Mission:
To create "an America where gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of the American family at home, at work and in every community" through public education campaigns, policy advocacy, and corporate and media outreach.
Founded:
In 1980 as the Human Rights Campaign Fund, a PAC to support gay and gay-friendly candidates, as an alternative to the decidedly not-gay-friendly Moral Majority and other right-wing organizations. The group shortened its name to the Human Rights Campaign in 1995.
Organizational Structure:
With over 700,000 members and donors, the HRC is by far the largest LGBT advocacy group in the United States. It conducts activism through a national office and through a network of statewide groups, and also undertakes visibility initiatives such as the annual True Colors Tour, which features LGBT and pro-LGBT performers.
Supporters Say:
The Human Rights Campaign isn't just the largest and most well-funded LGBT advocacy group; it's also the most mainstream, which has attracted the attention of celebrities and given it considerable success advocating for more gay-friendly corporate policies.
Critics Say:
The mainstream character of the HRC has also led to criticism that it has sold out and does not play the leadership role that it should in the LGBT civil rights movement. The HRC has also been criticized in the past for a relative lack of diversity, a problem that the organization is directly confronting through a new diversity initiative.
I Say:
There are practical advantages and disadvantages to the HRC model, and whether you like the HRC probably has more to do with your personality than your beliefs. If your preference is for direct action, grassroots community organizing, and aggressive policy reform, then the HRC approach probably isn't for you. But if you're more interested in incremental reform, bridge-building, and greater LGBT cultural visibility, then the HRC may be exactly what you're looking for.
