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Equality North Dakota (END) is a statewide gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights organization. It was founded in 1999 as an outgrowth of the nationwide Equality Begins at Home project of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. END continues to work with both the Task Force and the Human Rights Campaign to bring full equality to GLBT North Dakotans. Why does North Dakota need a statewide organization advocating on behalf of the GLBT community? Currently, there are no federal, state or local laws which specifically protect the rights of GLBT North Dakotans. In a ranking of states' legal protections offered their GLBT citizens, North Dakota places at the very bottom. Although a number of private and public employers include sexual orientation in their anti-discrimination policies, it is still perfectly legal in North Dakota to be fired merely for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Clearly, GLBT North Dakotans do not enjoy the same protection under the law as other residents of our state or even the same protections offered in other states. On the state level, Equality North Dakota is a member of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition and the North Dakota Progressive Coalition. Nationally, END is a member of the Federation of Statewide LGBT Advocacy Organizations and has also endorsed the work of the Coalition to Promote Equality at ExxonMobil. The decision-making power of Equality North Dakota is vested in a steering committee, and there are presently three officers within the committee. However, END general meetings are open to all GLBT and allied North Dakotans who support the work of the organization. We are currently looking for more representation from the western part of the state as part of our ongoing efforts and our commitment to organize throughout North Dakota. Steering Committee (officers' names in italics)
Contact info: Equality
North Dakota e-mail
us at info@equalitynd.org
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