The Top Five Takeaways from the Creating Change Convention

  

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force recently held their 25th National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Named Creating Change, the convention tackled and discussed a wide range of issues including LGBT immigration reform, changing social perceptions, and the future of LGBT activism. The most striking observation, and the most encouraging, is the fact that the LGBT movement is shifting from fighting for the freedom to no longer just love, but to also live in a more open and humane way with that love.
 


Here are the five best sessions from the Creating Change National Conference:

1. Immigration rights are LGBT rights. President Obama’s immigration reform, or Dream Act, covers a wide expanse of issues that cross over to long standing issues of LGBT equality and to ignore immigration rights while fighting for LGBT rights is ineffective.
2. Reproductive rights are LGBT rights. The Republican “War on Women” is doing all it can to limit the reproductive rights of women in America. This includes sexual education, freedom of choice and access regarding abortion, and inequality, or sometimes even outright refusal to sexual reproductive medical needs.
3. Securing trans equality should be a focus. Transgendered individuals are seeking more than just security in the workplace or military. The movement seeks to remove and destroy all the current hurdles that prevent a transgender from living the correct gender they are meant to live. The current trans rights movement is decades behind the gay rights movement, but with a broader group of supporters, this will change.
4. Humanitarian aid is the future of the LGBT movement. LGBT persecution around the world is still widespread and the LGBT community cannot effectively make real change without addressing the hate around the world.
5. Children’s books are destroying gender stereotypes. Teaching children and younger generations about LGBT rights, tolerance, acceptance, and integration is getting easier and more accessible with a handful of books that take another look at traditional gender roles. 

Advocates at Creating Change have much to celebrate, but the top five sessions prove that the road to freedom and equality is still a long road. If we continue to travel it together, we will reach our destination.

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