LGBTQ Rights
Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Florida v. Raymond Rodrigues
The University of Florida chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine filed a lawsuit on November 16, 2023, challenging the Chancellor of the State University System of Florida’s order to state universities to deactivate the student group. This order threatens the students’ constitutionally-protected right to free speech and association in violation of the First Amendment. The ACLU and its partners are seeking a preliminary injunction that would bar the Chancellor and the University of Florida from deactivating the UF SJP.
Status: Ongoing
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Maryland
Nov 2023
![Tamer Mahmoud v. Monifa McKnight](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Tamer Mahmoud v. Monifa McKnight
On October 30, 2023, the ACLU and ACLU of Maryland filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit supporting the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in its efforts to ensure that its English curriculum is LGBTQ-inclusive.
Status: Ongoing
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U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2020
![Aimee Stephens in front of the Supreme Court](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/WEB19-Aimee-Stephens-SCOTUS-1110x740-600x400.jpg)
R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v EEOC & Aimee Stephens
Aimee Stephens had worked for nearly six years as a funeral director at R.G. and G.R. Harris Funeral Homes when she informed the funeral home’s owner that she is a transgender woman. She was fired, the EEOC sued on her behalf, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Aimee’s employer engaged in unlawful sex discrimination when it fired her because she’s transgender. We represented Aimee Stephens in front of the U.S. Supreme Court — and won.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2019
![Don Zarda, Melissa Zarda, Bill Moore](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/WEB19-Don-Zarda-Melissa-Zarda-Bill-Moore-1160x864-600x447.jpg)
Altitude Express Inc. v. Zarda
Don Zarda loved to skydive. He worked as a skydiving instructor at Altitude Express, a company on Long Island, N.Y. He was fired for being gay.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2018
![David Mullins and Charlie Craig](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/WEB18-charlie-david-1160x864-600x447.jpg)
Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
Whether a business open to the public has a constitutional right to discriminate.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2015
![Jim Obergefell](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/LIB15-Obergefell-BannerImage-1160x864-600x447.jpg)
Obergefell, et al. v. Hodges - Freedom to Marry in Ohio
The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Ohio and Alphonse Gerhardstein of Gerhardstein & Branch have filed suit on behalf of Jim Obergefell and David Michener, two widowers, and Robert Grunn, a funeral director, in a challenge to the Ohio constitutional and statutory marriage recognition bans.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2015
![Bourke Family](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/LIB15-BourkeVBeshear-BannerImage-1160x864-600x447.jpg)
Bourke v. Beshear & Love v. Beshear - Freedom to Marry in Kentucky
Bourke v. Beshear is a federal court challenge to Kentucky's constitutional ban on marriage for same-sex couples, filed by attorneys at Clay Daniel Walton & Adams and Fauver Law Office on July 26, 2013, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The plaintiffs are four same-sex couples seeking state recognition of their out-of-state marriages.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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177 LGBTQ Rights Cases
Jan 2006
![Gay TShirts](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/CASE15-TShirts-MyersThornsberry.jpg)
Myers v. Thornsberry
The ACLU filed a lawsuit in federal court against a high school that twice punished a student for wearing t-shirts expressing her support for gay rights. LaStaysha Myers, a heterosexual 15-year-old student at Webb City High School in Missouri, was twice sent home from school last November for wearing homemade t-shirts; first, one bearing several handwritten slogans such as "I support the gay rights!" and "Who are we to judge?" and the next day one that bore a rainbow and the Webster's dictionary definition of "gay": "M[e]rry, happy." Before censoring Myers, administrators routinely allowed students to wear shirts expressing other messages, including endorsements of the Bush and Kerry presidential campaigns, students' views on abortion, and religious messages.
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![Gay TShirts](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/CASE15-TShirts-MyersThornsberry.jpg)
LGBTQ Rights
Myers v. Thornsberry
The ACLU filed a lawsuit in federal court against a high school that twice punished a student for wearing t-shirts expressing her support for gay rights. LaStaysha Myers, a heterosexual 15-year-old student at Webb City High School in Missouri, was twice sent home from school last November for wearing homemade t-shirts; first, one bearing several handwritten slogans such as "I support the gay rights!" and "Who are we to judge?" and the next day one that bore a rainbow and the Webster's dictionary definition of "gay": "M[e]rry, happy." Before censoring Myers, administrators routinely allowed students to wear shirts expressing other messages, including endorsements of the Bush and Kerry presidential campaigns, students' views on abortion, and religious messages.
Jan 2006
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U.S. Supreme Court
Dec 2005
![Rumsfeld v. FAIR](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Rumsfeld v. FAIR
Reviewing the constitutionality of the Solomon Amendment, which cuts off federal funding to any university that bars military recruiters for failure to comply with the university's nondiscrimination policies.
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![Rumsfeld v. FAIR](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
U.S. Supreme Court
LGBTQ Rights
Free Speech
Rumsfeld v. FAIR
Reviewing the constitutionality of the Solomon Amendment, which cuts off federal funding to any university that bars military recruiters for failure to comply with the university's nondiscrimination policies.
Dec 2005
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Oct 2005
![Alaska CLU v. State of Alaska](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Alaska CLU v. State of Alaska
Karen Wood and Terry Tavel are plaintiffs in the ACLU lawsuit to provide government employee benefits to partners of same-sex couples.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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![Alaska CLU v. State of Alaska](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
LGBTQ Rights
Alaska CLU v. State of Alaska
Karen Wood and Terry Tavel are plaintiffs in the ACLU lawsuit to provide government employee benefits to partners of same-sex couples.
Oct 2005
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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Oct 2005
![Limon v. Kansas](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Limon v. Kansas
In February of 2000, Limon and another male teenager were both students at the same residential school for developmentally disabled youth in Miami County, Kansas. A week after Limon's 18th birthday, he performed consensual oral sex on the other teenager, who was nearly 15 years old - three years, one month and a few days younger. Because Kansas's so-called "Romeo and Juliet" law gives much lighter sentences to heterosexual teenagers who have sex with younger teens but specifically excludes gay teenagers, Limon was sentenced to 17 years in prison. A heterosexual teenager with the same record would serve no longer than 15 months for the same offense.
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![Limon v. Kansas](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
LGBTQ Rights
Limon v. Kansas
In February of 2000, Limon and another male teenager were both students at the same residential school for developmentally disabled youth in Miami County, Kansas. A week after Limon's 18th birthday, he performed consensual oral sex on the other teenager, who was nearly 15 years old - three years, one month and a few days younger. Because Kansas's so-called "Romeo and Juliet" law gives much lighter sentences to heterosexual teenagers who have sex with younger teens but specifically excludes gay teenagers, Limon was sentenced to 17 years in prison. A heterosexual teenager with the same record would serve no longer than 15 months for the same offense.
Oct 2005
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Kentucky
Jul 2005
![GSA](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/boyd_v_boardofed.gif)
Boyd High GSA v. Boyd County Board of Education
The ACLU settled a lawsuit brought on behalf of several students who wanted to form a gay-straight alliance (GSA) club at Boyd County High School in Ashland, Kentucky. The settlement requires that the district treat all student clubs equally and conduct anti-harassment trainings for all students and staff. Several students had first petitioned the school to form the gay-straight alliance in March 2002. The school initially refused to approve the club, and then later took the extraordinary step of suspending all student clubs rather than recognize the GSA.
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![GSA](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/boyd_v_boardofed.gif)
Kentucky
LGBTQ Rights
Boyd High GSA v. Boyd County Board of Education
The ACLU settled a lawsuit brought on behalf of several students who wanted to form a gay-straight alliance (GSA) club at Boyd County High School in Ashland, Kentucky. The settlement requires that the district treat all student clubs equally and conduct anti-harassment trainings for all students and staff. Several students had first petitioned the school to form the gay-straight alliance in March 2002. The school initially refused to approve the club, and then later took the extraordinary step of suspending all student clubs rather than recognize the GSA.
Jul 2005
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