Today the ACLU filed an appeal to the decision by the Transportation Security Administration’s to disqualify Air Force Veteran Michael Lamarre from qualifying for a baggage screening job because he has HIV.
Click on the video below to listen to Michael talk about living with HIV, his military service and his reasons for applying to work for the TSA.
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A few weeks ago at the ACLU LGBT Project’s annual attorney reception and fundraiser, director Matt Coles talked about how we can’t just fight in the courts to stop discrimination against LGBT people. Instead, Matt argues, we have to convince America — one conversation at a time — that LGBT people deserve full equality.
In honor of National Flag Day this Sunday, I took a few minutes to interview Gilbert Baker, the creator of a flag that is very important to the LGBT community — the rainbow pride flag.
Hoping to create a hopeful symbol to celebrate the diversity and pride of the gay community, Mr. Baker designed the flag in 1978, hand dyeing and sewing the original flag in his San Francisco home. In the wake of Harvey Milk’s assassination, the San Francisco pride parade committee decided to use the rainbow flag to decorate the parade route, launching its recognition as a universal symbol for pride.
I was in San Francisco last week when the California Supreme Court announced its decision upholding Prop 8 and I took the opportunity to interview some of my friends in the LGBT community about their thoughts on the efforts to organize for marriage.
Going into this project, I wasn't sure what I'd hear. I knew from previous conversations that many in my community of young, queer activists had questioned whether LGBT organizations should continue to prioritize marriage recognition at the cost of other LGBT advocacy efforts.
As you’ve probably heard, Election Day in Arkansas this year brought some sad news. Act 1, which bans unmarried couples from serving as foster parents or adopting children, passed.
But here at the ACLU, we’re not ones to sit around mourning our losses. Along with our allies in Arkansas, we’re figuring out what next steps we’ll take in order to win over public opinion and fight back against this initiative.
From an email Anna Mumford, Program Strategist for the ACLU LGBT Project, sent to friends and family earlier this week.
After seeing anti-gay initiatives win the popular vote in Florida, Arkansas, Arizona and California, I haven't been able to muster the same ebullience that seems to have infected everyone from the old ladies in my yoga class to the cashier at Starbucks this week.
