Jennifer Bing, JBing@nclrights.org, 415-845-9406 Amanda Johnston, ajohnston@glad.org, 617-417-7769 For Immediate Release: April 19, 2024 Today, the U.S. Department of Education issued a final rule interpreting and enforcing Title IX, restoring and reinforcing vital civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ students. The National Center for Lesbian...
PHOENIX, AZ – Today, Governor Hobbs made history by signing an executive order prohibiting licensed therapists from subjecting minors to conversion therapy, a dangerous practice that seeks to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. With her order, Arizona is now the 27th state to protect youth from this deadly practice, whether by legislation, regulations, or executive actions. “We applaud Governor Hobbs for her leadership in protecting LGBTQ youth and their families...
April 24, 2023 (SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA) — Minnesota made history today when Governor Tim Walz signed into law a bill prohibiting licensed therapists from subjecting minors to conversion therapy, a dangerous practice that seeks to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Minnesota is now the 21st state to prohibit conversion therapy. Utah enacted a similar law earlier this year. Minnesota’s law broadens and makes permanent a 2021 executive order by Governor Walz. “Minnesota...
Today’s release of a proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Education affirms that Title IX requires the equal participation of transgender students in sports. WASHINGTON, DC – Today the United States Department of Education released a new Title IX rule affirming protections for transgender students’ participation in sports. The proposed rule provides that categorically banning transgender students from school sports is unlawful and that any restrictions must be firmly...
Governor Cox’s signature follows historic votes in the UT House and Senate – the first time a state legislature has voted unanimously in favor of a bill prohibiting conversion therapy for minors SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Utah made history today when Governor Spencer Cox signed into law a bill prohibiting therapists from subjecting youth to conversion therapy, a dangerous practice that seeks to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Governor Cox’s signature follows...
Following this historic vote – the first time that a state legislative body has voted unanimously in favor of a bill prohibiting conversion therapy for minors – the bill goes to the Utah Senate SALT LAKE CITY, UT — In a historic vote, the Utah House voted unanimously to prohibit therapists from subjecting youth to conversion therapy, a dangerous practice that seeks to change a young person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill now goes to the Utah Senate, where it...
“The Ninth Circuit has affirmed that states can require licensed mental health providers to comply with ethical and professional standards prohibiting the use of unnecessary, ineffective, and harmful treatments on their minor patients.” SEATTLE, WA — The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Monday rejected a therapist’s request for the court to reconsider its previous decision upholding the State of Washington’s law protecting minors...
Introduction Lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, gender nonconforming, and transgender (LGBTQI) youth are well documented as disproportionally represented in the juvenile justice system. These disparities, coupled with the high visibility of LGBTQI youth as leaders amongst prominent campaigns to abolish the youth prison model, emphasize the importance of examining the concerns facing LGBTQI youth involved in the prison abolition movement, and the strengths they bring to the effort. This...
The plaintiffs are represented by the ACLU of Utah, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Today, two Utah families filed a legal challenge in Utah state court against House Bill 11, which prohibits transgender girls from competing in school sports. The law, which the Legislature enacted over Governor Spencer Cox’s veto, singles out transgender girls in order to exclude them from girls’ sports. It bars every...
Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP and NCLR File Federal Complaint in Florida’s Northern District On March 31, 2022, lawyers from Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) filed a federal complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida challenging Florida House Bill 1557 (widely known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law). The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Equality Florida and Family Equality, as well as students, parents, and a...
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.