SC Equality is a nonprofit organization advocating for LGBTQ rights in South Carolina.

History

SC Equality was incorporated in 2002 in Columbia, South Carolina, by Nekki Shutt as South Carolina Equality Coalition (SCEC). By 2003, the group was made up of 19 organizations, including the Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA). Its goal was to improve the conditions of gay and

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

people in South Carolina through promoting tolerance, politically organizing gay people and allies and changing discriminatory laws. SCEC was the recipient of a 2003 Equality Fund grant from the

Human Rights Campaign The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for LGB ...

to support its political lobbying efforts. SCEC led a major campaign against South Carolina Amendment 1, which was a

ballot measure A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

part of the 2006 election. The amendment stated that a marriage between one man and one woman would be the only valid domestic union recognized in the state. In 2005, then-chair of SCEC

Linda Ketner Linda Ketner (born May 12, 1950) is a philanthropist and co-founder of the Charleston, South Carolina-based LGBTQ advocacy group Alliance for Full Acceptance. In 2008, she became the first openly gay candidate for the House of Representatives i ...

organized public testimony against the amendment at legislative subcommittee hearings. The amendment passed the

South Carolina Senate The South Carolina Senate is the upper house of the South Carolina General Assembly, the lower house being the South Carolina House of Representatives. It consists of 46 senators elected from single member districts for four-year terms at the sa ...

with a vote of 36–1, with Senator Robert Ford of

Charleston Charleston most commonly refers to: * Charleston, South Carolina * Charleston, West Virginia, the state capital * Charleston (dance) Charleston may also refer to: Places Australia * Charleston, South Australia Canada * Charleston, Newfoundlan ...

the sole dissenting vote. SCEC and its constituent members, including AFFA and South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement, continued to campaign against the amendment through to the election, including canvassing at the

South Carolina State Fair The South Carolina State Fair is an annual 12-day state fair held in Columbia, South Carolina and operated by the State Agricultural and Mechanical Society of South Carolina. North American Midway Entertainment caters rides, food, and games for ...

, hosting "Fairness for All Families" fundraising house parties, and a statewide bus tour. Groups lobbying in favor of the amendment included the Palmetto Family Council, led by Henry McMaster and Oran Smith. The amendment ultimately passed with 78% of the vote. SCEC later rebranded as SC Equality and continued its advocacy work at the state level. On June 26, 2013, SC Equality organized a march in Columbia in anticipation of the Supreme Court's decision in '' United States v. Windsor''.{{Cite news, last=Cohen, first=Susan, date=2013-06-25, title=S.C. Equality to host March for Equality in Columbia tomorrow, work=Charleston City Paper, url=https://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/TheBattery/archives/2013/06/25/sc-equality-to-host-march-for-equality-in-columbia-tomorrow, access-date=2020-07-08, archive-date=2020-07-08, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708165403/https://www.charlestoncitypaper.com/TheBattery/archives/2013/06/25/sc-equality-to-host-march-for-equality-in-columbia-tomorrow, url-status=dead

References

External links

SC Equality website
LGBT political advocacy groups in the United States Organizations established in 2002 LGBT in South Carolina 2002 establishments in South Carolina Non-profit organizations based in South Carolina