The Montana Human Rights Network is an advocacy organization that advocates for left-of-center policies at the state and local level in Montana. The organization was formed in 1990 as a joint effort of ten affiliated organizations in response to white supremacist organizing in Montana in the late 1980s.

While the organization has a stated emphasis on LGBT and human rights issues, it advocates for a wide array of left-of-center positions on many issues such as firearm restrictions, Medicaid expansion, abortion, and immigration. Affiliated organizations of the group include Love Lives Here, Montanans for Immigrant Justice, the Montana Interfaith Network, and the Montana Gender Alliance. ^{1 2}

Background

The Montana Human Rights Network was founded in 1990 and describes its founding as a response to “white supremacist organizing in Montana in the late 1980s” as local groups came together to “counter hate activity.” The organization conducts statewide lobbying on a variety of left-of-center issues and conducts grassroots organizing and activism. The organization claims to have over 10,000 members and supporters and is comprised of ten affiliate groups. ³

The group’s organizing department provides services to affiliate organizations such as technical support, fundraising, campaign strategy, and trainings that include topics such as “Organizing 101, LGBTQ/Trans 101, Far-right movement, and Media 101.” ⁴

Far-Right Research

Much of the organization’s work centers on “exposing the right,” or conducting research on alleged far-right and white-nationalist groups. The organization released a “Hate Incident Rapid-Response Guide” to “help communities continue confronting Far Right activity.” It has worked in coordination with other left-of-center groups in these efforts including the Southern Poverty Law Center, Political Research Associates, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Center for New Community, People for the American Way, Life After Hate, Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights. ⁵

Criticism of Target

The Montana Human Rights Network was among a list of over 200 LGBT-related left-of-center organizations that criticized Target and other companies such as Anheuser-Busch after Target “reluctantly decided last week to pull some Pride Month merchandise from its shelves.” The coalition of groups, led by the Human Rights Campaign, urged Target to “provide necessary security for employees, restore Pride merchandise to its shelves and stand by its commitment to the values it has long professed.” ⁶

Affiliated Organizations

Organizations listed as affiliates of the Montana Human Rights Network include Love Lives Here (Flathead Valley), Anaconda Coalition for Tolerance Education – ACTE! (Anaconda), Montanans for Immigrant Justice, Missoula Rises (Missoula), Flathead Reservation Human Rights Coalition (Flathead Reservation), Not in Our Town Billings – NIOT (Billings), Montana Interfaith Network, Helena Youth Against Gun Violence, and the Montana Gender Alliance. ⁷

Policy Stances

The Montana Human Rights Network lobbies on a variety of legislation in the Montana legislature. According to a legislative activity report produced by the organization for 2019, the organization supported legislation continuing Medicaid expansion in Montana and legislation establishing Indigenous People’s Day in Montana while opposing many Republican-sponsored bills such as a bill prohibiting local regulation of concealed firearm carry, a bill banning abortion in most instances after 20 weeks, and a resolution urging the federal government to include a question about citizenship on the 2020 Census. ⁸

1. “Home.” Montana Human Rights Coalition. Accessed July 1, 2023. https://mhrn.org/
2. “2019 Legislative Report and Scorecard.” Montana Human Rights Coalition. Accessed July 1, 2023. https://mhrn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2019LegislativeReportScoreCard.pdf
3. “Home.” Montana Human Rights Coalition. Accessed July 1, 2023. https://mhrn.org/
4. “Home.” Montana Human Rights Coalition. Accessed July 1, 2023. https://mhrn.org/
5. “Right Wing Research.” Montana Human Rights Coalition. Accessed July 1, 2023.  https://mhrn.org/right-wing-research/
6. Killian, Joe. “More than 100 organizations call on Target, other businesses to stand up to anti-LGBTQ threats.” NC Newsline. June 1, 2023. Accessed July 1, 2023. https://ncnewsline.com/2023/06/01/more-than-100-organizations-call-on-target-other-businesses-to-stand-up-to-anti-lgbtq-threats/
7. “Home.” Montana Human Rights Coalition. Accessed July 1, 2023. https://mhrn.org/
8. “2019 Legislative Report and Scorecard.” Montana Human Rights Coalition. Accessed July 1, 2023. https://mhrn.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2019LegislativeReportScoreCard.pdf