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Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender (LGBT) equal rights organization in the United States, with over
600,000 members. The HRC "envisions an America where GLBT people are ensured of
their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and
in the community. The Human Rights Campaign is a visible entity in U.S.
politics. It lobbies Congress for support of LGBT-positive bills, works to build
an LGBT-friendly Congress by funding those politicians that support the LGBT
community, mobilizes grassroots action amongst its members, and encourages
members to employ their right to vote in every election. Through its website,
the HRC also assists members in identifying state and local lawmakers,
researching state and local laws regarding issues central to LGBT causes,
reviewing scorecards of how lawmakers rate on LGBT issues, and drafting and
sending letters to lawmakers.Additionally, HRC maintains information on how to
come out and information about workplace issues (in the Corporate Equality
Index).
The Human Rights Campaign Fund was established in 1980 by Steve Endean to
raise money for gay-supportive congressional candidates. Within three months
time, the HRC was registered with the Federal Election Commission as an
independent political action committee. In 1983, Vic Basile, one of the leading
LGBT rights activists in Washington, DC at the time, was elected as the first
executive director. In October 1986, the HRC Foundation was formed. As with many
gay organizations in the 1980s, HRC's membership was devastated by the onslaught
of AIDS and they spent much of the decade struggling to hold their ground.
In January 1989, Basile announced his departure, and the HRC reorganized from
serving mainly as a PAC to becoming a lobbying and political organization. The
purpose statement of the HRC became,
“ For the promotion of the social welfare of the gay and lesbian community by
drafting, supporting and influencing legislation and policy at the federal,
state and local level. ”
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