS. HE PREFERS IT THAT WAY. BUT THAT’S SURE TO CHANGE SOON.

“We can’t become complacent. We have to lean in and keep on fighting because this is not over.” come complacent. We have to lean in and keep on fighting because this is not over. One way we’ve made gains as a community is by coming out to our friends and family. You had your start in politics when many were not yet out in the workplace. I’m really lucky that I had a really loving and supporting family and I’m so grateful to them, and I think that’s where everything starts. Secondly, I’ve had the privilege of working with wonderful people who’ve been supportive of me, who value me for who I am, and judge me by the work I do and nothing else. And not everybody has that privilege.

sometimes. But I also recognize that each one of us is responsible for making our community better. So, each time we send a signal to someone else that they have self-worth, that they should be proud of who they are, we’re making things better for everybody. I take that responsibility seriously, but it is hard sometimes. No Republican running for the White House supports the Equality Act or most other measures related to LGBT civil rights. When will we see a GOP presidential candidate who does? Very soon. I think the Republican Party has to change to remain relevant in our country, and we’re already hearing people within the party stand up and say it is time to change. I think very soon, and I don’t think that day can come soon enough, but it will come. continued on p. 30

We always talk about the need, in the LGBT community, to keep coming out. Do you find yourself having to come out often? Of course, it’s still hard sometimes, and it is easier not to,

WWW.HRC.ORG

SPRING 2016

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DONALD TRUMP

A WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING

he truth is this: Donald Trump is just as conservative as the other Republican presidential candidates on issues of importance to the LGBT community. Not only has Trump been a consistent opponent of marriage

Photo: Anthony Wahl / AP, Morry Gash / AP

Trump said he would commit to religious liberty as an absolute litmus test for appointing judges at all levels. At the GOP debate in Houston, Trump was asked by Hugh Hewitt, “Will you commit to voters tonight that religious liberty will be an absolute litmus test for anyone you appoint, not just to the Supreme Court, but to all courts?” Trump said: “Yes, I would. And I’ve been there. And I’ve been there very strongly.” [CNN Republican Debate, Houston, Texas 2/25/2016] Trump said evangelicals “can trust me on traditional marriage.” In an interview with The Brody File, asked if evangelicals could trust him on “traditional marriage,” Trump said: “I think they can trust me. They can trust me on traditional marriage. I was very much in favor of having the court rule that it goes to states and let the states decide.” [CBN, The Brody File, 2/18/2016] Trump said he would “strongly consider” appointing judges to overturn the same-sex marriage decision. On Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace: “But just to button this up very quickly, sir, are you saying that if you be-

… MEANWHILE, GOP presidential hopeful TED CRUZ laid out a “religious liberty” policy plan in late March to roll back LGBT rights (as well as healthcare rights for women) if he wins the White House. Several leaders of anti-LGBT groups advised Cruz, including Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. Among the plan’s 15-point recommendations:

equality, but he declares repeatedly that as president, he will ensure that “religious liberty” prevails and that he will appoint anti-LGBT judges to all courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Check it out for yourself:

come president, you might try to appoint justices to overrule the decision on samesex marriage?” Trump: “I would strongly consider that, yes.” [Fox News Sunday, 1/31/2016]

HRC is monitoring the 2016 elections and providing in-depth analysis on the candidates’ stances on LGBT-related issues. See www.hrc.org/2016republicanfacts for more.

Trump wrote a letter of support for the so-called First Amendment Defense Act, saying that he would sign legislation protecting religious liberty. Trump offered his qualified support for FADA in a letter published by “The Pulse,” a social conservative media outlet. “If Congress considers [FADA] a priority, then I will do all I can to make sure it comes to my desk for signatures and enactment,” Trump wrote to the anti-LGBT American Principles Project, which urged the presidential candidates to pledge to push for FADA’s passage in their first 100 days in office. The bill is similar to Indiana Gov. Mike Pence’s infamous right-to-discriminate bill. In his letter, Trump says he would “certainly sign legislation that protects religious liberty for all.” [The Washington Blade, 12/23/2015]

• Issue an executive order protecting persons from discrimination by the federal government on the basis of their view that marriage is between a man and a woman;

• Rescind Executive Order 13672, which had (without adequate religious exemptions) required certain federal contractors to not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; and

• Call for passage of the First Amendment Defense Act (a bill allowing businesses and individuals to discriminate against LGBT people);

• Direct all federal agencies to stop interpreting “sex” to include “sexual orientation” and/or “gender identity” where the term “sex” refers to a protected class in federal law.

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SPRING 2016

THE BEST THING TO DRIVE IS CHANGE

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CAMPAIGN FEVER

Photos: Courtesy of Robert Camacho, Pamela Hoyle and Rose Matías

RIDING THE BUS, KNOCKING ON DOORS, TALKING THE ISSUES…

Robert Camacho, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, decided to take the Human Rights Campaign’s bus to Reno, Nev., on the spur of the moment. He says he realized that he just couldn’t pass up a chance to join others to “work for a purpose, for a candidate we believe in.”

Pamela Hoyles caught a ride with a friend from her hometown of Raleigh, N.C., to pitch in on HRC’s campaign in South Carolina. Hoyles drove down herself a second weekend. A highlight? “Talking on the phones with the people from Charleston,” she says. “I learned quickly to put them at ease with a simple ‘Hello’ and ‘How are you doing?’” Rose Matías, too, loved talking with others. “I was able to have so many discussions with people about what they think is best for the country,” she says. “Even when we didn’t agree, I felt a sense of pride for being part of the process and for being able to be out and representing an organization that I truly care about,” said Matías, who traveled to Manchester, N.H., from Washington, D.C., where she works for HRC. Camacho, Hoyles and Matías all have something in common: They understand that much is at stake this November —

from Supreme Court selections to LGBT rights to national security. And all three decided to act: They volunteered for HRC’s campaign to mobilize supporters for Hillary Clinton in early presidential selection states: Nevada, South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa. Camacho, who worked his first presidential campaign for Bill Clinton in 1992, left with about 15 others from the Bay Area, arriving in Reno by 11:30 pm. They were up by 7 a.m. to start phone banking. A few hours later, the group headed out to a rally — and were able to meet Bill Clinton — returning afterward to make more phone calls and canvass some neighborhoods. “Why do we put in so much time? We truly believe Hillary is the best candidate, to continue the work Obama has done,” said Camacho, an HRC member. “And it’s time for us to break that glass ceiling, once and for all.” continued on p. 30 WWW.HRC.ORG

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BRINGING GOODNESS TO EVERYONE

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RAISING AWARENESS LGBT PEOPLE ARE TARGETS OF ISIL’S VIOLENCE IN IRAQ AND SYRIA

s ISIL has seized control of parts of Iraq and Syria, it has unleashed a reign of terror against civilians and vulnerable minorities — including LGBT people. Gay men, in particular, have been publicly identified as targets for violence. They have been methodically hunted down through social media and phone logs. They’ve been dragged behind trucks; they been marched to the tops of buildings and thrown off to their death. ISIL incited a mob, which included small children, to stone a gay man to death. “Even before ISIL’s rise, LGBTI* people in the region suffered systemic threats and attacks, but the barbarity of ISIL’s crimes rise to another level. ISIL doesn’t just target LGBTI persons, it broadcasts its monstrous attacks on them for the entire world to see,” Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said at a recent HRC board meeting. Meanwhile, lesbian, bisexual and transgender women — who are less visible in society — are often forced into marriage. Some are beaten or starved to death by husbands or families who reject them. In a special memo to policymakers and lawmakers, HRC is working to step up awareness about the issue and offer some solutions to help LGBT refugees and asylum seekers in that region * lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex

GAY MEN, IN PARTICULAR, HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED AS TARGETS FOR VIOLENCE. THEY HAVE BEEN METHODICALLY HUNTED DOWN THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND PHONE LOGS. who have joined the millions of refugees fleeing the violence in the region. “What’s happening to LGBT people in Iraq and Syria right now is truly horrifying,” said Ty Cobb, director of HRC Global. “The international community must embrace refugees, including those who are LGBT, as they escape indescribable violence. As advocates, it is our job to shine a spotlight on this issue in Washington, D.C.” How many of the 3 million or so refugees are LGBT? It is “extremely difficult to determine,” according to HRC in its memo. That’s because LGBT people don’t self-identify, fearing violence and repercussions from their host country or other refugees, it said.

A great deal of work needs to be done. The memo made several recommendations for the United States and the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to take. They include: • welcoming more LGBT refugees to the United States; • allowing LGBT people in Iraq and Syria to claim refugee status while still in their own country, and thus reduce their processing time; • providing better training to UNHCR staff, who often come from the same religious and socially conservative communities the LGBT refugees are fleeing; • expediting the processing time of LGBT refugees; and • ensuring that LGBT refugees are resettled in appropriate locations with direct services for LGBT people. ISIL is made up of nearly 15,000 foreign fighters from 80 countries, according to the United Nations. It has some $2 billion in assets, built up through smuggling, forcibly collecting taxes, and looting artifacts, according to some estimates. The group now controls approximately 35,000 square miles across Iraq and Syria. HRC continues to monitor the situation and raise the issue in Washington, working alongside other organizations.

WWW.HRC.ORG

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Being yourself is just being human. Everywhere. Every day. We’re with you. We Bank Human™ and celebrate the LGBT community.

(L) Onstage with Sleater-Kinney. (Below) One of her characters in “Portlandia.”

Q & A CARRIE BROWNSTEIN By Anastasia Khoo

From her acting, writing and producing on the hit TV show, “Portlandia,” to her performing with legendary indie rock band Sleater-Kinney to her new memoir, Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl, Carrie Brownstein continues to strike gold. Born and raised in Washington state, Brownstein, who identifies as bisexual, spoke by phone with Equality.

Photo: Don Ryan / AP, Barry Brecheisen / AP

You’re doing TV, music and you have just come out with a book. … The common throughline between all the projects is writing. I do really focus on and relish my experiences as a writer and try to hone that skill and give it different shape and different mediums to write in. I feel really lucky to be able to do that.

Your dad came out later in life. What was that experience like for you? My dad came out when he was in his 50s and it was a surprise for everyone, in some ways, including himself. I think part of that discovery for him was, at first, very surprising. Then, I think he was able to go back and see that that existed all along. He just came from a different generation in terms of repression and suppression.

Definitely, his coming out was a revealing, to me, of, in some ways, a new person — a person more fulfilled and more feeling and bolder and happier. It’s been a long time now, but he’s just happier. Any advice to youth who are identifying as part of the community or gender-expansive? I think that no one has the right to keep you living in fear or isolation or to make you feel marginalized or less than or other. … You want to make sure that this move is one where you have help, support and love, which not everyone is lucky enough to have, depending on where they live or who the makeup of their family is. We take for granted that once something has been legalized, the ugliness surrounding it, in terms of homophobia, disappears. I think it is important not to do this alone. You’ve said before that the “personal is political” … We exist in conjunction with society. The choices we make and how we present ourselves and what we relay is political by default, because of how people interpret things and messages. … The personal and the political are always in dialogue, and you can try to separate it, but I think it is just really enmeshed. Thoughts on the presidential election? I think like most people, I feel a sense of fatigue at this election season, which has felt like an election decade or an election eon. This is a sense of how unrelenting it

I think that no one has the right to keep you living in fear or isolation or to make you feel marginalized or less than or other. is. … It’s hard to feel excited or motivated or hopeful about the country when we have messages of isolationism and nationalism and just basic hate speech. What’s on the horizon for you? I’m about to direct a short film that I wrote and I will look to do more writing … and just to continue to be healthy and happy and productive. I feel really lucky that so much of what I do is collaborative and community-based. WWW.HRC.ORG

SPRING 2016

SEASON OF PRIDE! More than 45 years ago, the LGBTQ community launched what many say were the first Pride marches ever — in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City — to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Join the Human Rights Campaign in celebrating the 2016 Pride season to help mark the progress we’ve made — and to recognize the hurdles ahead to achieving full equality. Like last year, HRC will have a presence at nearly 200 Pride festivals across the country, stretching from March to November. Pride is an invaluable opportunity for HRC to connect with scores of people who don’t know about the organization and its wide-ranging work to help advance the ideals of what the Stonewall Riots sparked that night in 1969. “Pride events are often the first place people learn about HRC and how they can engage in our movement,” according to Zack Hasychak, HRC’s associate director of membership outreach. Volunteering at a Pride booth is a way to make a real difference in someone’s life — especially for those who are still on their own path to self-discovery. “At Prides, you meet a lot of people in your community with very different backgrounds and experiences. By engaging with them and sharing the work of HRC, you’re helping them get to a place where they can live out, proud and openly,” said Hasychak. It’s also a great opportunity chance to meet up with other local HRC members and supporters in your community! To find a Pride festival near you, visit www.hrc.org/Pride. JOIN US!

✃ 28

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Cut along dotted line and bring to your nearest Pride!

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VISIT HRC AT A PRIDE FESTIVAL NEAR YOU

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Mook cont’d from p. 19 Not only are our members and supporters engaged, but there is potential for a pro-equality vote in this election like never before. What are you thinking along those lines? There is a pro-equality vote, and like any other vote, it needs to get mobilized, it needs to get organized and we need to ask people for their support. We are excited to partner with the Human Rights Campaign to do that. What makes me so optimistic is that issues like marriage equality, issues like non-discrimination, are fundamental to millennial voters and to their political outlook, and to their view of what is right and what is wrong in this country. They know that we need someone like Hillary who’s going to stand up for marriage equality, who’s going to stand up against discrimination.

But we need to get out there and have those conversations and make sure they understand what’s at stake, because they’re going to do the right thing, and that’s why our country is going to keep moving forward in the right direction. If Secretary Clinton wins, what kind of progress should we expect, after four years, for LGBT equality? First of all, we’ve got to pass the Equality Act, and she’s committed to doing that as quickly as possible. Secondly, she will make sure that anyone who she appoints to the Supreme Court is going to advance the cause of equality, not take us back. Lastly, I don’t think we can underestimate the value of having the leader of our country send a signal every day to young people and families that every child should grow up to be judged by their hard work and their character and not by who they

love and by a number of other things. To me, that is incredibly important. Our organization has never endorsed in a presidential election this early — do you think HRC has helped Sen. Clinton earn the nomination? HRC has been invaluable in our campaign effort. We would not have gotten as far as we did today. I am inspired everywhere I go in the country, every field office I go into, every rally I go to, those “HRC for HRC” shirts are there, cheering her on. The Human Rights Campaign has mobilized literally millions of hours of volunteer time to reach out to voters and tell them why it’s so important that we get behind Hillary and hold the White House. We could not have done this without the Human Rights Campaign and we are incredibly honored to have them as part of our team.

This spring, HRC mobilized hundreds of volunteers in the states, knocked on thousands of doors and made tens of thousands of phone calls, according to HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse. More than two dozen HRC staffers were deployed. Because HRC officially endorsed Clinton in January — earlier than it has endorsed presidential candidates in previous election years — the organization has had a stronger than usual start, he said. HRC has had organizers on the ground as early as December. 30

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What also stands out this year, said Rouse, is that HRC is increasingly known and respected, at the state and national level, in its ability to mobilize its members and supporters. “In every state that we work in, everyone from mayors to party officials to elected officials to staff of allied organizations are welcoming us,” he said. “We add energy and savvy to campaigns.” Hoyles is joining HRC volunteers back home in North Carolina to campaign for Clinton. “Too much is at stake,” she said.

Photo: Courtesy of Pamela Hoyle

Volunteers cont’d from p. 23

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SPRING 2016

I was born in poverty, in the barrios of San Antonio. I didn’t speak a word of English when I went to the first grade. Back then, they used to punish us in school for speaking Spanish. The coach had a wooden paddle that had holes drilled into it for extra speed and strength and power, and they would take three swings at us if they caught us speaking Spanish. So, I know what it’s like not to fit the mold of what the rest of society deems ‘American’ or ‘acceptable.’

“I’ll never forget being down on my knees on the cold, hard ground at six in the morning, looking at a row of tomato plants that for a young 13-year-old boy’s eyes seemed like they went on for miles and miles, and my father Bruno looking down and asking, ‘Juanito, you want to do this for the rest of your life, or do you want to get a college education?’ It was a no-brainer.

“But the message I kept hearing from the rest of society was that I wasn’t good enough for college. On Sundays, when we weren’t picking tomatoes, we would go shopping for clothes at the Goodwill store or for a burger at some fast-food restaurant, and people there in Michigan and Ohio would stare and make fun of us and follow us around, thinking that we were about to steal something. They judged us by our tattered clothes, the color of our skin and the accent in our voices. “Thank God for my mother, Maria, the most compassionate woman, proud woman I’ve ever known. She was the one who would say, ‘Mi hijo (my son), don’t be embarrassed that you have to wear the same clothes to school every other day. At least we wash those clothes. They’re clean. And don’t be ashamed that you have to take bean and tortilla tacos for lunch to school when all the other kids are having their fancy white bread and bologna. Don’t be ashamed,’ she said. ‘What matters, what truly matters, is what’s in here, in your head, and what’s in here, in your corazón, in your heart.’ “And that’s why I do this show, because I’ve been there. I have seen the good and the bad, the ugliness, but also the beauty and the triumph of the human spirit with kindness and compassion.”

Excerpts from address by John Quiñones, host of ABC’s What Would You Do?, at the HRC Foundation’s Time to THRIVE gathering for youth-serving professionals, held outside Dallas-Ft. Worth. (See below.) Quiñones’ popular TV show — using hidden cameras — looks at how people respond to different situations, including bias and bullying of LGBTQ youth. At ABC News for 25 years, the Texas native won his first Emmy reporting on the plight of undocumented immigrants from Mexico for a TV station in Chicago.

EQUALITY

SPRING 2016

Photos: Steph Grant

“When I was 13 years old, my father was laid off from work, and we did what a lot of Mexican-American families did back then to survive: We joined a caravan of migrant farm workers and we headed north to pick vegetables and fruits. My two sisters, my dad, my mother and me jumped in the back of a truck, journeying 1,700 miles to Northport, Michigan, the cherry capital of the world, where we picked those berries for 75 cents a bucket. And then we would follow the crops to Ohio, where we would pick tomatoes for 35 cents a bushel. We learned the value of the family coming together, to pull themselves out of adversity.

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