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 […]

We know that having one-on-one conversations about equality is one of the best ways to change hearts and minds. Our work around marriage showed us that when we reach out, listen, and share our stories we can create monumental change towards a more just community. Now we have an amazing new opportunity to create that […]

“…Later that night I held an atlas in my lap ran my fingers across the whole world and whispered where does it hurt? it answered everywhere everywhere everywhere” —Warsan Shire   Two days after a sniper killed five Dallas police officers, this poem, by expat Somali poet Warsan Shire, who came to world’s attention when […]

The Republican National Convention will consider adding its support for conversion therapy—the dangerous practice of attempting to change one’s sexual orientation and gender identity—to the GOP platform when it meets July 18-21 in Cleveland. Please help us tell the #RNC2016 to #StopHate and protect LGBTQ people from the dangerous practice, which has been condemned by […]

Today, President Obama designated a new national monument at the historic site of the Stonewall Uprising in New York City, honoring the movement for LGBT  equality. The new Stonewall National Monument protects the area where LGBTQ people fought back against a police raid that took place on June 28, 1969 and helped start the fight […]

Today, NCLR joins 65 American Muslim and LGBTQ organizations in a statement that sends a clear message in the wake of the Orlando shooting: love and unity are powerful tools against those who seek to divide Americans using fear and hate.  Statement signatories include Muslim Advocates, National LGBTQ Task Force, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Human Rights Campaign, Emerge USA, American Civil […]