The Dallas Principles is a set of eight guiding principles to achieve full LGBT

LGBT

LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...

 equality. The principles are:

1. Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable.
2. We will not leave any part of our community behind.
3. Separate is never equal.
4. Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights.
5. The establishment and guardianship of full civil rights is a non-partisan issue.
6. Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged.
7. Success is measured by the civil rights we all achieve, not by words, access or money raised.
8. Those who seek our support are expected to commit to these principles.

The principles were drafted May 15-17, 2009, in Dallas, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

, by 24 LGBT rights advocates who were frustrated with the Obama administration's

Presidency of Barack Obama

The Presidency of Barack Obama began at noon EST on January 20, 2009 when he became the 44th President of the United States. Obama was a United States Senator from Illinois at the time of his victory over Arizona Senator John McCain in the 2008 presidential election...

 pace of fulfilling its campaign promises to the LGBT community.

The authors of the Dallas Principles are Juan Ahonen-Jover, Ken Ahonen-Jover, John Bare, Jarrett Barrios

Jarrett Barrios

Jarrett Tomás Barrios is a politician, activist, and executive, currently serving as the chief executive of the American Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts. He was a member of both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Massachusetts Senate and became the first Latino and first openly...

, Dana Beyer, Jeffrey H. Campagna, Mandy Carter, Michael Coe, Jimmy Creech

Jimmy Creech

Jimmy Creech is a lifelong pioneer in LGBT equality issues. Creech is a former United Methodist minister who was defrocked for marrying same-sex couples....

, Allison Duncan, Michael Guest

Michael Guest

Michael E. Guest was the U.S. Ambassador to Romania, appointed by President George W. Bush. Guest was sworn in by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on September 18, 2001 and took up his duties on September 24, 2001...

, Joanne Herman, Donald Hitchcock, Lane Hudson

Lane Hudson

Lane Hudson is a former campaign worker for the United States Democratic Party and a liberal blogger who exposed the Mark Foley scandal.Hudson was profiled in Time magazine's December 13, 2006 issue.-Early life:...

, Charles Merrill, Dixon Osburn, Lisa Polyak, Barbra Casbar Siperstein, Pam Spaulding, Andy Szekeres, Lisa Turner, Jon Winkleman, and Paul Yandura.

External links

• Dallas Principles Homepage
• The Dallas Principles full text with Preamble, Civil Rights Goals, and Call to Action