On May 19, 2015, Every Child Deserves A Family Act (ECDF) was re-introduced in congress by Senator Gillibrand (D-NY), Rep. Lewis (D-GA 5th) and Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL 27th). The bill was introduced first in 2009 and has been re-introduced in each congress since. Each year it garners more support but has yet to be enacted. The last re-introduction was in 2013. The ECDF Act would prohibit any entity that receives federal child welfare funds from discriminating against prospective adoptive or...
Our Voices
(This letter was a collaboration between Mr. Hanley and the names listed below) Dear Michael, We, black men, write this letter to you out of love. We can only imagine the burdens you have had to carry personally: experiences of isolation, shame, rejection and moral judgment. But we want you to know that in our lives we have had to carry those burdens as well. We write this letter to you, understanding the actions taken against you have come at the expense of your humanity. And we write this...
On April 28th, the United States Supreme Court heard oral argument in our Tennessee marriage equality case and cases from three other states. A decision is expected by the end of June. The following is the reaction from NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, who had a seat at the historic hearing.
Nine months ago, NCLR launched our #BornPerfect campaign to end the use of conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth in five years. At the time, we thought it was an ambitious goal. We could not have imagined then the speed with which this movement has already grown or the impact it has already made. Thanks to the denunciations of these dangerous practices by mental health professionals, the tenacity of lawmakers and LGBTQ state equality groups, the support of faith leaders, and, most importantly, the...
I came out to my mother at 21, while she was driving us to see my grandparents in Oregon. I was prepared for the worst. Looking back, the idea that I would reveal this information in a fast moving vehicle now seems risky, but I needn’t have worried. Despite my mom’s devotion to her Mormon faith and her love of Jesus Christ, whom she regarded as her Savior, she took my trembling hand and said, “Honey, honey, the only thing that matters to me is that you are happy.” Over...
Marriage equality across the nation has been moving at a breakneck speed and it shows no sign of stopping. Achieving this new legal benefit has been an incredible advancement for the rights and dignity of all LGBTQ people. But it’s also important to remember that even though marriage provides thousands of couples and their families with many new legal protections, marriage alone is not enough to fully protect all LGBTQ families. Same-sex spouses and transgender spouses need to know that they...
Recently, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the Final Rule revising the regulatory definition of spouse under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Under this new rule, legally married same-sex couples will be recognized as spouses and eligible for FMLA benefits, regardless of the law in the state where they currently live. The rule, published on February 25, 2015, changed the definition of “spouse” so it is based on the “place of celebration” of the marriage, rather than the “state...
The United States Supreme Court is hearing our historic Tennessee marriage equality case, and our three plaintiff couples are headed to the Supreme Court! We are working as hard as we can to finally win the freedom to marry nationwide, and our Tennessee case will be a critical part of that historic victory. While we’re sure our plaintiffs have good reason to celebrate on this very special Valentine’s Day, the coming months leading up to a ruling from the Supreme Court will not be...
Today, NCLR is headed to a federal courtroom in Mobile, Alabama with our four plaintiff couples who are asking the court to let them marry right away. NCLR’s legal team has been working tirelessly in Alabama to make sure that same-sex couples can marry in every part of the state. Help us finish the job! Last week, NCLR successfully asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow marriage equality to begin in Alabama as scheduled on February 9, after a federal court judge struck down Alabama’s marriage...
By Ijpe DeKoe Tennessee Marriage Case Plaintiff Thom was my childhood sweetheart. We met in 1999 when we were in our late teens and working as camp counselors that summer. We knew there was something special in one another and maintained a close friendship for a decade before finally admitting that we were perfect together. In 2011, we got engaged. Soon after, we were married in New York—while I was on a three days pass from my mobilization training at FT. Dix, NJ. A week later I began my nine...
