The Family Equality Council is an organization that works with all levels of government to advance full social and legal equality for the approximately one million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families raising two million children. Some of the concerns of the Family Equality Council are parenting protections, adoption, repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, health insurance reform, immigration reform, and safe schools.  The Council works at both the state and federal level.

The organization was started in 1979 by a group of gay fathers who got together to form a network of support.  A few years later, the group expanded to include lesbian moms.  In 2007, the name was changed to Family Equality Council.  They have a vision of a world that treats all loving families equally.

On April 21, 2009, Clay Aiken received the Equality Circle Award from the Family Equality Council’s Night at the Tavern event in New York City.  Clay received the award for his commitment to loving families of all kinds, taking a stand, and sharing his journey to parenthood proudly.  According to their website:

Family Equality Council is proud to honor Clay for all of his work on behalf of children and for all that he does to make the world a safer place for his own child and the children of LGBT parents everywhere.

Clay thanked the group and said that the award belonged to everyone in the room.  He also suggested that it was important for straight people to speak up as much as people in the gay community.  The special guest performer for the evening was Broadway star, Linda Eder.

Clay had many fans in attendance for the beautiful dinner.  Held at the famous Tavern on the Green, the tickets were $250.00 per person and included a cocktail reception, a full-course seated dinner, live entertainment, and a silent auction.

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