FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2007
“FAMILY PRIDE” CHANGES NAME TO “FAMILY EQUALITY COUNCIL”
LEADING LGBTQ FAMILY GROUP EXPANDS VISION, CONTINUES TO GROW AND ADVOCATE FOR ALL LOVING FAMILIES
Media Contacts:
Cathy Renna: 917.757.6123, cathy@rennacommunications.com
Syd Peterson: 917.621.6411, syd@rennacommunications.com
October 9, 2007, Washington DC…The Family Equality Council – formerly known as Family Pride – today announced its new name and expanded mission in advance of celebrating the changes at its annual National Awards Dinner in Los Angeles on October 13th. The Family Equality Council will continue to be the only organization in the country that is dedicated specifically to advocating at a national level for equality for families headed by lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer (LGBTQ) parents.
“While we continue to have pride, our new name more accurately reflects our purpose: achieving family equality,” said Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of the Family Equality Council. “Our new name and expanded vision reinforce our commitment to working across communities and issues and to joining forces with other progressive advocacy groups to create meaningful change for all loving families,” Chrisler continued.
“Our primary focus remains LGBTQ parents and their families, but we also recognize that the laws, provisions and ordinances that hurt LGBTQ-headed families also hurt single parents, blended families, families of color and many other types of families,” explained Chrisler. “To that end, the Family Equality Council will stand strong with our allies and work to defeat anti-family legislation and to promote legislation that is truly beneficial to all loving families. Our new name sends the message loud and clear to those who believe we do not deserve the same rights and protections other families in this country enjoy. No one owns the word family,” concluded Chrisler.
Over the past several years, operating as Family Pride, the Family Equality Council has enjoyed unprecedented growth, success and visibility. The efforts of organization have helped put families headed by LGBTQ parents in the forefront of the American consciousness for the first time. In 2006, it organized a group of LGBTQ-headed families to attend the White House Easter Egg Roll, and the event grew into the largest instance of media visibility for LGBTQ parents and their children in history.
“As both a father and a gay man, I have always looked to the Family Equality Council to be a voice for my family and millions of other families headed by gay and lesbian parents across the nation. They have already done amazing work to make our families more visible and less abstract to those who do not know us,” reflected former Massachusetts State Senator and gay father, Jarrett Barrios. “I am thrilled to support the organization as it takes on a more expansive vision while remaining an important voice for LGBTQ families,” he concluded.
The Family Equality Council has also worked over the years to deepen and expand its partnerships with other child welfare and family advocacy groups at state and national levels.
"From our perspective at the Adoption Institute, where we focus on the need of all children to live in a permanent and loving home, the Family Equality Council has been a leader in the family movement and their work complements ours on many levels," said Adam Pertman, Executive Director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute. "This name change and expansion of their vision demonstrates they are more of an ally to all of us working to create loving families," he continued. "I am confident that their growth will only make them more effective in serving LGBTQ families," concluded Pertman.
Family Equality Council is the national non-profit organization committed to securing family equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer parents, guardians and allies. Our work consists of strategically linked initiatives—broad in scope, but simple in vision—love, justice, family, equality.
For more information, please visit www.familyequality.org