http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/feed.xml Visit ACLU.org to learn more and get involved. en-us 10 2009-07-02T06:46:30-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/transgender/40092prs20090701.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Justice decided not to appeal a federal court ruling awarding transgender veteran Diane Schroer the maximum compensation for the discrimination she suffered after being refused a job with the Library of Congress. The deadline for seeking an appeal was June 30. The American Civil Liberties Union has represented Schroer in her case. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/transgender/40092prs20090701.html 2009-07-01T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/40022prs20090624.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) announced the introduction of a bill today that would make workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity illegal. As a long time defender of the civil rights and civil liberties of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, the American Civil Liberties Union urges Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). If the group of bipartisan co-sponsors, including the Chairmen of the Judiciary and Education and Labor Committees successfully pass this legislation, it would become the first-ever ban on employment discrimination of LBGT people. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/40022prs20090624.html 2009-06-24T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/parenting/39953prs20090623.html?s_src=RSS MIAMI – The most respected Florida and national children’s health, welfare and legal advocacy groups filed seven friend-of-the-court briefs before a Florida appeals court Monday urging the court to strike down a Florida law barring lesbians and gay men from adopting. The briefs were filed in support of an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit that resulted in a Florida juvenile court judge striking down the law and granting the adoptions of two brothers to a gay man who has been raising the boys with his partner for more than four years. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/parenting/39953prs20090623.html 2009-06-23T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/parenting/40084prs20090623.html?s_src=RSS Richmond, VA -- In a long running custody and visitation dispute, the Virginia Court of Appeals today thwarted Lisa Miller's latest attempt to avoid complying with Vermont orders requiring her to grant visitation to her former partner, Janet Jenkins. The Lambda Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU of Virginia represented Janet Jenkins, the non-biological mother, who asked Virginia to honor a Vermont court's ruling, which awarded her visitation rights after the civil union was dissolved. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/parenting/40084prs20090623.html 2009-06-23T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/39856prs20090615.html?s_src=RSS SAN FRANCISCO – After a lesbian was barred from visiting her partner and giving advice about her treatment at a Fresno hospital, the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Lesbian Rights sent a letter to the hospital today urging that it adopt policy changes respecting same-sex relationships. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/39856prs20090615.html 2009-06-15T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39848prs20090612.html?s_src=RSS We are very surprised and deeply disappointed in the manner in which the Obama administration has defended the so-called Defense of Marriage Act in a brief filed today in Smelt v. United States, a lawsuit brought in federal court in California by a married same-sex couple asking the federal government to treat them equally with respect to federal protections and benefits. The administration is using many of the same flawed legal arguments that the Bush administration used. These arguments rightly have been rejected by several state supreme courts as legally unsound and discriminatory. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39848prs20090612.html 2009-06-12T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39803prs20090609.html?s_src=RSS RAMONA, CA – A California school has apologized to a sixth grader for illegally censoring her classroom presentation about Harvey Milk last month, and school officials promise they won't engage in unconstitutional restriction of similar free speech in the future. The apology comes after the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter on May 30 to the Ramona Unified School District about its violation of the student’s free speech rights when it refused to allow her to give the presentation in class. Wrongly citing a school policy on sex education, the school had improperly required classmates to get parental permission to see the presentation during a lunch recess. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39803prs20090609.html 2009-06-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39762prs20090604.html?s_src=RSS NASHVILLE, TN – Dozens of Tennessee schools have restored access to online information about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, just over two weeks after the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit against two Tennessee school districts for unconstitutionally blocking student access to such sites. The company that provides Internet filtering software to as many as 107 Tennessee school districts has adjusted the software to allow access to a variety of educational and political LGBT Web sites that were blocked before the lawsuit was filed. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39762prs20090604.html 2009-06-04T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/gen/39741prs20090602.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on a bill that modifies U.S. immigration law to provide equal protection to same-sex life partners of citizens and permanent legal residents. As part of the hearing, entitled “The United American Families Act: Addressing Inequality in Federal Immigration Law,” the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to lawmakers urging the Committee to pass S. 424, “Uniting American Families Act.” http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/gen/39741prs20090602.html 2009-06-02T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39721prs20090601.html?s_src=RSS MADISON, WI – On Friday, a Wisconsin trial court dismissed a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of lesbian state employees and their partners seeking domestic partner health insurance and family leave protections. In a 46 page opinion, the court notes that although it believes it is unconstitutional for the state to continue to deny the employees equal health insurance coverage and family leave protection, it is bound by a prior decision from the Wisconsin Court of Appeals from 1992. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39721prs20090601.html 2009-06-01T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39673prs20090527.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK – In response to the California Supreme Court decision allowing Prop 8 to stand, four LGBT legal organizations and five other leading national LGBT groups are reminding the LGBT community that ill-timed lawsuits could set the fight for marriage back. The groups released a new publication, “Why the ballot box and not the courts should be the next step on marriage in California.” This publication discourages people from bringing premature lawsuits based on the federal Constitution because, without more groundwork, the U.S. Supreme Court likely is not yet ready to rule that same-sex couples cannot be barred from marriage. The groups also revised “Make Change, Not Lawsuits,” which was released after the California Supreme Court decision ending the ban on marriage for same-sex couples in California. This publication encourages couples who have legally married to ask friends, neighbors and institutions to honor their marriages, but discourages people from bringing lawsuits. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39673prs20090527.html 2009-05-27T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39668prs20090526.html?s_src=RSS SAN FRANCISCO — Today, in a 6 to 1 decision, the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, the ballot measure that eliminated the right of same sex couples to marry. In the ruling authored by Chief Justice Ronald George, the court stated “We emphasize only that among the various constitutional protections recognized in the Marriage Cases as available to same-sex couples, it is only the designation of marriage — albeit significant — that has been removed by this initiative measure.” At the same time, the court unanimously ruled that the more than 18,000 marriages that took place between June 16 and November 4, 2008 continue to be fully valid and recognized by the state of California. The decision reaffirmed the court’s prior holding that sexual orientation is subject to the highest level of protection under the California Constitution. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39668prs20090526.html 2009-05-26T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39645prs20090520.html?s_src=RSS RAMONA, CA – Wrongly citing a school policy on sex education, a California school illegally censored a sixth grader’s classroom presentation about Harvey Milk earlier this month. According to a demand letter sent by the American Civil Liberties Union to the Ramona Unified School District today, the school violated Natalie Jones’s free speech rights when it refused to allow her to give the presentation in class. Instead, the school improperly required classmates to get parental permission to see the presentation during a lunch recess. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39645prs20090520.html 2009-05-20T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39616prs20090519.html?s_src=RSS NASHVILLE, TN – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Tennessee sued two Tennessee school districts in federal court today, charging the schools are unconstitutionally blocking students from accessing online information about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, Knox County Schools and as many as 105 other school districts in Tennessee use Internet filtering software to block Web sites containing pro-LGBT speech, but not Web sites touting so-called "reparative therapy" and "ex-gay" ministries. The "LGBT" filter is not used to block sites containing pornography, which are filtered under a different category, but it does block the sites of many well-known LGBT organizations including Parents, Families, And Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and Human Rights Campaign (HRC). http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39616prs20090519.html 2009-05-19T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/40057prs20090519.html?s_src=RSS PORTLAND – Supporters of the new state law granting equality in marriage to all Maine couples reacted with confident optimism today after the Secretary of State announced the wording of a ballot question that opponents of the new law will use to launch a petition drive against it. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/40057prs20090519.html 2009-05-19T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39607prs20090518.html?s_src=RSS VALLEJO, CA – The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with the Vallejo City Unified School District on behalf of a high school student who faced anti-gay harassment and discrimination from teachers and school staff and was required to participate in a school-sponsored “counseling” group designed to discourage students from being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. The settlement is designed to combat harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity at all the district’s schools, and includes district-wide anti-harassment training for students and staff. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39607prs20090518.html 2009-05-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39526prs20090506.html?s_src=RSS Portland, ME – Maine Governor John Baldacci signed into a law today a bill ending the ban on marriage for same-sex couples. The Maine Civil Liberties Union, which lobbied hard for the bill, applauds the governor for recognizing that lesbian and gay couples in the state should no longer be denied the legal protections, recognition and respect that comes with marriage. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39526prs20090506.html 2009-05-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/39522prs20090506.html?s_src=RSS LOUISVILLE, KY – Nine months after an employee at a McDonald’s restaurant in downtown Louisville called a group of gay customers a series of anti-gay slurs, the American Civil Liberties Union announced today that McDonald’s has agreed to a cash settlement and diversity training for management at 30 of its Louisville-area restaurants. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/39522prs20090506.html 2009-05-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/40073prs20090504.html?s_src=RSS Today the ACLU of Louisiana urges the Rapides Parish Police Jury not to adopt a resolution concerning marriage. The Police Jury should stand by its vote from March 2, when it recognized that neither Rapides Parish nor any other local body can affect the laws governing marriage in Louisiana. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/40073prs20090504.html 2009-05-04T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/transgender/39498prs20090429.html?s_src=RSS WASHINGTON, DC — A federal judge ruled that transgender veteran Diane Schroer is entitled to the maximum compensation for the discrimination she suffered after being refused a job with the Library of Congress. The American Civil Liberties Union brought a sex discrimination lawsuit on behalf of Schroer, a Special Forces veteran who retired after 25 years of service, when she was denied a job after announcing her intention to transition from male to female. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/transgender/39498prs20090429.html 2009-04-29T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39486prs20090428.html?s_src=RSS ALBUQUERQUE – In response to a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, New Mexico has agreed to provide retirement health insurance to the domestic partners of state employees. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39486prs20090428.html 2009-04-28T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39623prs20090424.html?s_src=RSS LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Corona Del Mar High School officials' initial decision to cancel the musical production of "Rent: School Edition," and their subsequent failure to address a growing atmosphere of intolerance at the school, has created a breeding ground for homophobic attitudes and has paved the way for a planned protest by a virulently anti-gay group tomorrow, ACLU/SC Staff Attorney Lori Rifkin said today. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39623prs20090424.html 2009-04-24T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39405prs20090420.html?s_src=RSS PEORIA, AZ – Peoria Unified School District has assured the American Civil Liberties Union that it will no longer prevent a gay 14-year-old student from wearing a rainbow wristband at school, following an ACLU letter that demanded that the school district rescind its ban on the wristband. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39405prs20090420.html 2009-04-20T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/parenting/39404prs20090417.html?s_src=RSS MISSOULA, MT — The Montana Supreme Court heard oral arguments today on a legal appeal that could set precedent for whether children have a right to maintain relationships with both their parents after a break-up. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/parenting/39404prs20090417.html 2009-04-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39640prs20090417.html?s_src=RSS Milwaukee – Governor Jim Doyle's budget proposal to create a domestic partner registry with a limited number of benefits is constitutional. Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin wrote to the co-chairs of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Finance to explain why the proposal does not violate the Wisconsin Constitution's ban on creating a legal status "substantially similar to that of marriage…." These budget provisions "are not even close to being substantially similar to marriage," wrote ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director Chris Ahmuty. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39640prs20090417.html 2009-04-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39373prs20090415.html?s_src=RSS NASHVILLE, TN - As many as 107 Tennessee public school districts could be illegally preventing students from accessing online information about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, according to a letter to sent to school officials by the American Civil Liberties Union. The letter demands that Knox County Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and the Tennessee Schools Cooperative unblock the Internet filtering category designated “LGBT” so that students can access political and educational information about LGBT issues on school computers. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39373prs20090415.html 2009-04-15T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39286prs20090403.html?s_src=RSS DES MOINES, IA – A unanimous Iowa Supreme Court today ruled that the state could no longer bar same-sex couples from being able to marry. The American Civil Liberties Union, which supported the case through friend-of-the-court briefs, applauds this historic victory for fairness for lesbian and gay couples. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39286prs20090403.html 2009-04-03T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/39133prs20090325.html?s_src=RSS GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida applauds Gainesville voters’ overwhelming rejection, 58% to 42%, of an effort by anti-gay crusaders that would have repealed protections against discrimination for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in housing, employment, public accommodation, and credit extension services. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/39133prs20090325.html 2009-03-25T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/gen/39071prs20090318.html?s_src=RSS http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/gen/39071prs20090318.html 2009-03-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39118prs20090318.html?s_src=RSS SANTA ANA, Calif. – The ACLU of Southern California today sued the Newport-Mesa Unified School District and officials of Corona del Mar High School for permitting and sanctioning an atmosphere that is hostile to female, lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender students in general, and has led to despicable threats of violence against one student in particular. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39118prs20090318.html 2009-03-18T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39041prs20090317.html?s_src=RSS PEORIA, AZ – After a school principal told a gay 14-year-old student to turn his rainbow wristband inside-out or stop wearing it to school, the American Civil Liberties Union today demanded that the school district rescind its ban of the wristband. In a letter sent to Peoria Unified School District, the ACLU said that the principal’s demand violates Chris Quintanilla’s constitutional rights, pointing to a 40-year-old landmark Supreme Court decision guaranteeing students’ free speech and expression. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39041prs20090317.html 2009-03-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39126prs20090317.html?s_src=RSS AUGUSTA – Leaders of the clergy group that is helping lead the drive to bring marriage equality to Maine residents held a breakfast meeting with legislators this morning to talk about the issue from a religious perspective. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39126prs20090317.html 2009-03-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39055prs20090317.html?s_src=RSS Today the Circuit Court of Pulaski County denied the state’s motion to dismiss Cole v. Arkansas, our case challenging Act 1, which bans adoption or foster parenting by any person who is unmarried and lives with a partner. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/39055prs20090317.html 2009-03-17T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39000prs20090311.html?s_src=RSS JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – U.S. District Judge Henry Lee Adams, Jr. today issued a preliminary order in a lawsuit seeking to force Nassau County School officials to uphold students’ right to equal access. The order prohibits the school district from refusing to recognize the Gay Straight Alliance (“GSA”) as long as other student organizations are given official recognition. The GSA ‘s mission is to help curb bullying and harassment against LGBT students and to discuss harassment and discrimination. The ACLU of Florida filed the lawsuit on behalf of two students and the GSA after Yulee High School officials unlawfully denied the students permission to form a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/39000prs20090311.html 2009-03-11T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/38964prs20090309.html?s_src=RSS CINCINNATI, OH - Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union will urge a federal appeals court on Wednesday to uphold the right of taxpayers to challenge public funding of a Baptist childcare agency that proselytizes youngsters in its care and discriminates against gay employees who do not share its belief that homosexuality is sinful. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/discrim/38964prs20090309.html 2009-03-09T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/38991prs20090306.html?s_src=RSS San Francisco, CA - Attorneys for same-sex couples, civil rights organizations and the state Attorney General's Office appeared before the California Supreme Court today to urge the court to strike down Proposition 8, which took away the right of same-sex couples the right to marry. At issue in the case is whether the ballot initiative process can be used to take away a fundamental right only for one group of Californians based on a trait – in this case sexual orientation – that has no relevance to the group's ability to participate in or contribute to society. Because the case has serious implications for the constitutional rights of all Californians, it has generated unprecedented support from many national and state civil rights groups as well as California legislators, local governments, bar associations, business interests, labor unions, and religious groups. The California Supreme Court, which has struck down several other initiatives in the past, is expected to issue a decision within 90 days. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/38991prs20090306.html 2009-03-06T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/38944prs20090305.html?s_src=RSS SAN FRANCISCO - Attorneys for same-sex couples, civil rights organizations and the state Attorney General’s office appeared before the California Supreme Court today to urge the court to strike down Proposition 8, which took away the right of same-sex couples the right to marry. At issue in the case is whether the ballot initiative process can be used to take away a fundamental right only for one group of Californians based on a trait – in this case sexual orientation – that has no relevance to the group’s ability to participate in or contribute to society. Because the case has serious implications for the constitutional rights of all Californians, it has generated unprecedented support from many national and state civil rights groups as well as California legislators, local governments, bar associations, business interests, labor unions, and religious groups. The California Supreme Court, which has struck down several other initiatives in the past, is expected to issue a decision within 90 days. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/38944prs20090305.html 2009-03-05T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/38789prs20090223.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK – To mark tomorrow's anniversary of Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District, the American Civil Liberties Union has released a video about one of the latest of many cases in which Tinker was relied upon to uphold students' right to free speech. Despite the landmark ruling, school officials routinely ignore the rule of law and attempt illegal censorship to this day, especially against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students, the ACLU said. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/38789prs20090223.html 2009-02-23T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/38745prs20090213.html?s_src=RSS Portland, MAINE -- Extending marriage rights to same-sex couples offers significant economic benefits to Maine businesses and the state of Maine, according to a new report issued today by the Williams Institute School of Law at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/38745prs20090213.html 2009-02-13T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/38707prs20090210.html?s_src=RSS JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today filed a lawsuit against the School Board of Nassau County, Florida ("SBNC") after administrators unlawfully denied students' requests for permission to form a Gay-Straight Alliance ("GSA") this school year at Yulee High School and during the 2007-08 school year at Yulee Middle School. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/38707prs20090210.html 2009-02-10T12:00:00-05:00 http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/gen/38650prs20090203.html?s_src=RSS NEW YORK – Join the Impact has partnered with other national LGBT groups to develop a web based public education campaign, www.tell-three.org, to encourage LGBT people and their supporters to have three conversations with friends and family to help build support for LGBT equality. http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/gen/38650prs20090203.html 2009-02-03T12:00:00-05:00 CrownPeak CMS