On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, struck down two onerous and medically unwarranted restrictions on abortion. The 5-3 ruling came in a legal challenge to the Texas legislature’s harmful anti-abortion law, House Bill 2 (HB2), passed in 2013. HB2 was enacted to make safe abortion care more difficult to provide and obtain and has resulted in the closure of nearly 75 percent of the clinics in the state of Texas, forcing some women to drive up to...
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 to bring full equality and dignity to the LGBTQ community. Watch the video to learn more.
U.S. Supreme Court Made History June 26, 2015 with Landmark Decision in Favor of Marriage Equality A year ago on June 26th, several of us from NCLR sat in white-knuckled silence at the U.S. Supreme Court, waiting for the Court’s most important decision ever for LGBTQ Americans and their children. Anticipation gave way to jubilation when Justice Kennedy announced the Court’s decision. In soaring and inspirational prose, Kennedy’s opinion for the Court made clear that same-sex couples are...
Legal services organizations play a crucial role in alleviating the effects of poverty for low-income older Americans. However, not all low-income older adults have the same legal needs, not all will seek out help on their own, and for diverse groups, culturally competent service is key to meeting their needs. How Can Legal Services Better Meet the Needs of Low-Income LGBTQ Seniors? is a new Special Report by Justice in Aging, produced in partnership with Services and Advocacy for Gay,...
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 Liberties Union LGBTQ Project, American Muslim Health Professionals, Equality Florida, Muslim Alliance...
Today, NCLR joins more than 150 other LGBTQ Latinx groups and allies reaffirming their commitment to ending violence against marginalized communities following the June 12, 2016 shooting at an Orlando, Florida LGBTQ bar that left 49 people dead and more than 50 seriously injured. Statement We, the undersigned, a coalition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Latinx organizations and allies make the following statement in the spirit of education and with the purpose of...
Today, U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch delivered remarks at the United State of Women Summit in Washington D.C., where she addressed the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch: Good afternoon, everyone and thank you for that warm welcome. Thank you to Valerie Jarrett for that kind introduction and for the vital work you do to promote opportunity and advance the cause of justice. I’m so happy to be here with so many...
Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights joins more than 50 other LGBTQ organizations calling for unity and an end to hate and discrimination following the June 12, 2016 shooting at an Orlando, Florida LGBTQ bar that left 49 people dead and more than 50 seriously injured. Joint Statement We the undersigned organizations working on the front lines of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) movement share in the profound grief for those who were killed and many more who...
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.