HRC Survey: Half of Jewish Communal Groups are Pro-Gay
The Human Rights Campaign released its first-ever index of inclusion within a faith-based community on Monday. The Jewish Organization Equality Index allows HRC to gauge the LGBT-friendly policies of North American Jewish communal groups. HRC’s Deputy Press Secretary Paul Guequierre said he is pleased with the 204 Jewish non-profit organizations that participated.
GUEQUIERRE: It’s really just the beginning of the dialogue. And hopefully in the future, other organizations will take note of these 200 that participated and see that they’re committed to making progress in LGBT equality. And that hopefully the other organizations that see that will do the same and follow suit.
The organizations that participated answered an 89-question survey with fifty percent receiving the top score of “inclusion.” Ninety percent of responding organizations have inclusive terms in their publicity material while 73-percent have non-discrimination policies on the books.
The index was initiated by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, among others, and aims to push the Jewish community to prioritize inclusion of LGBT employees, members, and volunteers.
-Chasen Stern
