Home : Lesbian & Gay Rights : Relationships

Since the first marriage lawsuit for same-sex couples in 1972, the ACLU has been at the forefront of both legal and public education efforts to secure marriage for same-sex couples and win legal recognition for LGBT relationships.	> Fresno Hospital Bars Lesbian From Visiting Partner And Giving Advice About Her Treatment > LGBT Legal And Advocacy Groups Decry Obama Administration's Defense of DOMA

Fresno Hospital Bars Lesbian From Visiting Partner And Giving Advice About Her Treatment (06/15/2009)
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.

LGBT Legal And Advocacy Groups Decry Obama Administration's Defense of DOMA (06/12/2009)
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.

Wisconsin Trial Court Dismisses ACLU Lawsuit Seeking Domestic Partner Benefits For Lesbian and Gay State Employees (06/01/2009)
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.

LGBT Organizations Point Out that Lawsuits Could Set Back Progress on Marriage for Same-Sex Couples (05/27/2009)
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.

Court Upholds Prop 8; State Continues to Recognize 18,000 Marriages (05/26/2009)
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.

Perry v. Schwarzenegger - Motion to File Amicus (06/25/2009)
Motion to file amicus brief in Perry v. Schwarzenegger.

Perry v. Schwarzenegger - Amicus Brief (06/25/2009)
Amicus brief filed on behalf of the ACLU, our California affiliates, Lambda Legal and NCLR in Perry v. Schwarzenegger.

Fresno Hospital Discrimination - Demand Letter (06/15/2009)

Dunnum v. Wisconsin - Decision (05/29/2009)

Strauss v. Horton - Decision (05/26/2009)
Decision in our challenge to CA Prop. 8, issued May 26, 2009.

Letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Urging Support of H.R. 2221, the Uniting American Families Act (06/11/2007)

Letter to the U.S. Senate Urging Support of S. 1328, the Uniting American Families Act (06/11/2007)

Testimony By Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Office, Before the Democratic Party Platform Committee (06/19/2004)

Statement by MALDEF's Regional Counsel Marisa Demeo Condemning Proposal to Amend the Constitution to Discriminate Against Gay Men and Lesbians (05/14/2004)

Letter to the Senate in Opposition to Anti-Democracy Riders to the DC Appropriations Bill (10/25/2001)

Make Change, Not Lawsuits - Joint Advisory (05/27/2009)
Joint statement from LGBT rights organizations explaining why additional lawsuits are not currently the best option for gaining marriage equality.

A Brief History of the California Marriage Cases (08/17/2007)

Levitt & Dakota v. New Mexico Retiree Health Authority - About the Plaintiffs (02/05/2007)

Sam Beaumont's Bio (01/25/2006)

Sam Beaumont - A Gay Rancher's Fight to Keep His Home (01/24/2006)

Why the ballot box and not the courts should be the next step on marriage in California (05/27/2009)
Joint statement from leading LGBT rights groups explaining why, now that Proposition 8 has been upheld, the next step for marriage equality is to go back to the voters in California, not back to the courts.

Frequently Asked Questions about Marriage in California: A Practical Guide for Same-Sex Couples (05/15/2008)

Deane & Polyak v. Conaway - Questions & Answers (09/18/2007)

Frequently Asked Questions about New Jersey Civil Unions: A Practical Guide for Same-Sex Couples (02/16/2007)

Levitt & Dakota v. New Mexico Retiree Health Authority - Questions & Answers (02/05/2007)

In re Marriage Cases - Case Profile (03/14/2005)

Fresno Hospital Discrimination - Case Profile (06/15/2009)

Strauss v. Horton - Case Profile (11/05/2008)
Challenge to CA Prop 8, which bans marriage for same-sex couples.

Levitt & Dakota v. New Mexico Retiree Health Authority - Case Profile (02/05/2007)