Decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Reveals High Court Has Abandoned Individual Rights WASHINGTON, DC – Today, in a 6-3 ruling, the United States Supreme Court held that the Constitution does not protect the fundamental right to abortion, overruling the landmark decisions Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. “It is impossible […]

National Center for Lesbian Rights Spearheads Joint Call for Action WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights released an open letter signed by 91 organizations representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) community voicing their strong support for the right to abortion. Channeling the outrage and alarm being felt […]

We will not sugarcoat this: the leak this week of a Supreme Court majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, a ruling that would eliminate the constitutional right to abortion, is extremely alarming.  It is also a wake-up call.  While we do not know if the leaked opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization will […]

Historic Appointment Brings Needed Diversity to Nation’s Highest Court  WASHINGTON, DC – Today, by a bipartisan vote of 53-47, the United States Senate confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as an Associate Justice on the United State Supreme Court. She will take her place on the bench following the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer […]

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – NCLR applauds the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, currently serving on the D.C. Circuit, to replace Justice Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Jackson’s nomination is historic for many reasons, including that she will be the first Supreme Court justice who previously served as a public defender.  “Judge Jackson […]

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer announced his intention to retire. Justice Breyer, who was appointed by President Clinton in 1994, has been a consistent supporter of women’s rights, reproductive freedoms, voter protections, and LGBTQ equality. His retirement gives President Biden a historic opportunity to name a pro-equality successor […]

CONTACTS:Christopher Vasquez, NCLR Communications Director415.365.1337 | cvasquez@nclrights.org “Today’s action by the United States Senate is an affront to the American people and a threat to the credibility and integrity of the Supreme Court.” SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Today, the United States Senate voted along party lines to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to a lifetime appointment […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 13, 2020 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United States Supreme Court declined to review a federal court decision ordering the Idaho Department of Corrections (IDOC) to provide medically necessary gender confirmation surgery to Adree Edmo, a transgender woman. As a result, the judgment that the United States Constitution requires the State to […]

You have been by our side for a long time, through moments of thrilling victory and through many moments of peril and uncertainty as well.   We know you look to us to do our research, be one step ahead of our foes, and be ready to pivot and fight until we win the rights […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 26, 2020 CONTACTS:Christopher Vasquez, NCLR Communications Director415.365.1337 | cvasquez@nclrights.org SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Today, President Donald Trump announced the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to replace Justice Ginsburg, only days after Justice Ginsburg’s death and before her burial at Arlington National Cemetery next week.  After the death of Justice Scalia in 2016, […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 18, 2020 CONTACTS:Christopher Vasquez, NCLR Communications Director415.365.1337 | cvasquez@nclrights.org “We will celebrate her life and grieve her loss. But above all, we will honor her legacy by continuing her fight.” SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) mourns the tragic loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg – a true […]

I recently experienced acute déjà vu when writing our amicus brief in the Supreme Court case June Medical Services v. Russo, which deals with a challenge to a 2014 Louisiana restriction on abortion. That’s probably because the Supreme Court heard a case about an identical state abortion restriction just four years ago. In Whole Woman’s […]

On November 25, 2019, the National Center for Lesbian Rights filed an amicus brief in the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in support of Gavin Grimm, a transgender student who was mistreated in school because he is transgender. Representing a coalition of organizations that work with families raising transgender youth, the brief tells […]

This year, NCLR celebrated four decades of work to advance LGBTQ equality. We know that we are stronger and better able to fight today’s battles because of our deep history in the movement—growing with, standing with, and supporting our community. And today, on World AIDS Day 2017, we renew our commitment to the fight against […]

Monday marked two important moments at NCLR. First, we celebrated the second anniversary of winning the freedom to marry nationwide at the U.S. Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges. Being a part of the legal team that won that landmark and transformative victory for our community will always be a highlight of my legal career. […]

As an organization that litigates cases to protect equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender(LGBT) people, we do not take lightly a decision to oppose judicial nominees. The records of these two individuals, however, compel us to take this position. We believe the unvarnished animus towards LGBTQ people exhibited by Mr. Bush and Mr. Schiff […]

“Perseverance in almost any plan is better than fickleness and fluctuation”—Alexander Hamilton When we adopted our NCLR tag line—”The audacity to fight for justice, the perseverance to win”—it was before President Obama’s book “The Audacity of Hope” and years before the cultural phenomenon that is “Hamilton” ushered in a refreshed examination of Alexander Hamilton’s writings. […]

In 2014, President Obama issued an Executive Order prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ people by entities that contract with or receive grants from the federal government. This was an important milestone in expanding essential job protections for our community, and it is now under serious threat. Sweeping language in the House version of the National Defense […]

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently issued a regulation that requires any homeless shelter that receives federal funding to treat transgender people equally. The rule expressly requires that shelters must house transgender individuals based on their gender identity. The rule is an important coda to the groundbreaking Equal Access Rule issued […]

It’s already being called “this summer’s hot documentary”—and soon, you can see The Freedom to Marry documentary for yourself at a theater near you! The Freedom to Marry is a new, “War Room” style film by award-winning filmmaker Eddie Rosenstein that provides an emotional, behind-the-scenes view of how love won – with a front-row seat […]