The Supreme Court’s session ended in June with several major decisions that will impact NCLR’s work. Read on for a breakdown of the rulings related to LGBTQ rights. United States v. Skrmetti On June 18, the Supreme Court released its decision in United States v. Skrmetti, upholding Tennessee’s law banning transgender youth healthcare. The result is devastating for youth in Tennessee, who will be deprived of essential, evidence-based care that has been shown to...
Since the 2024 presidential election, a debate pitting trans-inclusion against bread-and-butter issues has been ongoing. This debate has generally ignored the reality that trans issues are working-class issues as reflected in the recent rollback of federal support for food assistance and health care. On July 4th, President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (the “Act”). The Act eliminates health care and food assistance for millions of people — all to fund tax cuts for rich...
It is hard to believe that ten years have gone by since the Supreme Court decided Obergefell v. Hodges, securing nationwide marriage equality for our community. NCLR represented same-sex couples from Tennessee in that case, along with a stellar legal team. Tennessee was just the final chapter in the fight for marriage. Believe it or not, Tennessee was one of TEN NCLR marriage cases, including cases in California, New Mexico, Alabama, Florida, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South...
This Pride Month marks ten years since the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges brought the freedom to marry to same-sex couples nationwide. The front pages that summer were filled with jubilant scenes of couples taking their vows and banners waving in celebration on courthouse steps. On June 26, 2015—decision day—the White House’s columns were lit up with the colors of the rainbow. The gleaming display symbolized how a dedicated group of activists, policymakers, and...
We want to share some exciting news with you. After more than a decade of discussion, NCLR is changing our name! Starting today, we will be known as National Center for LGBTQ Rights. Since 1977, NCLR’s mission has been to advance the civil rights of all LGBTQ people. And we have done just that. We were created to fill a gap in support, defending lesbian moms fearful of losing custody of their children after coming out, but our commitment to protect those least represented led us to fight...
It has been 5 years since the murder of George Floyd – a Black man, father, brother, friend, and neighbor – who died at the hands of police in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. His image along with his last words of “I can’t breathe” went on to galvanize months of protest around the country, a revitalization of the Black Lives Matter movement, and years of working to create change and conversation around race and police reform in workplaces, schools, and other community...
Thursday, May 1 is the annual celebration of International Workers’ Day – also known as May Day – which honors the struggle of workers all around the world. During one of the most challenging periods in recent memory, the LGBTQ movement has reached an inflection point. As a result of a hostile administration, and lawmakers determined to use our community as a wedge issue, attitudes and policy towards queer and trans folks are regressing. At the same time, critical programs, including...
I was struck by the contrast between the beauty of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains, and the desolation of the dust-filled desert landscape, when I visited the Manzanar National Historical Site earlier this year. This was one of 10 U.S. military camps that incarcerated over 120,000 Japanese Americans – two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens – for up to four years during World War II. Under the authority of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act and President Franklin Roosevelt’s Executive...
Last month, my mother-in-law turned 80. We had a party, spent time with people we don’t see nearly enough, shared amazing food, and celebrated a woman who makes a point of telling her loved ones what they mean to her and how special we are. One of her recent messages urged, “love one another. In this moment in history, spend effort on kindness. And, fragile as it may feel to do so, let yourself lean back into the love that surrounds you.” This moment is incredibly hard. Each day brings a new,...
We’ve just received tremendously good news! U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes issued a nationwide preliminary injunction in Talbott v. Trump, NCLR’s challenge to President Trump’s cruel ban on military service by transgender people. Judge Reyes heard arguments on the motion for preliminary injunction in Washington, DC last Wednesday, March 12th and issued her decision today, blocking enforcement of the ban while our case goes forward. Judge Reyes held that the ban...
Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community. We’re changing Florida through lobbying, grassroots organizing, education, and coalition building — so that no one suffers harassment or discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
Come Out With Pride
The mission of Come Out With Pride Orlando is to cultivate visibility, authenticity, and acceptance by curating inclusive experiences that celebrate and embody the spirit of queer resilience.
Orlando Youth Alliance
Since 1990, the Orlando Youth Alliance (OYA) has been providing safe spaces for LGBTQ youth in Central Florida. Their coverage area includes metro Orlando, but also spans out to include the rural counties surrounding Orlando. In 2008, they created a chapter in Lakeland, Florida (Polk County). OYA oversees the highly successful Polk Pride Festival which attracts over 6,000 people annually.
Southern Legal Counsel
Southern Legal Counsel, Inc. (SLC) is a Florida statewide not-for-profit public interest law firm that is committed to the ideal of equal justice for all and the attainment of basic human and civil rights. SLC developed its Transgender Rights Initiative to fill a gap in access to justice for Florida’s transgender community, including in areas such as access to legal authenticity, access to safe and affirming school and work environments, access to medically necessary healthcare, and more. SLC’s Trans Rights Initiative protects the rights of Florida’s LGBTQ+ community utilizing federal impact litigation, policy advocacy, and individual representation. SLC has litigated many of the recent federal cases against the state of Florida, and has successfully overturned the Medicaid Ban on gender-affirming care (Dekker v. Weida); permanently enjoined the medical care bans for minors and restrictions for adults created by SB 254 and the Boards of Medicine rules (Doe v. Ladapo); preliminarily enjoined the pronoun ban for transgender teachers in Florida’s public schools; and more.
Joy Metropolitan Community Church
Joy MCC is the spiritual home to a multi-cultural, inclusive, and diverse community of faith. We are rooted in the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus. We experience a vibrant spirituality that is positive, practical, and progressive. We’ve always been a totally open and affirming church. We welcome the full participation of people of allraces, cultures, ages, abilities, spiritual backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities. We share a deep sense of community where our diversity is celebrated, not merely tolerated.
ACLU of Florida
The mission of the ACLU of Florida is to protect, defend, strengthen, and promote the constitutional rights and liberties of all people in Florida. We envision a fair and just Florida, where all people are free, equal under the law, and live with dignity.
QLatinx
QLatinx is a grassroots community-led racial, social, and gender justice organization dedicated to the advancement and empowerment of Orlando’s LGBTQ+ Latinx community. QLatinx is committed to building a supportive infrastructure, addressing inequity, promoting inclusionary QLatinx aims to deepen the political consciousness of LGBTQ+ and Latinx individuals about intersections and complexities of institutional, interpersonal, and internalized forms of oppression. This work includes empowering local LGBTQ+ leadership to become cognizant of gender and racial inequities with the LGBTQ+ community and in relation to cisgender populations.
Community Spring
Community Spring is a grassroots organization dedicated to economic justice. The two pillars of our work are income and power: income to meet people’s needs and power to reshape the systems that keep them down.
Pride Community Center of North Central Florida
The Pride Community Center of North Central Florida offers safe spaces, resources, services and events to foster and enhance the well-being and visibility of LGBTQ+ people in North Central Florida. Visibility changes minds. Here in North Central Florida, LGBTQ+ people deserve access to safe spaces where they can not only express themselves, but where they can also be a part of a community. Come join us.
