Home : Lesbian & Gay Rights

ACLU of Florida Applauds Victory as Gainesville Voters Reject Discriminatory Effort to Remove Gainesville’s Nondiscrimination Protections for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People (03/25/2009)
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applauds Gainesville voters’ overwhelming rejection, 58% to 42%, of an effort by anti-gay crusaders that would have repealed protections against discrimination for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in housing, employment, public accommodation, and credit extension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.

ACLU/SC Sues Orange County School Officials for Sanctioning Sexist and Homophobic Environment (03/18/2009)
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.

ACLU Statement On President’s Endorsement Of UN Resolution Against Criminalization Of Physical Intimacy Between Same-Sex Couples (03/18/2009)

Clergy, Legislators Hold Breakfast Meeting on Marriage Equality (03/17/2009)
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.

Statement By The ACLU of Arkansas On Today’s Ruling That Cole v. Arkansas Can Proceed (03/17/2009)
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.

ACLU Tells Arizona School To Lift Rainbow Ban (03/17/2009)
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.

Court Prohibits School District From Refusing To Recognize Gay Straight Alliance At Yulee High School (03/11/2009)
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).

Federal Appeals Court To Hear Challenge To Kentucky Childcare Agency’s ‘Faith-Based’ Bias (03/09/2009)
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.

Attorneys Urge California Supreme Court To Invalidate Prop 8 (03/06/2009)
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.

Attorneys Urge California Supreme Court To Invalidate Prop 8 (03/05/2009)
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.