Member Spotlight: Human Rights Campaign - VFA Organizational Member
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) began their organizational membership with Voice For Adoption in 2008. This organization offers many programs to provide support to the LGBTQ community in all aspects of live. These programs include; Children, Youth, and Families Program; Health and Aging Program; HIV and Health Equity Program; Religion and Faith Program; Workplace Equality Program; Youth and Campus Program; and HRC Global. All of these programs help HRC in achieving their mission of providing equality and the ability to be open within the LGBTQ community.
"The Human Rights Campaign represents a force of more than 3 million members and supporters nationwide. As the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization, HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community."
Recently, the HRC Foundation Announced Groundbreaking LGBTQ-Inclusive Resources for Child Welfare Agencies. From these resources child welfare agencies will be able to gain insight on ways to better serve LGBTQ youth through inclusive services. This growth within child welfare agencies will help to adjust current practices and policies while giving direction for future guidelines.
"So far this year, HRC and major state partners have battled more than 110 anti-LGBTQ bills"
Also within the above article about HRC's advocacy efforts, it is mentioned that "So far this year, HRC and major state partners have battled more than 110 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in 29 states; to date, only two of those bills have been signed into law. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed SB 1140, a bill that would allow child welfare organizations -- including adoption and foster care agencies -- to turn away qualified Oklahomans seeking to care for a child in need, including LGBTQ couples, interfaith couples, single parents, married couples in which one prospective parent has previously been divorced, or other parents to whom the agency has a religious objection. Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer signed SB 284, which is a license to discriminate with taxpayer funds against prospective LGBTQ foster or adoptive parents, single parents, or other qualified families."
On this matter, in the above article, Voice For Adoption's Executive Director, Schylar Baber, was quoted saying “Voice for Adoption has long understood the importance of protecting the well-being of children at all costs. Now more than ever, it is important for organizations in child welfare to protect, nurture, and celebrate the diversity of the children and families we serve. HRC's All-Children All-Families is an important step in the right direction. No child or family should be refused services or denied the ability to adopt, or be adopted, base on their sexual orientation or gender identity. We need every single family we can get, and we need to ensure that our children feel that they are safe and don't need to hide their true selves from the world. Children belong in families, period.”
HRC will continue their work in fighting against anti-LGBTQ bills and protecting these individuals while providing resources and education to the community. Further information and resources can be found on their website.
