Organizations
Below is a list of Kentucky’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender organizations. A link is provided below to each organization that links to us, or has requested to be listed; if you would like to request a Kentucky non-profit organization be added, please contact us.
For additional information about each organization, including shortcuts to their Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter profiles, please select the organization in the pull-down sub menu.
Activism / Civil Rights
- Fairness Campaign (Louisville): The Fairness Campaign is a broad-based community effort dedicated to equal rights. Its primary goal is comprehensive civil rights legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Fairness Campaign accomplishes its goals through public education and advocacy, political activity, community building and reciprocal alliances with others in the social justice community.
The Fairness Campaign seeks to dismantle oppression and build an inclusive community where all individuals are valued and empowered to reach their full potential.
We are a broad, diverse community of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender people and allies committed to transforming society and building a more just world.
- Kentucky Equality Federation (statewide): Kentucky Equality Federation is Kentucky’s largest all-volunteer grassroots lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (“LGBTI”) civil rights and advocacy organization. Kentucky Equality Federation is a diverse organization consisting of several corporations and groups with a common cause for Peace, Liberty, and Equality for All. Kentucky Equality leads efforts for LGBT civil rights at the state level through an array of strategies to bring equality and fairness to Kentucky.
Kentucky Equality Federation believes all people are endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness and fulfillment free from oppression, discrimination, school bullying, and hate crimes regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, creed, veteran status, political affiliation, or any other defining characteristic.
The end of discrimination is not simply the elimination of flagrant abuses, rather it is the ability of a person to fully exercise their Kentucky human rights to the same full extent enjoyed by their peers, without fear of retribution, aspersion, or harm, be that harm political or social.
We assist and act as public advocate for people who have been bullied, discriminated against, or victimized in addition to assisting them with legal remedies. When the laws have not caught up to the moral needs of society, we will seek their modification, pursuant to the creation of a just society.
Kentucky Equality Federation fights for:
We will remain ever vigilant against bureaucratic abuses of power, the evils of discriminatory legislation, and every other tool of oppressors, be they individuals, corporations, organizations, or governments.
We commit to the struggle for equal rights for all classes of people, groups, and organizations which share our values and call on all free and fair-minded people who share these values to join us in our common cause, and welcome all who share our commitment to justice and equality.
- Kentucky Fairness Alliance (regional): The Kentucky Fairness Alliance is an education and advocacy network dedicated to advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Kentuckians.
Founded in 1993 to battle legislation to criminalize sodomy, the Kentucky Fairness Alliance has been instrumental in defeating over 98% of all bills and amendments in Frankfort targeting LGBT people for discrimination. Our commitment to local organizing helped our chapters pass city- and county-wide Fairness ordinances in Lexington, Covington, and Henderson. (Henderson repealed their local ordinance)
We have emerged from the 2004 election, our most serious challenge to date, primed to take our commitment to change to the next level. With thousands of new Fair-minded Kentuckians from the “No on the Amendment” campaign now on our radar, we will become a driving force in Kentucky policymaking.
- Kentucky HIV/AIDS Advocacy & Action Group: The Mission of the Kentucky HIV/AIDS Advocacy & Action Group is to promote and ensure statewide responsibility for responding to the current HIV/AIDS crisis in Kentucky. The Kentucky HIV/AIDS Advocacy & Action Group™ is a coalition of groups concerned about the growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS in our Commonwealth and the often unrecognized impact that this infection has on all Kentucky citizens. Our membership includes people living with HIV/AIDS, medical and support care providers, representatives of payor organizations, community group leaders, and allied organizations
- Marriage Equality Kentucky: Marriage Equality Kentucky (“MEKY”) is an unincorporated grassroots movement sponsored by Kentucky Equality Federation that seeks legal recognition of same-sex couples through civil marriage in Kentucky.
Community Based Services
- AIDS Volunteers of Lexington: AVOL (AIDS Volunteers, Inc.) is a non-profit organization that provides services to those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as HIV prevention education & outreach to 72 counties in central, eastern, and southeastern Kentucky.
- COLAGE – Northern Kentucky Chapter: Children Of Lesbians And Gays Everywhere (“COLAGE”) is an international organization, created in 1989 by the children of several lesbians and gay men. Though its membership is not necessarily LGBT-identified, COLAGE’s focus on the issues of LGBT parents’ families makes it a de facto part of the LGBT community. There are 52 COLAGE chapters in the United States, 2 chapters in Canada, 1 European chapter, and 1 in the United Kingdom. COLAGE focuses on community building and work toward social justice through youth empowerment, leadership development, education, and advocacy.
- Gay & Lesbian Services Organization: The Lexington based Gay and Lesbian Services Organization (“GLSO”) is a non-profit, community based organization which has been around since 1977.
Eastern Kentucky Progressive