Dear Friends,

It’s not too late to volunteer for a campaign, make a voting plan, or donate to help pro-equality candidates with their get-out-the-vote efforts leading up to Election Day!

As we know, on Tuesday, our nation will choose between two very different visions of America. I’m optimistic about the outcome, much in part because of the powerful electoral work that HRC — thanks to all of you — has accomplished this cycle. These next four days are critical, and as you knock doors, hit the phones and cast your votes, we want you to have a glimpse of the work that’s led us to this moment.

Leading up to November 5th, HRC has made the biggest investments in electoral work in our history to mobilize 75 million Equality Voters who could well make the difference in determining this country’s future.

We want to give you an inside look at the historic electoral work you have helped power in the first cut of our new report, “We Showed Up.”

This infographic captures some of the highlights from our electoral work so far — and we’re firing on all cylinders to carry us to victory.

At the start of the 2024 election cycle, HRC and its political arms, HRC PAC and HRC Equality Votes PAC, launched a $15 million campaign to mobilize Equality Voters across the country. We also endorsed nearly 600 candidates and raised over $20 million for 110+ candidates, including our champions, Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz. We built a network of staff, volunteers, members and supporters. We reached deep into key battleground states and made over 2.5 million voter contacts, generated by nearly 20,000 voter activations so far from over 7,000 unique volunteers. And we’re rallying, canvassing, staffing phone and text banks and holding events all across the country.

Our digital strategy in particular is playing a crucial role in battleground states. HRC Equality Votes PAC is mobilizing voters in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to support Kamala Harris, Tim Walz and pro-equality candidates for Senate. Our seven-figure ad buy — which includes the ads, “Not Going Back” and “Shadows” — is reaching 1.5 million Equality Voters. And separately, HRC is running a six-figure ad buy — featuring the ads, “Vote Your Way” and “Walk of Shame” — to urge under-represented, low propensity voters to turn out. Combined, the two ad buys totalled $2 million.

With over 3.1 million members and supporters, HRC will be a decisive force in both the 2024 elections and in the fight for the future of democracy in the United States. Our efforts resonate in rural communities and city centers, and voters who hear from us walk away understanding a simple but vital message: equality is not a partisan issue; it is an American imperative.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting HRC and our vital work. Let’s sprint hard through the finish line together. See you on the other side!

To every LGBTQ+ person — especially LGBTQ+ youth — across this nation feeling stunned and disheartened, and questioning if they have a place in our country today, we say this: You belong. Don’t ever let anybody tell you otherwise. Be bold, be strong, and continue to stand up for the principles that have always carried America forward.

Hi Friends,

Our hearts are broken, but our commitment to equality and to each other is as strong as ever. Our community is resilient and powerful. We are not backing down. We are going to continue to show up for each other and for our march toward progress.

Throughout our nation’s history, we’ve faced devastating setbacks in our pursuit of a more perfect union. But even in the darkest of moments, Americans have summoned the courage and persistence to fight on. The results of this presidential election require us to meet tomorrow with the same resolve and determination.

This is a crucial moment for our nation and for the LGBTQ+ movement. The election of Donald Trump as president — a man who stands opposed to our most fundamental values — has left many of us stunned. With both the White House and Senate in anti-equality hands, we face a landscape of serious challenges. Right-wing judicial appointments, hostile policies, and renewed attacks on our most basic rights are likely to come.

But as we have in the past, we will meet these challenges head-on.

Our movement wasn't born in easy times. We organized during the AIDS crisis when our government turned its back on us. We fought back against DOMA when they said marriage equality was impossible. We've faced "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," bathroom bills, and endless attempts to erase our existence. Each time, we didn't just survive — we transformed defeat into momentum for change.

Even today, amid our heartbreak, we see proof of our growing power. Delaware's Sarah McBride will be the first transgender member of Congress, and Texas’s Julie Johnson will be the first openly LGBTQ+ member of Congress from the South. Washington’s Emily Randall will serve as the first Latina lesbian in the House. And we are thrilled our champion Wisconsin’s Tammy Baldwin will retain her Senate seat. We also elected many more pro-equality candidates up and down the ballot. And we're proud to have supported Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz in their historic campaign.

The defeats we have suffered demonstrate that our future victories will require us to dig deeper and work harder to continue bending the moral arc of the universe toward justice and equality. We must fight to protect our progress and limit the damage that Donald Trump has promised.

At a time like this, we don't slow down. We double down. Right now, HRC is setting to work once again, undeterred and focused on our mission to realize a world in which every single LGBTQ+ person is safe and equal and valued.

Our movement for LGBTQ+ equality needs you now, more than ever.

HRC is bringing our community of members and supporters for a Post-Election Virtual Town Hall on November 13th at 6:00 PM ET. Please RSVP and join us. We’ll also continue to share updates at hrc.org/election.

My friends, it has been a week.

Some of the hardest moments have been with our children — trying to explain these election results, trying to ease their fears, trying to give them hope. But when I look into my child's eyes, I know one thing with absolute certainty — we did everything we could. We left it all on the field.

So, thank you to every organizer who knocked on doors, every poll worker who stood guard over our democracy, every volunteer who gave their time and treasure, every phone banker who made one more call and every donor who dug deep when we needed it most.

I especially want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran this race with courage in her heart and fight in her spirit. When the history of this moment is written, it will show that she carried the hopes of millions with strength and grace.

Still, the election results weren't what we hoped for. Donald Trump will return to the White House. The Senate and House will be controlled by anti-equality extremists. The days ahead will test us, especially our transgender and immigrant siblings. But hear me clearly: We survived Trump before, and we will do it again.

The road to equality was always going to be a long journey. Even though today that road feels longer than we thought, we are still on the path.

This week has brought both challenges and crucial victories that demonstrate why our work matters.

In response to a complaint filed by HRC, the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has held the Owasso School District accountable for fostering a hostile climate that failed Nex Benedict and other vulnerable students. This sends a powerful message: trans and non-binary students have worth and rights that must be protected, regardless of who occupies the White House.

We've also witnessed an unprecedented wave of anti-LGBTQ+ attacks in Congress, with 55 anti-LGBTQ+ riders attached to federal spending bills. Yet thanks to pro-equality lawmakers, we defeated 51 of 52 similar attacks in last year's budget cycle. We know how to fight back and win.

Read our report here.

As we mark Transgender Awareness Week, we're reminded of the resilience, courage, and undeniable strength of our transgender community. In these moments of divisive rhetoric and attacks, this week serves as a powerful opportunity to center trans voices and uplift the positive, affirming stories that remind us of the beauty of our intersectional community.

And we've seen historic victories that prove our power:

• Sarah McBride will be the first transgender member of Congress.
• Julie Johnson will be the first openly lesbian Congresswoman from the South.
• Emily Randall will be the first openly lesbian Latina member of Congress.
• Tammy Baldwin is headed back to the Senate.
• Seven new states affirmed abortion access.
• California, Hawaii, Colorado, and Missouri strengthened marriage equality protections.

My friends, we are not without hope, and we are certainly not without power. Nearly 70 million Americans voted not just for Kamala Harris but for a future where we all belong. They said yes to LGBTQ+ freedom, dignity, and equality. Yes to our families. Yes to our dreams. That's not just a number — that's a revolution in waiting.

Today, we're launching comprehensive resources to address our community's most pressing questions. We understand many are experiencing fear, anger, sadness and exhaustion. These emotions are real, and we feel them too. Our new FAQ provides guidance to help each person and family make decisions that feel right for them. While this isn't legal advice, it offers crucial information about protecting yourself and your loved ones.

In the meantime, please know you are loved, and you have an entire community with you. Together, we will adapt and respond to the changing world around us. Together, we are strong, we are resilient, we are determined, we are emboldened. We are working to anticipate your needs and will be developing additional resources to support you in the weeks and months ahead. Have a question you’d like us to answer? Please let us know.

Here's our path forward:

First, we will protect the most vulnerable among us — that's who we are and what we do. We're providing resources to help our trans and non-binary siblings survive the next administration and giving parents tools to talk with their LGBTQ+ children. Remember: Donald Trump isn't president yet. You have the same rights today that you had on November 4th.

Second, we're taking back our narrative. Our own exit poll data shows 84% of Equality Voters chose dignity and love. A majority of people in battleground states believe trans people should be respected for who they are. This fight isn't just about politics — it's about human dignity, loving families and the fundamental truth that every person deserves to be seen, safe and celebrated.

Third, we're going back to basics. Yes, there are people in our churches, stores and workplaces who voted against our rights. We must face that reality even as we reach for something better. We'll keep protecting LGBTQ+ workers, fighting for safe schools and building communities where we're seen as neighbors, not strangers.

We are a movement that fights back. That is our inheritance. When they raided our bars and bathhouses, we protected each other. When they ignored AIDS, we cared for our own and demanded better. When they denied our relationships, we changed corporate America and won at the Supreme Court. Together, we won.

That's why my heart is filled with hope — not a naive hope but a gritty, sweaty, do-whatever-it-takes hope. So grieve today, but come back ready to fight tomorrow. Because this movement — your movement, our movement — continues.

Forward with pride and purpose,

Dear Friends,

As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for this movement and inspired by your unbreakable commitment.

This week, we released our 13th annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI), a testament to local leadership and our ongoing fight for equality. I traveled to Tempe, Arizona, to launch this report with Mayor Corey Woods, a champion of LGBTQ+ rights who embodies the power of local activism. The report’s numbers are a powerful statement of progress: 130 cities earned the highest possible score, representing approximately 49 million people. That's more than 25% of the cities we surveyed, a clear message that local communities are pushing forward despite relentless state-level attacks.

In 2012, our first MEI report showed only five cities offering critical transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits. Today, we've grown to more than 240 municipalities committed to true inclusivity. Yet this progress comes with a stark reminder of our ongoing struggle.

This week we marked Transgender Day of Remembrance with heavy hearts, honoring those we've lost to anti-trans violence. Our Foundation's new report, "The Epidemic of Violence Against the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Community," documents this ongoing crisis while providing a roadmap for creating a safer world. Alongside our updated "Dismantling a Culture of Violence" report, we're not just memorializing lives — we're demanding action.

The MAGA extremists wasted no time proving why this work is so critical. While our cities and communities forge ahead with equality, the MAGA national playbook relies on chaos and division designed to tear us apart.

A man who has spread dangerous misinformation during a global health crisis and about the LGBTQ+ community is potentially leading our nation's premier health agency. The attorney general nominee is now Pam Bondi, who, as attorney general of Florida argued that marriage equality would “impose significant public harm” in Florida, parroted bogus 2020 election lies, has repeatedly attacked LGBTQ+ people on Fox News, and has a history of sketchy financial ties to Donald Trump.

This week’s events reveal an even deeper truth. The chaos we experience is not random, it’s the MAGA blueprint. Over the last year, whenever transgender people have been in news headlines, it’s almost never been about their trailblazing achievements.

Behind every sensational headline is a coordinated group sowing fear when Americans are desperate for real solutions. This week, Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride faced down these attacks when Speaker Mike Johnson, urged on by desperate, hate-filled attention-seeker Nancy Mace, announced a new policy prohibiting transgender people from using appropriate bathrooms on the Hill.

Sarah knows this fight intimately, she worked at the Human Rights Campaign in 2016 fighting the harmful HB2 bathroom bill in North Carolina — a fight that ultimately cost an anti-LGBTQ governor his re-election and made an example of discriminatory lawmaking.

But Sarah McBride didn't come to Washington to fight about bathrooms. Sarah brings her leadership to Congress through multiple strategies — building coalitions, advancing legislation, and showing up for her constituents. She demonstrates that progress happens through many forms of advocacy, from policy work to direct action. And her colleagues are noticing: Across the political spectrum, from AOC to Bill Kristol, there has been overwhelming support for her approach.

She's bravely and gracefully making the case that transgender people not only care about substantive issues but can lead on them. This is how we shift the conversation. This is how we win.

To our opponents who think they can bully us into submission: We see you. We are not backing down.

This Thanksgiving season reminds me that our movement’s greatest strength lies in each of you. In city halls and state capitals, in our neighborhoods and across Congress, your unwavering courage fuels every victory. When our opponents try to divide us, your resilience transforms their hatred into our unity. Together, we will continue to push back against hatred and move toward understanding.