Dear John,

A lot has improved for LGBTIQ people in the last 30 years. But it is still almost unbelievably hard in too many places around the world. 

And this is why OutRight depends on your support today on Giving Tuesday.

When I think of the time I came of age in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the US, it was a time of radical social transformation. Yet, the burgeoning “gay liberation” movement was nearly invisible and rarely acknowledged in my world. I can remember vividly how the word “lesbian” conjured up great discomfort- almost disgust on people’s faces.

It wasn’t until I was 28, not so long before OutRight’s founding, when I met and fell in love with Renée, now my wife, that I came to terms with who I am.

And though we’ve come a long way since the 1960s and ’70s, we continue to face obstacles and challenges throughout the world.

Can you help us strengthen our movement with a gift today?

Joining the board of OutRight Action International, for the first time, I felt that I had a direct impact on the lives of LGBTIQ people everywhere. During my 25 years in global health, I saw how Queer people were neglected, left behind, and forgotten, even when illnesses, like HIV and tuberculosis, disproportionately affected our community. Through OutRight, I could make a difference and I invite you to be part of making a difference today.

It was truly a remarkable experience to serve on the board of OutRight for over nine years and as the Co-Chair for the last three (2014-2017).

There’s no doubt in my mind that OutRight’s ongoing commitment to feminist, intersectional, anti-racist principles has strengthened our relevance in this time of deep reckoning of injustices.

I’m so thankful that I get to continue to work in this amazing organization as the Senior Research Advisor. Through the research, knowledge, and perseverance of OutRight, I believe 20 years from now on our 50th anniversary, we will be celebrating much broader social acceptance and the embrace of diversity throughout the world. Where the history of LGBTIQ discrimination is a figment of the past rather than an undeniable truth.

We have two sons in their 20s now, and I dearly hope that they will see this new reality. That they can love who they love freely, without fear of retaliation.

And with your help today, I know this dream of mine will come closer.

With hope,

Amie Bishop
Senior Research Advisor
OutRight Action International

PS. If you already donated, thank you so much! Donations today are doubled, thanks to a few generous donors.