10) Rolling Eggs on the White House Lawn – In 2009 invitations were made specifically to LGBT families, for the first time ever, to attend the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.
9) Communities of LGBT Families gathering together – Family Equality Council’s Annual Rainbow Families Conference in Minneapolis, MN and Family Week in Provincetown, MA are both celebrating their 15th anniversary in 2010!
8 ) Being able to provide for our families – The U.S. Senate held a hearing on November 5th on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). ENDA would prohibit employment discrimination against LGBT people. Family Equality Council has submitted written testimony about the devastating consequences that employment discrimination has, not only for individual LGBT workers but also for the families, partners and children who depend on them.
7) Repealing the Florida Adoption Ban – Family Equality Council is collaborating with the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to produce dozens of trainings across Florida, providing local LGBT families and allies the tools to take a stand against Florida’s ban on adoption by lesbians and gay men.
6) Passage of the first Federal Law protecting the LGBT community – The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, passed on October 22, 2009, represents the first time in our nation’s history that Congress has passed explicit protections for LGBT people. Family Equality Council is proud to have supported this legislation and rallied thousands of LGBT-headed families to call their representatives to help ensure this historic act was passed.
5) Safer schools for our children – In 2009, there was strong, bi-partisan passage of the Minnesota Safe Schools for All Bill, developed by Family Equality Council and OutFront Minnesota. This bill would strengthen existing bullying and harassment laws to protect children of LGBT parents.
4) Keeping Families Together – The federal Uniting American Families Act, immigration reform legislation that would enable bi-national LGBT parents to stay together in the U.S. to raise their children. Family Equality Council is a strong supporter of this legislation and has submitted written testimony on behalf of LGBT families.
3) Providing Children with Loving Homes – The introduction of a federal child welfare bill supporting adoption and foster parenting by LGBT prospective parents. Family Equality Council is hard at work seizing this opportunity to educate members of Congress about the harm categorical parenting exclusions cause children in need of loving, permanent homes.
2) Incredible People – The great team of volunteers and staff members at Family Equality Council who make all of the above and more happen.
1) These are not really the reasons to make me thankful so I just want to be gay


