Welcome to Equality Asheville. The Coalition for Equality was formed in Asheville, North Carolina in 2005. We are a community working for equal rights for all,
including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.
The Coalition for Equality is composed of over a dozen faith and community organizations. It does not meet regularly but comes together when necessary for education, outreach, and action with a focus on local community issues.
Members of the WNC
Coalition for Equality:
First Congregational United Church of Christ Asheville
PFLAG Asheville
PFLAG Hendersonville/Flat Rock
Unitarian Universalist Congrega-
Gay and Lesbian Ministry
of the Episcopal Diocese of
Western North Carolina
Western North Carolina Citizens for an End to Institutional Bigotry
People of Faith for Just
Relationships
Unitarian Universalist Church
of Asheville
National Organization for
Women - Asheville Chapter
Henderson County Love
Welcomes All
New Creation Church of Fletcher
During the week of July 15 - 19, 2008, the western North Carolina-based
Coalition for Equality organized a community response to Exodus International holding an international conference in the Asheville, North Carolina area, attended by over 700 registrants.
Our purpose was to educate the public about the harmful realities of “reparative therapy,” (which misguidedly aims to change gay people into straight people), to reach out to the participants at the conference with love and hope, and to show solidarity between the GLBT & straight citizens of our region.
This community response received significant print, radio, and TV coverage and put Exodus International on the defensive. An indication of Exodus’ desperation was their offering a “happily married ex-gay couple” for a TV interview, a couple whose “solid” marriage had lasted a whopping ten months. The week was educational for the wider community and uplifting for the GLBT community targeted by Exodus.
We hope communities around the country will find what we did useful in developing their own response should Exodus International come to their cities.
Please look at our resources page and feel free to duplicate our materials in your response to Exodus International and/or other similar organizations.
Feel free to contact us if you have questions or need additional information.
Thank you and best wishes in your work!
Coalition for Equality ~ PO Box 2514, Asheville, NC 28802
info@equalityasheville.org ~ 828-335-0787
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