{{Short description|American advocacy group for LGBTQ rights}} {{Infobox non-profit |name = SC Equality |image = Sc equality logo.jpg |region_served= South Carolina |type = Nonprofit organization |tax_id = |revenue = |location = Columbia, South Carolina |founded = 2002 |key_people = James Agens, Executive Director |num_employees = |website = {{URL|http://www.equalmeanseveryone.org/}} |former_name = South Carolina Equality Coalition (SCEC) }}
'''SC Equality''' is a nonprofit organization advocating for LGBTQ rights in South Carolina.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Our Mission|url=http://www.equalmeanseveryone.org/get-to-know-us/our-mission/|last=admin|website=SC Equality|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-22}}</ref>
== History == SC Equality was incorporated in 2002 in Columbia, South Carolina, by Nekki Shutt as South Carolina Equality Coalition (SCEC).<ref>{{Cite news|date=2002-08-05|title=FOR THE RECORD - INCORPORATIONS PART 2|work=The State (Columbia, S.C.)}}</ref> 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 people in South Carolina through promoting tolerance, politically organizing gay people and allies and changing discriminatory laws.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Knopf|first=Schuyler|date=2003-04-03|title=Gay activists to discuss political role|work=The Post and Courier}}</ref>
SCEC was the recipient of a 2003 Equality Fund grant from the Human Rights Campaign to support its political lobbying efforts.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2002-08-31|title=South Carolina Equality Coalition gets first-time grant|work=Q-notes|url=http://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/2006225405/2002-08-31/ed-1/seq-22/|access-date=2020-05-22}}</ref> SCEC led a major campaign against South Carolina Amendment 1, which was a ballot measure 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 organized public testimony against the amendment at legislative subcommittee hearings.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Madden|first=Ed|date=2005-03-26|title=News notes: SC|work=Q-notes|url=http://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/2006225405/2005-03-26/ed-1/seq-10/|access-date=2020-05-22}}</ref> The amendment passed the South Carolina Senate with a vote of 36–1, with Senator Robert Ford of Charleston the sole dissenting vote.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Ketner|first1=Linda|last2=Miller|first2=Donald|date=2005-04-23|title=S.C. Senate amends and approves amendment banning same-sex marriage|work=Q-notes|url=http://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/2006225405/2005-04-23/ed-1/seq-15/|access-date=2020-05-22}}</ref> 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, hosting "Fairness for All Families" fundraising house parties, and a statewide bus tour.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2006-07-14|title=Bus tour backs fairness for families|work=The Post and Courier}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Madden |first1=Ed |last2=McFadden |first2=Kittredge |last3=Redman-Gress |first3=Warren |title=News notes: SC |url=http://newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/2006225405/2005-10-22/ed-1/seq-10/ |access-date=2020-05-22 |work=Q-notes |date=2005-10-22}}</ref> Groups lobbying in favor of the amendment included the Palmetto Family Council, led by Henry McMaster and Oran Smith.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2006-05-31|title=McMaster leads group against same-sex marriage|work=The Post and Courier}}</ref> The amendment ultimately passed with 78% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CNN.com - Elections 2006|url=https://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/SC/I/01/|website=www.cnn.com|access-date=2020-05-22}}</ref>
SCEC later rebranded as SC Equality and continued its advocacy work at the state level.<ref name=":0" /> On June 26, 2013, SC Equality organized a march in Columbia in anticipation of the Supreme Court's decision in ''United States v. Windsor''.<ref>{{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}}</ref>
== References == <references />
== External links == [http://www.equalmeanseveryone.org/ SC Equality website] Category:LGBTQ political advocacy groups in the United States Category:LGBTQ in South Carolina Category:2002 establishments in South Carolina Category:Non-profit organizations based in South Carolina Category:American organizations established in 2002