Announcements Archives - American Atheists

Joint Statement Regarding Changes in Board Membership

American Atheists — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 21:41:33 +0000

Today, American Atheists Board Chairperson Jen Scott and Mandisa Thomas, Founder and President of Black Nonbelievers, released the following statements: From Mandisa Thomas, President and Founder of Black Nonbelievers After careful thought and consideration, I have informed my colleagues on the American Atheists Board of Directors that I would be taking time to focus on my work at Black Nonbelievers and resigning from my position on the board. It has been an honor to serve as a member of this organization’s board and to collaborate so closely with these amazing activists — and friends — who work so tirelessly to advance the cause of atheism in America. From Jen Scott, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of American Atheists I appreciate the time I’ve spent working with Mandisa, advancing our shared commitment to building an atheist community that reflects our values and includes the full range of diverse life experiences of atheists in America. She has been a valuable member of our board and I can’t thank her enough for her contributions to this organization. I look forward to seeing what comes next for Black Nonbelievers.

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U.S. State Department and Secular Organizations Emphasize Need to Protect Nonreligious People Worldwide

American Atheists — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 17:47:38 +0000

Washington, D.C.—On December 8, the religious freedom watchdog American Atheists held a briefing for Humanists International’s 2022 Freedom of Thought Report at the Hill Center. The report, now in its eleventh edition, assesses every country in the world on the basis of human rights and the legal status of humanists, atheists, and other nonreligious people. At the event, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain and Commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Frederick Davie emphasized the need to protect the freedom of belief of everyone, including atheists, agnostics, and other nonreligious people. “The United States strongly supports freedom of religion or belief, including for those who do not have religious beliefs. This freedom extends to everyone and to everywhere,” said Ambassador Hussain. “The United States government opposes laws that impede individuals to choose or practice a faith, change their religion, or choose not to practice a religion. We do so not only because it is the right thing to do but because we know that these laws undermine peace and security.” “We advocate for the right of every person to organize their life according to their conscience. No one should have the religion or values of another imposed on them,” he added. “Unfortunately, humanists and atheists have often been targeted with violence and repression when they seek to manifest their beliefs. Several countries have laws criminalizing atheism or activities that advocate humanist thought,” said Commissioner Davie. “USCIRF is steadfastly committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief for all, including humanists, atheists, freethinkers, and other nonbelievers. After all, Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protect not only the right to believe in and practice a religion and to change religion but also the right to hold nontheistic or atheistic beliefs.” “The nonreligious—be they humanists, atheists, unaffiliated, disinterested—are a distinct category within freedom of religion or belief, who have their universal human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, including the right to freedom of thought and expression,” said Humanists at Risk Coordinator for Humanists International Emma Wadsworth-Jones. “Discrimination against this community is pervasive.” Humanists International’s 2022 Freedom of Thought Report has found that only 4% of the global population live in societies with a clear separation of religious and political authorities, in societies that do not discriminate against any religion or belief community. According to the organization’s research, 70% of the world’s population live in countries where the expression of humanist values is severely repressed, where the full realization of one’s right to freedom of religion or belief is impossible. Speakers at the event repeatedly brought up the case of Mubarak Bala, a Nigerian humanist leader jailed for 24 years. “As much as we speak about this issue as an international one, we would be remiss to not focus on the discrimination against secularists right here in our country,” said U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-2), co-chair and co-founder of the Congressional Freethought Caucus, in a pre-recorded video. “Individuals still face threats, intimidation, social stigma, discrimination. There are even outdated laws that prevent […]

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Nonreligious LGBTQ Americans Face Heightened Stigma, Especially in Very Religious Areas

American Atheists — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 13:50:13 +0000

Washington, D.C.—Today, the civil rights organization American Atheists released a data report entitled Nonreligious LGBTQ People in America. Counting 7,759 nonreligious LGBTQ participants (22.9% of the nearly 34,000-person total sample) and organized by a team of researchers at Strength in Numbers Consulting Group, this is the largest study of nonreligious LGBTQ Americans. In comparison to cisgender, heterosexual nonbelievers, LGBTQ participants faced significantly more stigma and discrimination, researchers found. American Atheists warns that, given the make-up of this Supreme Court and the religiously motivated bias of prominent lawmakers, such stigma and discrimination are likely to increase. “LGBTQ atheists face widespread stigma and discrimination,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy, who spearheaded this data collection project. “With half of LGBTQ people being nonreligious, we often experience both religious oppression and anti-LGBTQ bigotry.” A larger percentage of LGBTQ nonreligious participants faced stigma and discrimination in various areas of their lives than did their cisgender, heterosexual peers, including in the military (54.1% vs. 44.9%), education (33.2% vs. 28.1%), and employment (23.6% vs. 21.0%). This disparity was especially pronounced in areas like mental health services (23.4% vs. 15.4%), reproductive care (20.8% vs. 12.0%), and substance abuse services (20.1% vs. 13.7%). In addition, researchers found that more than one quarter (27.9%) of LGBTQ participants screened positive for depression. This is twice the rate of cisgender, heterosexual participants (13.8%). “LGBTQ atheists and agnostics already experienced heightened stigma because of their nonreligious beliefs. But this data was captured before the rampant political attacks targeting LGBTQ young people and their families over the last two years and the extreme Supreme Court decisions that have opened the door for public school staff to preach anti-LGBTQ theology,” said Gill. “We would expect that many members of our community—especially students in very religious areas—may feel even more stigma today.” Nearly half (46.5%) of LGBTQ participants living in very religious communities encountered negative experiences or discrimination in education settings due to their nonreligious beliefs, which is twice the rate of those in less religious communities (26.6%). Trans and gender nonconforming youth ages 18-24 were significantly more likely to encounter discrimination in education because of their nonreligious beliefs than their cisgender, heterosexual peers (38.9% vs. 28.1%). “Keeping public schools safe and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ nonreligious students is vital,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “It is no wonder that Christian extremists are targeting schools: it’s where they’re most able to harm LGBTQ nonreligious students. It’s reprehensible and wrong.” View the full report at www.secularsurvey.org/LGBTQ.

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American Atheists Board of Directors Changes Leadership

American Atheists — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 15:23:19 +0000

Cranford, NJ—Today, American Atheists announced the election of Jen Scott (left) as Chair of the Board of Directors and Debby Williams (right) as Treasurer. Both were elected by a unanimous vote. Jen Scott is a passionate community organizer and grassroots activist. In 2016, she co-organized a campaign against the Ark Encounter, drawing international attention to its anti-evolution teachings, anti-LGBTQ hiring practices, and acceptance of state tax incentives. She has also organized actions countering the KKK and the Westboro Baptist Church. Scott is the Southwest Ohio Regional Organizer at Equality Ohio, an organizer for Cincinnati Pride, co-founder of the Community of Reason, and was named the 2018 American Atheists Activist of the Year. “With her extraordinary energy and achievements, Jen Scott is a model for atheist activists across the country,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “Jen’s new role is a further testament to the importance we must place on local organizing, field work, and civic engagement at the grassroots level. Her dedication reinforces who we are as an organization. We are thrilled to welcome her as our new chairperson.” Scott, who previously served as Board Treasurer, will replace Neal Cary, American Atheists’ chairperson for the past 12 years. “In my role as chair, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with the diverse, talented, and dedicated board of American Atheists and with our exceptional staff,” said Cary. “I love American Atheists. I look forward to continuing my service on the board, and I am excited for our future with fresh leadership from Jen and Debby.” Debby Williams has spent her career working in atheist and progressive spaces. She worked on the 2008 Obama campaign in Florida, was elected to the board of the Humanists of Houston, and became president of the organization. She joined American Atheists’ board of directors in 2021. “Having worked as a board member and treasurer for a number of atheist and other community groups and nonprofits, Debby brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to American Atheists,” said Fish. “We are fortunate to have such great board members from such diverse experiences and viewpoints coming together to do our important work.” “Thanks to the steady leadership of Neal these past 12 years and the wealth of innovative ideas, creative collaboration, and tireless passion every member of our board brings to the organization, American Atheists has never been in a better position to defend civil rights for atheists and all Americans,” he added.

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New Report Finds Nonreligious Women Face Greater Discrimination, Seek Community

American Atheists — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 12:30:18 +0000

Washington, D.C—Today, the secular organizations American Atheists and Secular Woman released Nonreligious Women in America, a report based on a survey of 13,522 nonreligious women, drawn from a larger survey of nearly 34,000 nonreligious people living in America, organized by a team of researchers at Strength in Numbers Consulting Group. The Nonreligious Women in America report raises awareness about nonreligious women, highlights their priorities and needs, and proposes solutions to reduce the stigma and discrimination they face. “Nonreligious women are a growing and politically engaged population, yet they still too often face ridicule, negative stereotypes, and marginalization with their families, in broader society, and even within atheist communities,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy, who authored the report. “Discrimination isolates secular women and contributes to economic insecurity. It must end.” Compared to other participants, women reported more discrimination because of their nonreligious beliefs in nearly every area of their lives. A significantly higher proportion of nonreligious women had negative experiences in reproductive care (18.9% versus 9.5%), and this discrimination was markedly higher in very religious communities than less religious communities (25.3% versus 15.8%). Participants who experienced discrimination related to reproductive care were 44.9% more likely than other participants to screen positive for depression. “Atheism is a politically active movement. We must engage more to protect abortion access,” said Stephanie Zvan of Secular Women, the only organization exclusively dedicated to representing the interests of nonreligious women. “Women-led groups have already been very active on reproductive rights. Yet other groups have questioned whether religious attacks on abortion should even be considered a secular issue.” The report found that nonreligious women prioritize policy issues that directly impact them, their families, and their communities. Women participants were more likely than other participants to consider access to abortion and contraception a top-three priority issue (48.0% versus 31.4%) and to consider it a “very important” issue (93.4% versus 81.5%). Nonreligious women were also more likely than other participants to consider as “very important” issues: comprehensive and medically accurate sex education (90.8% versus 81.9%), LGBTQ equality (88.8% versus 76.8%), and protecting the environment against climate change (88.5% and 82.4%). “The secular community must actively include women and listen to what they have to say,” said Debbie Goddard, Vice President for Programs at American Atheists. “Already, the stereotype that only men are atheists leaves nonreligious women feeling invisible, ignored, and unlikely to want to participate in the secular community. Atheist groups can engage and retain women members by prioritizing their needs.” Despite the challenges secular women face in atheist spaces, they are far more likely than other nonreligious people to seek out and value membership in local and national groups. Women participants were more likely than other participants to be a member of a local secular organization (25.0% versus 20.1%). The report found that membership in national or local secular organizations was an important protective factor against depression. Women who were members of national or local organizations were about one-third less likely than nonmembers to be depressed. In very religious areas, where nonreligious people are subject to greater stigma, women were more than 1.5 times […]

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Black Atheists Often Feel Forced to Hide Their Beliefs, Resulting in Significant Harm, New Research Finds

American Atheists — Tue, 05 Oct 2021 13:30:03 +0000

Washington, DC—Today, the atheist organizations American Atheists and Black Nonbelievers released Black Nonreligious Americans, a report based on a survey of 891 Black participants, drawn from a larger survey of nonreligious people living in America, organized by a team of researchers at Strength in Numbers Consulting Group. The data indicates that Black nonreligious Americans often hide their nonreligious beliefs, even from their close family members, out of fear of rejection. Further, rejection by family members is likely to result in depression and other negative outcomes, the report found. To help reduce these harms, Black Nonbelievers and American Atheists encourage families and communities to fully accept nonreligious people. They are also calling on the media to avoid the false stereotype that all Black Americans are religious. “Black organizations and members of the media too often overlook the struggles of Black atheists,” said Debbie Goddard, Vice President for Programs at American Atheists and former director of African Americans for Humanism. “Many of us have experiences that are distinct from those of other Black people but also from those of most atheists. This report helps tell the stories people need to hear about the experiences of those of us who live at the intersection of being both Black and nonreligious.” The report found that nearly four in ten (39.6%) Black survey respondents mostly or always concealed their nonreligious beliefs from members of their immediate family, compared with 31.2% of other nonreligious respondents. The rate of concealment was even greater among extended family where more than half (51.1%) of Black respondents mostly or always concealed their beliefs, compared to 42.7% for other respondents. The most common area where Black participants reported negative experiences related to their nonreligious identity was with their families (62%). Black participants who suffered this family rejection were one-third (33.5%) more likely than other Black participants to screen positive for depression. “The higher level of concealment and anguish among Black participants demonstrates how much stigma there is around nonbelief in our communities. When we do come out, our families often aren’t receptive, and many feel like they are alone,” said Mandisa Thomas, founder and president of Black Nonbelievers. “This is one of the primary reasons Black Nonbelievers was created—to provide a supportive space for Black atheists who face rejection by their families and communities. We also advocate on behalf of Black atheists and religion doubters to rally against the dominant religious narrative, especially pertaining to matters of racial justice.” “For believers, social circles are often limited to those who are ‘equally yoked’ or just like you. Opportunities to hear and learn different ways of thinking, philosophy, other religious thoughts, nonreligious life, diverse cultures, music, film, etc., are missed,” says Suandria Hall, a National Certified Counselor (NCC). “It’s no wonder that those who leave their faith struggle tremendously to connect and make friends. Social anxiety can develop along with depression and adjustment disorders. Finding and learning to connect outside of religion becomes the necessary task toward healing.” Overall, one in four (24.6%) Black respondents were likely depressed, compared to 17.0% of respondents of other races, meaning that Black participants were 1.6 times […]

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Largest Survey on Nonreligious Americans Reveals Widespread Discrimination and Stigma

American Atheists — Tue, 05 May 2020 13:00:18 +0000

Cranford, NJ—Today, the nonreligious identity organization American Atheists released Reality Check: Being Nonreligious in America, a comprehensive report drawn from the groundbreaking U.S. Secular Survey. Counting nearly 34,000 nonreligious participants and organized by a team of researchers at Strength in Numbers Consulting Group, the U.S. Secular Survey is the largest ever data collection project on secular Americans and their experiences. “At 75 million people, religiously unaffiliated Americans are as large a demographic as either Evangelical Christians or Catholics, and explicitly nonreligious people comprise a growing share of the population, yet before the U.S. Secular Survey there had been a lack of focused research on our community,” said Alison Gill, Vice President for Legal and Policy at American Atheists, who helped lead the project. “What we found shocked us. Discrimination and stigma against nonreligious Americans is widespread and extremely harmful.” Due to their nonreligious identity, more than half of participants (54.5%) had negative experiences with family members, nearly one third (29.4%) in education, and more than one in five (21.7%) in the workplace. Of those who experienced discrimination within their families, there was a 73.3% higher rate of likely depression. “This report shows that the more religious the community, the more likely nonreligious people are to face discrimination and stigma,” said Gill. “Nonreligious Americans living in very religious communities, concentrated in rural areas and the South, are particularly at risk.” The nearly one third of participants (29.8%) living in “very religious” communities were nearly two and a half times more likely to experience discrimination in education, two and a half times more likely in public services (voting, jury duty, poll work), more than three times more likely in employent, and more than two times more likely when dealing with private businesses, compared to those living in “not at all religious” communities. “The struggles of nonreligious Americans are far too often overlooked. Thankfully, the U.S. Secular Survey has revealed the discrimination our community regularly faces,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “With that well-established, we need to find solutions and work toward ending the stigma faced by our community.” The report found that involvement with organized secular community groups is an important protective factor that correlated with reduced likelihood of loneliness and depression. Members of national secular organizations were 34.8% less likely than non-members to be at risk for depression, while members of local secular groups were 29.3% less likely. “Now that we know the power of organized secularism, it’s up to secular organizations to advocate for change and provide as many nonreligious Americans as possible with the support and community they need,” added Fish.

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American Atheists Welcomes Debbie Goddard as Vice President and Tom Van Denburgh as Communications Director

American Atheists — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 15:42:34 +0000

Cranford, NJ—Today, American Atheists announced the hiring of Debbie Goddard as Vice President, Programs and Tom Van Denburgh as Communications Director. Both Debbie and Tom will be based in American Atheists’ Cranford, NJ office. Debbie, an organizer and activist with over two decades of experience, will oversee American Atheists’ organizing, activism, and outreach programs and serve as a senior member of the leadership team. Before joining American Atheists, Debbie served as the Center for Inquiry’s Director of Campus & Community Programs and Director of African Americans for Humanism. During her time at the Center for Inquiry, Debbie created a billboard campaign highlighting black atheists nationwide, coordinated an international campaign on blasphemy laws and free expression, and organized the Women in Secularism 4 conference and the annual CFI Leadership Conference. “Debbie is a tireless and dedicated activist who has spent her career organizing advocates in the fight for equality,” said Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. “She has the experience, the creativity, and the vision we need at this critical time in our nation’s history. As we invest in our local partners, in coalition building, and in telling the stories of our community, I can say with absolute confidence that Debbie is the right person to lead the charge.” In addition to her work within the atheist community, Debbie is engaged in LGBTQ activism, civil rights work, and training new organizers in her community. Joining American Atheists as Communications Director is Tom Van Denburgh. Tom is a multilingual communications expert, who has worked in education, press relations, and digital marketing. A native of New Jersey, he spent 6 years living and working in Belgium before returning to the United States in late 2016. Tom will oversee American Atheists’ media relations, marketing, and social media strategies. “Tom brings a fresh perspective to American Atheists,” said Fish. “His passion for our mission and his innovative approach to showing the impact of our work will help us break down barriers and end the stigma associated with being an atheist in America.” Tom earned degrees in classics and medieval studies from Wesleyan University, in public relations from the la Haute Ecole de la Ville de Liège, and in translation from the University of Brussels.

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