These are not ordinary times: How the Human Rights Campaign plans to move forward

I remember the first time I saw the blue and yellow HRC equality sticker. There it was on a storefront window in mid-Missouri where I was going to school. I didn't know much about the organization then, but I understood instantly what that simple symbol meant: safety, acceptance, the presence of allies who saw me for who I truly was. In that moment, that small emblem became a beacon of hope – a silent but powerful message that I wasn't alone.

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Today, as LGBTQ+ people face an unprecedented assault on our very existence, that message of visibility and solidarity matters more than ever. Every executive action, congressional betrayal of our basic rights, hateful declarations from those in power – these aren't random acts of bigotry. They're part of a deliberate strategy to create chaos, instill fear, and roll back decades of progress that try to erase our existence.

In a time when some are trying to push us back into the shadows, when our families are being questioned and our rights challenged – we need more than symbols. We need action, we need unity, and we need the full force of an organization that has spent decades fighting for our community.

That's why the Human Rights Campaign is evolving to meet this moment. Because that sticker was never just a symbol – it was a promise. A promise that wherever darkness threatens our community, we'll be there to light the way forward.

Last week we announced a strategic restructure to sharpen our focus and deepen our impact. We are focused on shifting momentum in this fight by serving all LGBTQ+ people while dedicating resources and urgent attention to our trans and BIPOC community members who face the most aggressive attacks. We are doubling down on our commitments to making change in schools, workplaces and policy, and politics because we believe that even in the darkest of times progress is still possible.

This conviction comes from a deep well of experience. From the darkest days of the AIDS crisis to the hard-fought battles for hate crimes legislation, open military service, and marriage equality, the LGBTQ+ movement has never backed down from a challenge. Every step of the way, the Human Rights Campaign has been at the heart of these battles. We've also faced hard truths – times we moved too slowly, times we didn't center all voices in our community, especially our trans and BIPOC siblings. We’ve learned from those moments, grown stronger through them, and deepened our commitment to building this movement together – because that's what real progress demands.

Related: Human Rights Campaign to lay off 20% of staff as LGBTQ+ organization restructures

At its core, this fight is about defending the most fundamental American ideals: the right to live safely, to learn without fear, to work with dignity, and to love openly. It's about ensuring access to the healthcare we need to thrive. These aren't special rights – these are human rights. and when we protect these rights, everyone wins.

But the forces against us see these rights as a threat. They aren’t interested in fairness or equality. They want to strip us of our dignity and opportunities, and now, they have launched an unprecedented campaign to erase us from public life.

Let me be clear: No executive order can override the Constitution. The Supreme Court's protection of LGBTQ+ workers still stands. Title VII still prohibits discrimination. And most importantly, LGBTQ+ Americans have always been here, and we are not going anywhere. Neither is HRC.

Our response to these unprecedented attacks has been swift and powerful. In the first 100 days of this administration's attack on our lives, we’ve already had our grassroots activists take nearly 100,000 actions fighting back. Our members and supporters are calling their elected officials to push for change. They’re signing up for town halls about how to protect our progress in hospitals and workplaces. They're hosting National Day of Reading events where communities come together to show trans and non-binary youth they are seen, celebrated, and loved.

The LGBTQ+ movement has never been defined by the forces trying to divide us – we have always been defined by our courage. I see it in parents fiercely defending their LGBTQ+ kids, in trans teens refusing to hide, in teachers creating safe spaces despite risks, in religious leaders choosing love over hate, and in trailblazers like Sarah McBride, Julie Johnson, and Emily Randall showing what's possible when we refuse to be erased.

These aren't just acts of individual bravery – they're the foundation of a powerful movement for change. At the Human Rights Campaign, we're transforming this groundswell of courage into an unstoppable force for equality. We're not just fighting back – we're fighting forward with a plan that matches the magnitude of this moment:

First, we're focusing our resources where they matter most: in our schools, where every student deserves to learn without fear; in our workplaces, where talent and dedication should determine success; and in policy fights and the political arena, where our fundamental rights must never be up for debate. We're deploying tactical teams across states, working in partnership with coalition allies to confront and defeat anti-LGBTQ+ legislation wherever it emerges.

Second, we're building power through unity. Our movement is strongest when we recognize that every fight for equality is interconnected. A lesbian couple concerned about their parental rights, a family fighting to protect their trans child's access to healthcare, and a gay person navigating workplace discrimination are not separate struggles – they're part of the same movement for dignity, respect, and justice. Those who target our most vulnerable only strengthen our resolve to stand together.

LGBTQ+ people are born into privilege and poverty, practice every faith and none at all, come from every racial background, and hold every political belief imaginable. You can try to deny our existence, but reality has a way of making itself known – in every extended family, in every classroom, in every workplace, we are there. And sooner or later, every family must reckon with the beautiful truth that we are part of their story. This unshakeable truth drives the Human Rights Campaign's mission.

Third, we’re changing the narrative. We're not seeking special treatment – we're fighting for equal treatment and a fair shot at the American dream. And we know that the power of our movement lies in our stories. We see it in leaders like Daniel Trujillo, a 17-year-old trans teen who reminds us that the next generation won't back down in the face of hate. We see it in Commander Emily Shilling of the U.S. Navy, whose powerful stand against anti-trans military bans shows that service to country and living authentically go hand in hand. Together, we're fighting back against coordinated attacks on DEI, voting rights, bodily autonomy, immigrant dignity, and worker protections. These aren't separate battles - they're all part of the same struggle for human dignity and justice. And we know that none of us are free until all of us are free.

Finally, we’re strengthening HRC for the long haul: We're evolving our structure to ensure we can meet this moment with the strategic expertise and national leadership required. Our team will prioritize policy leadership, uniting government affairs, legal, and litigation work to address the shifting landscape in Washington and state legislatures nationwide. From professional advocacy training to research-driven storytelling that shifts public opinion, we're building the tools necessary to support grassroots advocates and provide resources for those in the greatest need. And we’re doubling down on our work to ensure schools and workplaces are safe, welcoming, and inclusive places for our people. Here’s the bottom line: Our opponents think they can break us. Nothing could be further from the truth, this moment will only make us stronger. The same courage that fueled Stonewall, that fought back against the AIDS crisis, that won marriage equality – that courage lives in millions of Americans today.

To those who doubt us: You do so at your own peril. What makes the LGBTQ+ community unstoppable isn’t just what we’re fighting against – it’s what we’re fighting for: love that knows no bounds and justice that leaves no one behind.

Join us. The next chapter in America's journey toward equality is being written right now, and all of us have a part to play.

Kelley Robinson is president of the Human Rights Campaign.

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