TUCSON, AZ – Today, a federal district court in Tucson granted the plaintiffs’ request to certify a class action in a case challenging Arizona’s outdated requirement that transgender people must have surgery to change the gender marker on their birth certificates. This ruling means that this case will now benefit all transgender people born in Arizona, not just the individual plaintiffs who originally brought the case. The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), along with co-counsel...
Proposed Rule from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Codifies Critical Nondiscrimination Protections in Essential Programs WASHINGTON, DC – The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) applauds the Biden Administration for taking steps to eradicate harmful discrimination in federally-funded social service programs. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) issued a proposed regulation today clarifying that entities that receive grants from HHS to administer...
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, in a 6-3 decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled that certain businesses that involve customized expressive messages may turn away same-sex couples or other customers. The ruling came in the case 303 Creative v. Elenis, in which the Court addressed whether a website designer in Colorado could refuse to design wedding websites for same-sex couples. Writing for the Majority, Justice Gorsuch held that “the First Amendment bars Colorado from forcing a...
If passed, historic legislation would bar discrimination against LGBTQ individuals, women, and people of color in education, employment, housing, credit, public accommodations, and other aspects of everyday life WASHINGTON, DC – Today, NCLR lauded the reintroduction of the Equality Act (S.5/H.R.15), a comprehensive federal civil rights bill that would create permanent protections for LGBTQ individuals, women, and people of color from discrimination in seven critical sectors, including housing,...
U.S. House of Representatives Approves Respect for Marriage Act WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404) by a bipartisan vote of 267-157. The bill repeals the disgraceful Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 – and codifies additional federal legal protections for the marriages of same-sex couples, transgender people, and interracial couples. The bill has the strong support of...
Presidential Order Addresses the Deadly Harm of Conversion Therapy WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Biden issued a historic and sweeping executive order aimed at addressing multiple facets of discrimination against LGBTQI+ Americans. The order, timed to coincide with Pride Month, addresses the wave of anti-LGBTQI+ bills being introduced and passed in dozens of states across the country this year, as well as the mental and physical health of LGBTQI+ youth. It also announces a...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 8, 2019 Contact: Shannon Minter, NCLR Legal Director sminter@nclrights.org/ 415-624-6071 NCLR and Born Perfect Applaud Massachusetts for Becoming the 16th State to Protect LGBTQ Youth from Conversion Therapy “This is a huge victory for LGBTQ youth and their parents in Massachusetts” (Boston, MA, April 8, 2019) — Today, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed H140 into law, making...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2018 Contact: Lauren Gray, NCLR lgray@nclrights.org / (215) 983-3099 NCLR on Yesterday’s Midterm Elections NCLR’s Kate Kendell says, “We may yet save our nation and repair a U.S. Constitution in tatters” Washington, D.C.—National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) Executive Director Kate Kendell issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s midterm elections: “While the...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 6, 2018 Contact: Lauren Gray, NCLR lgray@nclrights.org / 215.983.3099 NCLR Responds to Senate Confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Senate today voted to confirm Trump nominee Brett Kavanaugh to be an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, despite the fact that Kavanaugh faced credible allegations of...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 26, 2018 Contact: Lauren Gray, NCLR lgray@nclrights.org / 215.983.3099 NCLR Statement on President Trump’s Dismissal of Sexual Assault Allegations Against Brett Kavanaugh WASHINGTON, DC—President Trump held an open press conference today during which he addressed new sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh from a third accuser, Julie Swetnick. National Center for Lesbian Rights...
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.
