Supporters of LGBTQ families and youth rallied against SB 375 this week, a bill that would allow taxpayer-funded adoption and child welfare agencies to refuse to work with same-sex couples, and would even allow agencies to deny services to LGBTQ youth. Georgians from all walks of life – including state and national advocacy groups, faith leaders, members of the business and entertainment communities, and LGBTQ families and allies turned out in large numbers to express their opposition to the discriminatory bill. Prior to the rally, 80 supporters met with lawmakers from across the state as part of Georgia Equality’s lobby day. A top priority of the lobby visits was to communicate to lawmakers the broad opposition to SB 375. Continue reading →

RALLY to #StopSB375: March 1st

Lawmakers in the Georgia Senate have advanced SB 375, an anti-LGBT “License to Discriminate” bill, by a 35 to 19 vote. The legislation would allow taxpayer-funded adoption agencies to turn away same-sex couples and even refuse to work with children in need who identify as LGBT. The discriminatory bill stands to impact the approximately 14,000 children in the state’s foster and child welfare system.

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SB 375, an anti-LGBT “License to Discriminate” bill that would allow taxpayer-funded adoption agencies to turn away same-sex couples, advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this morning. The bill could come before the full Senate as early as tomorrow.

“There are no winners with SB 375,” said Jeff Graham, Georgia Equality’s Executive Director. “This bill does not help the thousands of young people in our state’s adoption and foster care system. It does not help loving parents who are looking to open their homes to children in need, either through fostering or adoption. It does not help our state’s economic image – particularly at this crucial juncture in our bid to bring up to 50,000 new and high-paying jobs to our state through Amazon. There are only losers with this bill: children denied permanent and loving homes, and potential parents coldly turned away simply because of who they are.” Continue reading →

We’ve got two exciting opportunities for you to get involved with HIV Advocacy next week! Take a look at both events below and we’ll see you next week! Continue reading →