Major LGBTQ+ organizations initiate mass layoffs in the wake of right-wing hate

[Jessica_Rose]

Major LGBTQ+ organizations initiate mass layoffs in the wake of right-wing hate

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/major-lgbtq-organizations-initiate-mass-layoffs-in-the-wake-of-right-wing-hate/ar-AA1yQB5n?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=f94d343b2cd64223b2e81ccb53bf1fad&ei=6

Story by Molly Sprayregen (11 Feb 2025)

Two major LGBTQ+ organizations – GLSEN and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – both recently announced major layoffs, with HRC planning to lose 20 percent of its workforce and GLSEN losing a whopping 60 percent of its staff.

GLSEN executive director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers said the organization has experienced a sharp revenue loss and the layoffs are part of plans to "right-size" the educational advocacy organization.

"We are not an injured version of the GLSEN we were before Monday. We are a new organization," they told Advocate, confirming 18 employees had been laid off. "Right-sizing is bringing attention to the conditions, responding to the conditions, and being humble enough to do what is possible for us to survive, for us to be impactful, and for us to be sustainable."

HRC expressed similar sentiments. "Given the threats ahead of us, any LGBTQ organization or progressive organization that's not seriously evaluating their strategies and structures is missing the reality of the threats in front of us," a spokesperson told Advocate.

The organization will reportedly lay off about 50 employees by February 12, citing the need to "operate differently" as a result of the political and legislative climate. HRC representatives told Advocate it exceeded its funding goal over the past several years, which led the organization to expand programming and operating costs. But the expansion has now become unsustainable.