The organization was founded in 2003 with the name Woodhull Freedom Foundation.[5] It began with a focus on global and domestic human rights, specifically looking at sexual freedom.[5] It is named for Victoria Woodhull (1838–1927), the first woman to own a company on Wall Street and to run for President of the United States.[6] Its focus includes examining the stakeholders that maintain a climate of sexual repression.[7]
The organization releases an annual report in September on "Sexual Freedom Day" called the "State of Sexual Freedom", which describes goals towards increasing sexual freedom.[6] Woodhull's public relations representative Jeffrey Montgomery told the Washington Blade that their goals intersected with human rights: "Woodhull is the organization at the intersection of all sexual freedom issues because of the common core value of fundamental human rights. ... Without sexual freedom all personal freedoms are at risk."[6] Woodhull tracks laws and regulations pertaining to sexual activity in the United States.[5][8]
Early activities: 2004–2009
In 2004, Woodhull joined with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in devoting resources towards analyzing old regulations used to harass LGBTQ people.[9][10] The purpose of the study was to analyze existing regulations in the United States with regards to sexual activity, and simultaneously to foster ties between those against sexual repression and LGBT organizations.[10] In 2005, Woodhull again coordinated with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in order to organize an event known as "Red, White and Leather for Independence Day", in which over 30 leather bars in 17 cities took part.[11] Writer Eric Rofes served on the board of Woodhull before passing away in 2006.[12][13] In 2007, its Sexual Freedom Day was commemorated with a discussion group examining the idea of sexual freedom as a segment of human rights.[7] Sexual Freedom Day took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the first event of its kind on October 6, 2007 and included "a fund raiser featuring the Peek-a-Boo Revue and DJ Johanna Constantine and DJ Roots and Groove."[14]
The organization gave its 2010 Victoria Woodhull Sexual Freedom Award on September 23 of that year to Kushaba Moses Mworeko, an individual from Uganda who sought asylum in the United States due to his sexual orientation.[16] Author Hardy Haberman was a board member of Woodhull in 2011.[17] On November 17, 2011, Woodhull worked with the DC Trans Coalition, the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance, Gender Rights Maryland, Get Equal DC, Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive (HIPS), the Rainbow Response Coalition, and Transgender Health Empowerment to form a coalition sponsoring a "Transgender Day of Action" in Washington, D.C., that highlights examples of mistreatment of transgender people by law enforcement.[18] The event served as a precursor to the Transgender Day of Remembrance which followed on November 20.[19]
On June 28, 2018, attorneys for Woodhull filed the first legal challenge to the unconstitutional SESTA/FOSTA legislation.[23] According to Ricci Levy, President & CEO of Woodhull, "FOSTA chills sexual speech and harms sex workers. It makes it harder for people to take care of and protect themselves".
An academic paper by Susan Wright in the Journal of Homosexuality about those who faced discrimination due to sadomasochism (SM) described Woodhull as an organization "that addresses both international and national sexual freedom issues as well as a host of other health and human rights issues."[5] Wright noted Woodhull dedicates its focus towards changing regulations and existing laws.[5]
^Teague, Bryan (January 2010). "CLAW Nation San Diego Helps Woodhull Foundation". The Leather Journal (238). Hollywood, California: EBSCO Publishing; Database: LGBT Life with Full Text: 20.