Home : Lesbian & Gay Rights

Best Interests of Children Triumph Over Politics in Missouri (07/19/2006)
KANSAS CITY, MO -- The American Civil Liberties Union and PROMO, Missouri’s statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality organization, are very pleased with the new rule issued by the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) allowing lesbian and gay people to be considered as foster parents. DSS has rightly put the interests of children ahead of politics. The foster care system is in crisis, with thousands of foster children languishing in institutional and group facilities due to a severe shortage in foster homes. The new rule is a victory for the nearly 2,000 foster children in Missouri.

ACLU Urges House to Reject Discriminatory Constitutional Amendment, Notes Senate Failed to Limit Debate on Measure in June (07/18/2006)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today urged the House of Representatives to reject a discriminatory proposal to amend the Constitution to deny marriage protections to gay and lesbian couples and their children. Both houses of Congress overwhelmingly rejected an identical proposal in 2004, and the Senate in June failed to limit debate on the measure, effectively killing it. The House is expected to consider the amendment later today.

ACLU Applauds House for Rejecting Discriminatory Constitutional Amendment (07/18/2006)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the House of Representatives as it joined the Senate in overwhelmingly rejecting a discriminatory proposal to amend the Constitution to deny marriage protections to gay and lesbian couples and their children. Today’s move follows a similar rejection by both houses of Congress in 2004, and by the Senate last month.

Federal Court Says White County, Georgia School District Must Allow Gay-Straight Alliance to Meet (07/14/2006)
ATLANTA, GA — Today a federal judge issued a decision requiring White County High School to allow students in the gay-straight alliance club (GSA) to meet on campus. The decision was cheered by the American Civil Liberties Union, which brought the case on behalf of the students in the club.

ACLU Urges California Court to Strike Down Law Banning Same-Sex Couples from Marriage (07/10/2006)
SAN FRANCISCO – After appearing in court today, we are hopeful that we persuaded the Court that it goes against California’s rich history of fairness for all people to deny same-sex couples the ability to marry. Same-sex couples fall in love, make commitments and raise children just as straight couples and shouldn’t be denied the ability to marry and the dignity and protections that come with it.

ACLU Denounces New York High Court Decision Denying Marriage Protections for Same-Sex Couples (07/06/2006)
ALBANY – The American Civil Liberties Union today denounced the New York Court of Appeals decision upholding by a 4 to 2 vote a state law that bars same-sex couples from marriage and the hundreds of family protections provided to married couples.

Arkansas Supreme Court Unanimously Overturns Ban on Foster Parenting by Gay People (06/29/2006)
LITTLE ROCK, AR – In a unanimous decision cheered by child welfare advocates nationwide, the Arkansas Supreme Court today struck down a regulation that banned lesbian and gay people from serving as foster parents. The decision ends a seven-year legal battle by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility to Pay Over Half a Million Dollars for "Relentless Campaign of Harassment" of Gay and Transgender Youth (06/15/2006)
HONOLULU - The American Civil Liberties Union today announced a $625,000 dollar settlement in the first case in the country to specifically address the treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in juvenile facilities. The settlement ends an ACLU federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of three young people who faced anti-gay and anti-transgender abuse and harassment at the facility by staff and their peers.

ACLU Argues Challenge to Ban on Foster Parenting by Gay People Before Arkansas Supreme Court (06/15/2006)
LITTLE ROCK, AR – A seven-year legal battle over the blanket exclusion of lesbian and gay people from serving as foster parents in Arkansas drew closer to an outcome today as attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union asked the State Supreme Court to uphold an earlier court decision striking down the state’s anti-gay ban.

ACLU Asks Federal Court to Force White County, Georgia School District to Stop Illegally Blocking Gay-Straight Alliance Club (06/12/2006)
ATLANTA, GA – Trial was held today in an American Civil Liberties Union federal lawsuit asking for a permanent injunction requiring officials at White County High School in Cleveland, Georgia to recognize a gay-straight alliance club (GSA). Administrators at White County High School in Cleveland, Georgia have been blocking the GSA from meeting since the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year while allowing other clubs to meet, a clear violation of the Federal Equal Access Act.