Blog of Rights
Ian S.
Thompson

Ian Thompson is a Legislative Representative in the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office. In this capacity, Thompson works to advance the organization’s civil liberties and civil rights agenda in Congress and the executive branch by focusing on LGBT rights, HIV/AIDS and sex education. Prior to joining the ACLU in January 2006, Thompson interned in the Washington, D.C., office of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio). A 2005 graduate of Penn State University, Thompson holds a degree in International Politics.

12/03/2010
DADT

DADT Hearing Day 2: Repeal as a "Nonevent"

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 6:40pm

The second day of landmark hearings in the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Pentagon’s just-released report on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) saw testimony from much of the uniformed leadership of the armed forces, including the chiefs of all four service branches – Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.

Read More»
12/02/2010

DADT Hearing Day 1– Repeal Would Advance Our Collective Honor

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 6:19pm

Earlier this afternoon, the Senate Armed Services Committee completed the first of two hearings this week on the Pentagon's just-released report on “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” (DADT). The hearing featured testimony from Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen, as well as the two co-chairs of the Pentagon working group that was tasked with producing the report.

Read More»
12/02/2010

Censorship at the Smithsonian

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 4:58pm

Earlier this fall, "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture" made waves when it opened at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery here in Washington. It was the first major museum exhibition to focus on the lives and works of those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) in the making of modern American portraiture over the past century.

Read More»
11/30/2010
DADT

Pentagon DADT Report Underscores Need for Congressional Action

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 5:45pm

Earlier today, the Pentagon released a much-anticipated report on the discriminatory and unconstitutional policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” (DADT) and the findings in it provide a critical boost to ongoing efforts to pass repeal through Congress before the end of the year. Most notably, the report found that a large majority of respondents to a survey of active-duty and reserve service members and their families say that ending the DADT policy barring lesbian and gay service members from serving openly would not have an adverse effect on military operations.

Read More»
11/16/2010
DADT

Sen. McCain, Enough with Stonewalling the DADT Repeal

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 4:20pm

Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) pre-emptively attacked an as-yet-to-be-released Pentagon study exploring the views and attitudes of active-duty and reserve service members, as well as military families, on a possible repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT). The report is also supposed to explore how best to implement a repeal of the discriminatory and unconstitutional policy.

Read More»
11/09/2010
DADT

DADT Repeal – The Clock is Ticking

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 11:56am

Over the weekend, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told the Associated Press that he would like to see Congress act to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during the upcoming lame duck session, but that "I'm not sure what the prospects for that are." Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reports that Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) is in talks with Ranking Member John McCain (R-Ariz.) about the possibility of stripping DADT repeal from the larger defense bill, in order to pass the legislation before the end of the current congressional session. Such a move would effectively kill legislative repeal of DADT for this year and, because of the recent midterm congressional elections, significantly increase the hurdles for such an effort in the new Congress which will be formally seated in January.

Read More»
11/01/2010

Gay? Fine by Me…Say Service Members

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 5:40pm

According to findings first reported by NBC News late last week, a majority of active-duty and reserve service members, both men and women, have no objection to serving and living alongside gay and lesbian troops. The findings, which come from surveys sent to 400,000 service members earlier this year, are expected to be included in a Pentagon working group report on how to move forward effectively with implementation of open service for those who are lesbian, gay and bisexual. That report is due to be released on December 1.

Read More»
10/25/2010
LGBT Bullying

President Obama Joins the It Gets Better Project for LGBT Youth

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 3:19pm

Last Thursday, the White House released what is perhaps the most important submission to date for the It Gets Better Project. In a three-minute long video message to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth — far too often the victims of unrelenting discrimination and harassment in their schools — President Obama conveys his support and encouragement to these young people. President Obama says:

Read More»
10/14/2010

DADT Ruling Represents a Legal Milestone — Legislative Triumph Awaits

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 1:08pm

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips issued a worldwide injunction banning enforcement of the discriminatory and counterproductive policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT). Tuesday's order followed a September ruling by Judge Phillips that found DADT to be an unconstitutional violation of the due process and free speech rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual service members. In an article in Tuesday's New York Times, the newspaper called the decision a "significant milestone for gay rights in the United States."

Read More»
10/01/2010
LGBT Bullying

Giving 'Em Hope: The It Gets Better Project

By Ian S. Thompson, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 3:10pm

September was a hard month for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, especially for some of its youngest and most vulnerable members.

In Greensburg, Indiana, 15-year-old Billy Lucas was found by his mother in the family's barn after he had taken his own life. Late last week, Asher Brown, of Houston, Texas, died after shooting himself. On Tuesday, 13-year-old Seth Walsh of Tehachapi, California, passed away after spending nine days on life support after he hanged himself from a tree in his backyard. On Wednesday, the body of 18-year-old Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi was pulled from the Hudson River in New York, days after he was allegedly humiliated and outed to other students by his roommate. And just this morning we learned that on the same day, 19-year-old college student Raymond Chase hanged himself in his dorm room in Rhode Island.

Read More»
Statistics image