The oldest LGBT+ rights organisation in the United States has changed its name from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to the National LGBTQ Task Force days before its annual Miami Recognition Dinner.


While the organisation had not previously included bisexual, transgender, or questioning/queer individuals in its name, it has acted on behalf of these communities. In the case of transgender individuals, it has worked with the National Center for Transgender Equality on one of the most comprehensive reports about transgender discrimination in the United States. It has long "walked the walk," and changing its name is simply a matter of more bluntly "talking the talk." In a blurb on YouTube explaining the change, the organisation says they want to "tear down remaining barriers."

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is changing its name and upping its game to tear down any remaining barriers to full freedom, justice and equality for LBGTQ people. We've made progress and we need to finish the job we started 40 years ago. Our new name is National LGBTQ Task Force, our tagline is "Be you," and vision is a society that values and respects the diversity of human expression and achieves freedom for all.


As transgender rights issues become a bigger and bigger part of queer activism, more and more gay rights groups will recognise the need to rebrand themselves to show that transgender issues are important. May this be the first of many.

Video via YouTube.