According to recent media reports, a group of five men were kicked out of an El Paso Chico’s restaurant on June 29 after security guards spotted two of the men kissing. The security guards are alleged to have told the men that “faggot stuff” wasn’t allowed in the restaurant. Police were called to the scene by both parties, but instead of assisting the men, the responding officer reportedly threatened to cite them for “homosexual activity.” Police reportedly told the men that same-sex kissing was forbidden in public.
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend a classroom discussion on bullying at the University of Puerto Rico High School in San Juan. Our Puerto Rico chapter is working with a number of students at the school who have developed a very effective anti-bullying presentation. I got to see the presentation being given to a 10th grade history class of about 25 students.
I was very saddened to learn this morning that one of our nation’s great champions of free speech, Judith Krug, passed away this past weekend. Ms. Krug was the Director of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom for more than 40 years. While Ms. Krug fought against all types of censorship, her passing is especially disappointing for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.
With all eyes focused on Hillary Clinton’s confirmation to the post of Secretary of State, we here at the ACLU are hopeful that there will be some changes in how the new leadership at the State Department treats people with HIV.
Late last week, it was confirmed to us that the one of the contracts that the State Department used (and may continue to use) with its contractors required the contractors to submit a negative HIV test for each person it employs. This was confirmed in a motion filed by State Department contractor Triple Canopy in an HIV discrimination lawsuit we filed against the State Department and Triple Canopy on behalf of a decorated Special Forces veteran who was refused a job performing security for the State Department at the Haitian embassy. While we do not know how many people were barred jobs because of this contract, we know our client is not the only person refused a job with a federal contractor because of HIV.
Earlier this week, the ACLU, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Lambda Legal filed another brief before the California Supreme Court urging the court to strike down Prop 8 which attempted to take away the right of gay people to marry in the state. This brief was filed in response to the brief filed by the California Attorney General and the anti-gay organizations that supported Prop 8. What is noteworthy about this brief is that while we differ slightly in our legal analysis, we agree with the Attorney General Jerry Brown that Prop 8 should be struck down. We also argue — again in agreement with the Attorney General — that Proposition 8 cannot be applied to invalidate existing marriages because new laws and amendments are presumed to apply only on a prospective basis.
Earlier this month the NYCLU co-hosted an event in the Bronx to discuss the challenges facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families. The well-attended event took place at the Bronx Community Pride Center, which is in the district of state senator Ruben Diaz, a staunch gay marriage foe. Using footage from the event, the NYCLU extended an olive branch to Senator Diaz today through a YouTube new year’s card. Click on the YouTube player below to watch Senator Diaz’s constituents explain what it’s like to be LGBT in the Bronx.
Tonight voters in Arizona passed an initiative that bars lesbian and gay couples from marrying in the state. In 2004, Arizonans made history for being the first state to reject an anti-gay relationship amendment that would have barred even protections for straight couples. This go around, the proponents of the initiative narrowed its scope to bar only
The issue of giving taxpayer funds to religious organizations providing government services recently resurfaced in the presidential campaign. Since the ACLU is a nonpartisan organization that doesn’t take sides in elections, you’ll have to look elsewhere to learn how the candidates compare on the issue. But keep reading if you want to hear about the devastating effects that can result when adequate safeguards to prevent the use of this funding for religious purposes are not put in place.
With all the excitement around lesbian and gay couples marrying in California, it’s easy to forget that really horrible things continue to happen to LGBT people around the country. Yesterday the ACLU filed a lawsuit that shows how much hard work we still have to do.
We are representing Kaylee Seals, a transgender truck driver who was fired from her job at Old Dominion Freight Lines for "impersonating a female." To add insult to injury, Kaylee was still dressing and presenting as a male while working at Old Dominion at the time she was fired.
Yesterday afternoon the Federal Appeals Court for the 9th Circuit dealt a significant blow to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. The ACLU of Washington represents a decorated Air Force Major, Margaret Witt, who was discharged for being in a relationship with another woman.
