A note of thanks from Ineke Mushovic, MAP’s Executive Director
Support MAP this Give OUT Day!
It’s been a long year, and sometimes it feels like the bad news will never stop. Yet this Pride Month, we witnessed two incredible decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court in the same week. The Supreme Court not only blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program but also ruled that it’s illegal under federal law for employers to discriminate against LGBTQ workers.
The DACA ruling provides important protections for young immigrants, including those who are LGBTQ. And the landmark LGBTQ ruling was a full victory in providing employment protections for LGBTQ people in each and every state.
It has taken decades of work to get us here. And I want to thank you for your part in this tremendous victory. For donations of time and money. For staying informed. For never giving up.
I’ve been reflecting on how far we have come, even in the last 10 years. I remember when MAP was founded in 2006 and we were dealing with overwhelming stereotypes of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people — and when most Americans had almost no awareness of the issues facing transgender people at all. This month’s victory came in a moment, but it was built on years of painstaking progress made at the local and state levels, and the years of dedicated effort in changing hearts and minds.
Our data, analysis, and messaging over the years have helped shape how people understand who LGBTQ people are and the challenges they face. And when you have shared your stories with friends, coworkers, neighbors, and family — you have done the same. This victory belongs to all of us, and to each of you.
Today we’re participating in Give OUT Day, the only national day of giving for the LGBTQ community that raises vital funding for advocacy organizations like MAP.
We hope you’ll consider donating to MAP. Your donation will help support groundbreaking research, incisive messaging strategy, and compelling education campaigns to speed equality and opportunity for all.
Just this year alone, MAP has:
- Published a retrospective report that highlights progress on key LGBTQ policy areas since 2010, showing overall changes, as well as detailed trends by policy area and region in the United States.
- Released a report on LGBTQ equality in the U.S. South, in partnership with the PBS series PRIDELAND.
- Offered fresh analysis and recommendations on how vote by mail options can remove barriers to voting and safeguard the accessibility and integrity of U.S. elections.
- Published a weekly blog series that advances the conversation around vulnerable communities who may be particularly at risk to the effects of COVID-19 and the economic downturn.
And like all of you, MAP will keep on fighting. The Supreme Court’s decision will not extend to public accommodations, restrooms, or sports. We now need Congress to pass the Equality Act, so that LGBTQ people in each and every state are fully protected from discrimination. We need to fight back against efforts to undermine our progress, such as lawsuits seeking to allow people to discriminate based on their religious beliefs.
So while our work is far from done, in this year of (almost!) relentless bad news, we celebrate our victories and recommit to the work towards equality for all of us.
In celebration and solidarity,
Ineke Mushovic
MAP Executive Director
