WATCH: Walz delivers remarks at Human Rights Campaign national dinner for LGBTQ+ equality

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), founded in 1980, is the largest and most influential LGBTQ lobbying group in the U.S., with over 3 million members. It advocates for the elimination of discrimination against LGBTQ individuals and for their inclusion as equal members of society. Historically, HRC has been a driving force behind key legislative changes, including the legalization of same-sex marriage, expanding hate crime laws to protect sexual orientation and gender identity, and repealing the U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Although HRC claims to be nonpartisan, it has close ties to the Democratic Party, backing Bill Clinton in 1992, Barack Obama in 2008, and playing a prominent role in campaigns against conservative measures like the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA). HRC also critiques Christian institutions that seek religious exemptions under Title IX, portraying them as discriminatory toward LGBTQ students.

HRC receives financial backing from foundations like the Ford Foundation and George Soros’s Open Society Foundations, as well as support from celebrities such as Chelsea Clinton, George Clooney, and Bruce Springsteen. However, it has faced criticism for its internal culture, with reports of a judgmental and exclusionary work environment.