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Over the years, the ACLU has fought LGBT discrimination on several fronts—from challenging “sodomy” laws to advocating for civil rights that protect LGBT people.

> ACLU Commends Obama-Biden Ban on Discrimination Against LGBT Applicants for Jobs in the New Administration

> ACLU Calls On Governor Jindal To Renew Employment Protections

Lesbian Gay Rights : Discrimination : Press Releases view all

ACLU Commends Obama-Biden Ban on Discrimination Against LGBT Applicants for Jobs in the New Administration (11/07/2008)
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union commends the Obama-Biden Transition team for including sexual orientation and gender identity in its non-discrimination policy as it prepares to assume power in January. Although President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 11478, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, there are no explicit federal protections from gender identity bias in government hiring.

Gay Customers Called "Faggots" By Kentucky McDonald's Staff (09/16/2008)
LOUISVILLE, KY -- 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 is representing two of the customers in filing an official complaint with the city. Louisville law bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

ACLU Calls On Governor Jindal To Renew Employment Protections (08/25/2008)
NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has stated his intention to end the state's policy of prohibiting discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation and political beliefs in state employment and contracting. By doing so, he will strip lesbians and gay men from civil rights protections that have been in effect since 2004, and will also deprive state employees of protection on the basis of political beliefs. The ACLU of Louisiana calls on Gov. Bobby Jindal to protect the employment rights of Louisianans by renewing Executive Order 2004-54, signed by Gov. Kathleen Blanco.

Lesbian Appeals Firing From Publicly-Funded Baptist Group Home In Kentucky (07/17/2008)
The American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed a brief today in a federal appeals court urging the court to allow a discrimination lawsuit to go forward on behalf of a lesbian who was fired from her job at a publicly-funded Baptist group home in Kentucky. The home for vulnerable children required the woman to observe its religious belief that being a lesbian is sinful. The brief also charges that taxpayers should be able to challenge the state of Kentucky's decision to give public funds to a home that imposes its religious beliefs upon the children in its care.

Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Decorated Air Force Major Discharged on Grounds of Sexual Orientation (05/21/2008)
SEATTLE–The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit today reinstated a lawsuit challenging the dismissal of Major Margaret Witt, a decorated U.S. Air Force flight nurse, on grounds that she engaged in homosexual conduct. The ACLU is representing Major Witt in appealing a lower court ruling that rejected the suit in July 2006.

Lesbian Gay Rights : Discrimination : Publications

Working in the Shadows: Ending Employment Discrimination for LGBT Americans (09/17/2007)
This ACLU-issued report urges Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), and uses the stories of workers from across the country who have experienced workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity to make the case for passage of the bill.

Lesbian Gay Rights : Discrimination : Legal Documents view all

Pedreira, et al. v. Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children, et al. - Proof Brief for Appellants Alicia Pedreira, et al. (07/17/2008)

United States of America v. Steven Roberts and Daniel Mangini - Decision (07/31/2007)

Letter to Chicago Department of Human Services Regarding Non-Discrimination Policies in Homeless Shelters (06/13/2007)

Limon v. Kansas - State's Supplemental Brief on Review (04/11/2006)

Exodus - Response Letter to Liberty Counsel (03/22/2006)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Discrimination : Legislative Documents view all

Letter from the ACLU Asking the House Committee on Education and Labor to Oppose Any Discriminatory Amendment to the College Opportunity and Affordability Act that Could Force Accreditation of Universities that Engage in Discrimination (11/14/2007)

ACLU Position on Vote on Final Passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (11/07/2007)

New ACLU Video Shows the Need for a Transgender-Inclusive ENDA (10/09/2007)

Weakened ENDA Means Less Protection For Everyone (10/04/2007)
"Definitions of who is protected by the bill leave gaping loopholes so that no one will be fully protected against discrimination. Congress should finish the work it began 44 years ago when it made employment discrimination based on sex illegal, and once and for all rid the workplace of sexual stereotypes."

Coalition Letter Urging Congress Only to Move on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act if Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity are Addressed in One Bill (10/01/2007)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Discrimination : Resources view all

Complaint to Louisville, Ky., Human Rights Commisssion on Behalf of Ryan Marlatt and Ted Eggers (09/16/2008)

Why We Need Non-Discrimination Laws, What You Can Do To Help (02/26/2007)
Matt Coles, director of the ACLU's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project, talks about setting a standard for acceptable behavior and ending discrimination.

Exodus - Positions Against "Reparative Therapy" and the Ex-Gay Movement (03/22/2006)

Limon v. Kansas - Case Background (09/08/2005)

Advocate article on Bizzari (04/13/2005)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Discrimination : Fact Sheets

Why Sodomy Laws Matter (06/26/2003)

Cops in the Bedroom: How the Texas Sodomy Case Began (06/26/2003)

Getting Rid of Sodomy Laws: History and Strategy that Led to the Lawrence Decision (06/26/2003)

History of Sodomy Laws and the Strategy that Led Up to Today's Decision (06/16/2003)

Lesbian Gay Rights : Discrimination : Court Cases view all

Advocacy on Behalf of Gay Men Verbally Abused by McDonald's Staff (09/16/2008)
The ACLU is representing two gay men in an official complaint to the Louisville Human Relations Commission after an employee at a McDonald’s restaurant in downtown Louisville called them and three friends a series of anti-gay slurs.

Employment Non-Discrimination Act (04/24/2007)

Exodus Parody (03/22/2006)
After Justin Watt posted this parody of an Exodus International billboard for “reparative therapy” on his Web site, he received a cease-and-desist letter from an anti-gay legal organization.

Exodus Parody (03/22/2006)
After Justin Watt posted this parody of an Exodus International billboard for “reparative therapy” on his Web site, he received a cease-and-desist letter from an anti-gay legal organization.

Limon v. Kansas - Case Profile (03/08/2005)

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