LGBTQ+ & the NAACP
Advocating for Marriage and Family Protections for LGBTQIA+ Individuals
WHEREAS, The NAACP affirms the fundamental right of all individuals to marry, form families, and pursue their lives free from discrimination, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity; and
WHEREAS, The freedom to marry the person of one's choice is a constitutionally protected right, as established in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), and the Respect for Marriage ACT (RFMA), passed by Congress in 2022, affirmed the legal recognition of both same sex and interracial marriages nationwide, and yet continues to face challenges from legislative and judicial actions aiming to restrict marriage equality; and
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LGBTQ+ Resolution
WHEREAS, On August 25, 2017, NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson stated, "We pledge today to stand with our transgender brothers and sisters as we continue to fight any efforts to codify discrimination into law;" and
WHEREAS, The NAACP, therefore, passed a Resolution at said Convention in which it determined that the NAACP shall encourage the promotion of diversity and sensitivity trainings in all NAACP trainings and programs to encourage the inclusion of members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) community as active civil rights activists and fighters within the NAACP; and
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Inclusion of LGBTQ Diversity and Sensitivity Training NAACP Programs
WHEREAS, the mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons; and
WHEREAS, the vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, the NAACP voted in favor of supporting marriage equality; and
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What's happening
Events
The Gloucester County NAACP is committed to creating safe, affirming, and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ community members, families, allies, and advocates. Future events will focus on connection, visibility, education, and community support.
Trainings & Workshops
Our branch is working to develop trainings and workshops that support greater understanding, inclusion, and respect for LGBTQ+ individuals and families. These programs may include community education, sensitivity training, allyship, civil rights protections, and ways to better support LGBTQ+ residents across Gloucester County.
Find Support
If you are seeking support, resources, or connection related to LGBTQ+ advocacy, inclusion, or community concerns, please reach out to our LGBTQ+ Committee Chair, Serene Quick. The Gloucester County NAACP is committed to listening, learning, and helping connect community members with appropriate support and resources.
Please check back for upcoming events and community opportunities.
Please check back for upcoming events and community opportunities.
Contact the LGBTQ+ Committee Chair
Planning an Event? Let’s Connect.
If you’re planning a community event, conversation, resource fair, workshop, or gathering that supports LGBTQ+ residents, families, or allies, we’d love to connect. Reach out to our LGBTQ+ Committee Chair to explore how the Gloucester County NAACP may be able to participate, partner, or help support the effort.
Complete partnership form.
In the News
NAACP Stands with Transgender Athletes Following Supreme Court Ruling
Press Statement June 30, 2026
WASHINGTON – The NAACP condemns the Supreme Court's decision in Little v. Hecox, upholding state laws banning transgender youth athletes from competing in sports that align with individual identity. This ruling does not protect fairness. It targets children. And it sends a dangerous message to every trans young person in America: that the highest court in the land does not acknowledge their full humanity.
Read the full press release
Defending LGBTQ+ Rights
LDF's Advocacy and Landmark Cases
Legal Defense Fund LDF History
LDF puts this value into practice by defending the rights and dignity of Black people and other historically marginalized groups — including the LGBTQ+ community, which Black people also proudly belong to. Living up to our best values and realizing the highest ideals of our country means standing up for the civil rights of all people.
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'We support it': NAACP Endorses LGBTQ
Equality Act
ABC News March 22, 2019
The NAACP, the country’s oldest African-American civil rights organization, publicly endorsed the Equality Act, a federal LGBTQ anti-discrimination bill.
“We support what it does — and we support it now,” Hilary Shelton, the organization's D.C. bureau director, told NBC News on Friday. “It’s
important that it gets through.”
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Historic NAACP Vote Signals the Ultimate Failure of Divisive NOM Strategy
ACLU May 21, 2012
The NAACP’s freedom to marry resolution also signals the ultimate failure of an ugly and divisive strategy from the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage (NOM). It was recently revealed in internal strategy memos from NOM that the organization hoped to pit racial and ethnic minorities against the LGBT community as a way to defeat and rollback gay rights advances, specifically marriage for same-sex couples.
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