This week in Henderson v. Box, the U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed that marriage equality is the law of the land and that states must provide the same rights to same-sex and different-sex spouses. After the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015 that same-sex couples had a right to marry, Indiana refused to list same-sex married parents on their children’s birth certificates. Eight same-sex married couples in Indiana sued the state and won before the trial court, and then...
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 Health v. Hellerstedt, the Court found that a Texas law requiring that abortion providers have hospital admitting privileges did virtually nothing to protect...
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 the stories of families raising transgender children in states within the Fourth Circuit (Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 2, 2019 Contact: Christopher Vasquez, NCLR Communications Director cvasquez@nclrights.org / (415) 365-1337 National Center for Lesbian Rights Files Friend-of-the-Court Brief in Major Abortion Rights Case NCLR leads coalition of 24 LGBTQ organizations urging Supreme Court to strike down unconstitutional abortion law in Louisiana WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the National Center for Lesbian...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 26, 2018 Contact: Lauren Gray, NCLR lgray@nclrights.org / 215.983.3099 NCLR Statement on President Trump’s Dismissal of Sexual Assault Allegations Against Brett Kavanaugh WASHINGTON, DC—President Trump held an open press conference today during which he addressed new sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh from a third accuser, Julie Swetnick. National Center for Lesbian Rights...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 24, 2018 Contact: Lauren Gray, NCLR lgray@nclrights.org / 215.983.3099 As Pattern of Alleged Sexual Assaults Emerges, NCLR Calls on Brett Kavanaugh to Withdraw NCLR says, “The gravity of this pattern of alleged sexual assaults casts a troubling cloud …Kavanaugh’s nomination must be withdrawn” WASHINGTON, DC—Today Montgomery County investigators confirmed they are aware of another sexual assault...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 7, 2018 Contact: Lauren Gray, NCLR lgray@nclrights.org / 215.983.3099 NCLR Statement on Kavanaugh’s Refusal to Confirm that Obergefell, the Supreme Court’s Marriage Equality Decision, was Correctly Decided Legal Director Shannon Minter, who was on the team of attorneys to win Obergefell, calls this refusal “chilling” and disqualifying WASHINGTON, D.C.—Last night,...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 9, 2018 Contact: Lauren Gray, NCLR Communications Director lgray@nclrights.org / (215) 983-3099 NCLR Responds to Trump’s Nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to Fill Supreme Court Vacancy NCLR’s Shannon Minter says this “is a wake-up call to LGBTQ people and others about the critical importance of elections and the need to vote this November” WASHINGTON, D.C.—National Center for...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 27, 2018 Contact: Lauren Gray, NCLR Communications Director lgray@nclrights.org / (215) 983-3099 NCLR Statement on Supreme Court Justice Kennedy’s Retirement Announcement WASHINGTON, D.C.—United States Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced today that he will be retiring as of July 31. National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) Legal Director Shannon Minter issued the following statement in...
(April 7, 2017 San Francisco)—The U.S. Senate today confirmed Trump Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. This vote came on the heels of a rule change by Senate Republicans yesterday after they failed to secure the 60 votes needed to move forward with Gorsuch’s confirmation. Gorsuch, a controversial selection rated as more conservative than the late Justice Antonin Scalia, will now replace Scalia on the bench. At 49 years old, now-Justice Gorsuch has the potential to influence our nation’s...
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.