Letter From Tim Gill
Founder and Chairman

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15Reflecting on the First 15 Years
of the Gill Foundation

When my home state of Colorado tried to stamp out basic civil rights by passing an anti-gay initiative in 1992, I could not have imagined that by 2009 I would be married.

The marriage that my husband, Scott Miller, and I celebrated this spring in Massachusetts is not yet legal in my home state. Yet the amazing gains that we have made over the past 15 years give me confidence that our marriage will be recognized across the nation one day soon. Progress toward LGBT equality has been and will continue to be incremental: state by state, one law at a time.

I approach our 15th anniversary with two contrasting numbers in my mind. The first is that only 24 percent of the U.S. population lives in states that recognize same-sex marriage or domestic partnerships/civil unions. The second number, a much more positive one, is that 75 percent of Americans support some form of relationship recognition. By any definition, the contrast between these two numbers is stark and maddening. It also serves as the inspiration for our work.

Since the economic downturn started, the Gill Foundation’s assets are down by more than a third. In spite of that, we’ve made a decision to only cut our giving by ten percent this year. Why? Never in my life-time have we had so many needs and opportunities. Consider this:

56% of Americans live in states where there is no statewide law protecting them from being fired simply because they are gay and 72% of the population lives in states where there are no statewide nondiscrimination laws that include gender-identity or expression.

“When others are bold,
be timid. When others
are timid, be bold…
I’ve decided to be bold.”

60% of the U.S. population – that’s more than 200 million Americans – is not covered by statewide laws that ensure safe schools for students regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

57% of LGBT youth are coming out before the age of 18. This creates all sorts of needs to accelerate our efforts especially when you consider that 53% of them have engaged in drug use over the past 30 days and that the children of gay parents are more than twice as likely to be impoverished.

I balance those realities with the opportunities that will lead to full equality:

Warren Buffett is fond of saying that when others are bold, be timid. And when others are timid, be bold. So that we can address the needs and take advantage of the opportunities that lie before us, I’ve decided to be bold.

Sincerely,

Tim Gill Signature

  • Relationship Recognition

    States that afford the freedom to marry to all caring, committed couples.

    States with statutes that make available to same-sex couples virtually all of the legal protections of marriage, but not the dignity and societal respect that accompanies the term “marriage.”

    States with very limited legal protections associated with marriage.

    States that recognize out-of-state marriages entered into by same-sex couples, but do not allow same-sex couples to marry.

    No statewide recognition, or legal protections of marriage for same-sex couples.

    Click here for more detailed information.

  • Harris Pulse of Equality Survey

    A Harris Interactive survey conducted in the wake of the passage of and protests against California’s Proposition 8 revealed that majorities of Americans favor a broad range of policies and legal protections for LGBT people. Specifically, three-quarters of U.S. adults (75%) favor either marriage or domestic partnerships/civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.

    Click here for more detailed information.

  • Nondiscrimination

    Statewide employment nondiscrimination statute that specifies sexual orientation and gender identity / expression.

    Statewide employment nondiscrimination statute that specifies sexual orientation only.States with very limited legal protections associated with marriage.

    No LGBT-specific statewide employment nondiscrimination statute.

    Click here for more detailed information.

  • Safe Schools

    Statewide statute that prohibits discrimination and/or harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity / expression in schools.

    Statewide statute that prohibits discrimination and/or harassment based on sexual orientation only in schools.

    Statewide regulation or policy that prohibits discrimination and/or harassment based on sexual orientation in schools.

    No statewide statute, regulation or policy that prohibits discrimination and/or harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity / expression in schools.

    Click here for more detailed information.

  • William Institute Report

    Earlier this year, the Williams Instituted issued an important report entitled “Poverty in the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community.” The report stamps out certain myths about the LGBT community.

    Click here for more detailed information.

  • Harris Pulse of Equality Survey

    A Harris Interactive survey conducted in the wake of the passage of and protests against California’s Proposition 8 revealed that majorities of Americans favor a broad range of policies and legal protections for LGBT people.

    Click here for more detailed information.

  • The American Episcopal Church

    “I think it (the Episcopal Church) will hold (together). Now that we’ve done the, quote, unthinkable, the church won’t look much different than before. Opponents of marriage equality predict the end of Western civilization as we know it if gay couples are allowed to marry. And then when it comes, there's no big whoop.”


    — Gay New Hampshire Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson to The New York Times, July 16, 2009. In mid-July, the church decided that open gays and lesbians — celibate or not — can be priests and bishops, granted local dioceses the option to bless same-sex marriages and civil unions, and launched a project to create official liturgies for the blessings.

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