Equal Rights Washington
Encyclopedia
Equal Rights Washington (ERW) is Washington’s largest state-wide LGBT
advocacy and community outreach organization. ERW's mission is to ensure and promote dignity, safety, and equality for all lesbian
, gay
, bisexual, and transgender
Washingtonians.
Equal Rights Washington consists of three organizations: ERW, a 501(c)(4) organization which focuses on political advocacy, the ERW Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization which focuses on public education with regard to LGBT issues in Washington, and the ERW PAC, a registered political action committee
which exists to provide support to equality-minded candidates for elected office in Washington state. Each of these subsidiary organizations are headed by nominally independent boards of directors, in accordance and compliance with state and federal law.
campaign between 1993 and 1997.
ERW was founded in 2004 to assist in the passage of Washington State's LGBT anti-discrimination bill, which for 28 years had been introduced in the state legislature, but never passed. In 2006, ERW played a crucial role in securing the passage of this legislation, Washington House Bill 2661
. ERW also was also a central player in the fight to have the Washington State Supreme Court give marriage rights to same-sex couples. In 2006, the Court decided not to grant those rights.
In 2007, ERW supported the successful passage of Washington State's domestic partner law, which granted several of the rights of marriage to same-sex couples. In 2008 over 100 additional state-level benefits of marriage were added to the original domestic partnership law, and in 2009 the remaining rights afforded to opposite-sex married couples were granted to same-sex partners via the state's domestic partnership law. This was thanks largely to the work of Equal Rights Washington and its coalition partners across the state. Throughout the expansion of the domestic partnership rights, Equal Rights Washington was very clear that its intention was to continue to publicize, educate about and advocate for its belief that nothing short of full and actual marriage equality
is sufficient for families in Washington headed by same-sex couples.
More than just a marriage equality organization, Equal Rights Washington actively lobbies on behalf of LGBT homeless people, LGBT youth, on issues specifically affecting Washington's broad transgender community, and on health concerns impacting the LGBT community in Washington.
's downtown business district .
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
advocacy and community outreach organization. ERW's mission is to ensure and promote dignity, safety, and equality for all lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual, and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
Washingtonians.
Equal Rights Washington consists of three organizations: ERW, a 501(c)(4) organization which focuses on political advocacy, the ERW Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization which focuses on public education with regard to LGBT issues in Washington, and the ERW PAC, a registered political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
which exists to provide support to equality-minded candidates for elected office in Washington state. Each of these subsidiary organizations are headed by nominally independent boards of directors, in accordance and compliance with state and federal law.
History
Many of ERW's founders and leaders made their entrance into the world of politics during the Hands Off WashingtonCitizens for Fairness Hands Off Washington
Washington Citizens for Fairness | Hands off Washington was created in 1993 to defeat Washington State ballot initiatives 608 and 610, which threatened the civil rights of state and local public employees based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation.-History:In 1993, The Oregon Citizens...
campaign between 1993 and 1997.
ERW was founded in 2004 to assist in the passage of Washington State's LGBT anti-discrimination bill, which for 28 years had been introduced in the state legislature, but never passed. In 2006, ERW played a crucial role in securing the passage of this legislation, Washington House Bill 2661
Washington House Bill 2661
Washington House Bill 2661 is a Washington state law which bans employment, insurance and housing discrimination against LGBT individuals, passed by the Washington State Legislature on January 27, 2006, and signed into law by Governor Christine Gregoire four days later...
. ERW also was also a central player in the fight to have the Washington State Supreme Court give marriage rights to same-sex couples. In 2006, the Court decided not to grant those rights.
In 2007, ERW supported the successful passage of Washington State's domestic partner law, which granted several of the rights of marriage to same-sex couples. In 2008 over 100 additional state-level benefits of marriage were added to the original domestic partnership law, and in 2009 the remaining rights afforded to opposite-sex married couples were granted to same-sex partners via the state's domestic partnership law. This was thanks largely to the work of Equal Rights Washington and its coalition partners across the state. Throughout the expansion of the domestic partnership rights, Equal Rights Washington was very clear that its intention was to continue to publicize, educate about and advocate for its belief that nothing short of full and actual marriage equality
Marriage Equality
Marriage Equality USA is an organization working for marriage equality for all non-heterosexual couples. The group works by doing public education and outreach, media campaigns and holding visibility events. Marriage Equality, Inc...
is sufficient for families in Washington headed by same-sex couples.
More than just a marriage equality organization, Equal Rights Washington actively lobbies on behalf of LGBT homeless people, LGBT youth, on issues specifically affecting Washington's broad transgender community, and on health concerns impacting the LGBT community in Washington.
Operations
ERW has a full time staff of three, including Rod Hearne, executive director and Joshua Friedes, marriage equality director . In addition, several specialized consultants, interns, and volunteers maintain part-time office hours each week in support of the agency's mission and goals. Equal Rights Washington operates out of an office in Seattle, WashingtonSeattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
's downtown business district .
See also
- Gay rights
- LGBT rights in the United States
- List of LGBT rights organizations
- Washington House Bill 2661Washington House Bill 2661Washington House Bill 2661 is a Washington state law which bans employment, insurance and housing discrimination against LGBT individuals, passed by the Washington State Legislature on January 27, 2006, and signed into law by Governor Christine Gregoire four days later...