Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign is a large and long-standing LGBT advocacy group and political lobbying organization.
Contents |
History
1980: Human Rights Campaign Fund
1995: Human Rights Campaign
2002: National headquarters established in Washington, DC, US.
Projects and Publications
The HRC's Corporate Equality Index is compiled from an annual survey of major employers and ranks the firms on the basis of equal opportunity and equal treatment of LGBT candidates and employees.
The current 2014 CEI is the twelfth annual survey.
The CEI survey specifically addresses the following topics:
- Sexual Orientation in Non-Discrimination Policy
- Gender Identity in Non-Discrimination Policy
- Domestic Partner Health Benefits
- Transgender-Inclusive Benefits
- Organizational Competency Practices
- Public Commitment to the LGBT Community
- Responsible citizenship (No known activity that would undermine LGBT equality)
Firms are ranked from a low score of zero to a high score of 100.
The 2014 CEI survey covered 734 firms, out of which 304 scored a perfect 100.
Businesses that achieve a rating of 100 are recognized as “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality” and are welcome to use this distinction and the accompanying logo in their recruitment and marketing efforts.
Criticism and Controversy
Many members of the TG Community were upset that the HRC failed to actively oppose H.R. 3685, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 (ENDA), which would have prohibited employment discrimination for sexual orientation but not for gender identity or gender expression. The bill was introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA). The original bill, introduced earlier that year by Frank, H.R. 2015, was trans-inclusive, but died in committee.
Joe Solmonese, President of HRC at the time, stated that HRC would "oppose any legislation that is not absolutely inclusive" of all within the LGBT spectrum. The HRC later stated that it would neither actively support nor actively oppose the non-trans-inclusive bill. Although this statement was made, many TGs were of the belief that HRC, at minimum, consented to the trans-omission in the bill.
Reactions in the TG community ranged from casual disappointment to accusations that the HRC was actively transphobic.
Several variations of the HRC "Equality" logo (examples right) were displayed by members of the TG community (and others) in response.
HRC has also been criticized for being too politically active, specifically supporting candidates of the Democratic Party and issues considered to be "liberal" that did not directly affect the LGBT community.
The Grand Apology
Chad Griffin, current (2014) President of HRC, presented a keynote address at the Southern Comfort Conference in September of 2014 and stated:
"HRC has done wrong by the transgender community in the past, and I am here to formally apologize. I am sorry for the times when we stood apart when we should have been standing together." -- Chad Griffin, President, HRC, 2014
