The Harms of Refusing Service to LGBTQ People and Other Marginalized Communities
New research shows that, in addition to negatively impacting mental and physical health, discriminatory service refusals undermine LGBTQ people’s access to services.
Family Recognition
People Need Paid Leave Policies That Cover Chosen Family
Nearly one-third of people in the United States have taken leave to support a chosen family member’s health needs—but public policy largely fails to support them.
Making Paid Leave Work for Every Family
Inconsistent and restrictive family definitions have historically marginalized many families, but improvements can be made to serve a fuller range of diverse family structures, especially LGBTQ families.
Fired for Being Who I Am: The Fight for LGBT Equality Continues
Despite historic progress on LGBT rights, many LGBT people and their families still face serious and life-altering discrimination in their daily lives.
Clear Guidance on Humanitarian Parole Is Needed to Reunite Same-Sex Partners Who Are Unable to Legally Marry
Even with marriage equality, same-sex couples continue to face separation under U.S. immigration laws.
A Handful of Elected State Judges Continue to Deny Marriage Equality
Judges and magistrates in some southern states are still defying the U.S. Supreme Court’s marriage equality decision.
Filling in the Map: The Need for LGBT Data Collection
Federally supported population surveys need to keep up with the growing visibility of LGBT issues by beginning to routinely collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Their Baby Was Denied Access to Care Because They Are Gay
LGBT couple Krista and Jami Contreras discuss what happened when they took their infant daughter to the pediatrician for the first time.
Strengthening Child Welfare Systems by Resisting LGBT Discrimination
Religious exemption laws would deny loving homes to vulnerable youth.
Hospital Visitation and Medical Decision Making for Same-Sex Couples
We must take action to ensure that regulations giving same-sex couples and domestic partners visitation and medical decision-making rights are respected and enforced.
A Cheap Shot: 4 State Governors Are Denying Same-Sex Military Spouses the Benefits They Have Earned
Although the Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act, anti-gay, activist governors still refuse to treat same-sex military spouses equally at National Guard installations.
Religious Liberty + Marriage Equality = Harmony, Not Dissension
Despite opposition activists’ rhetoric, support for nondiscrimination laws and religious liberty are positively connected.
Additional Immigration Benefits Are Available for Same-Sex Couples After DOMA Repeal
Now that the Supreme Court has ruled Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, same-sex immigrant couples will have access to additional benefits.
DOMA’s Impact on LGBT Older Americans
By striking down key sections of the Defense of Marriage Act, the Supreme Court has removed a number of discriminatory obstacles once blocking full and equal access to a variety of federal benefits critically important to older gay and lesbian couples. But much more remains to be done, particularly on the state level.
Speaker Boehner’s Raid on the Treasury Enabled the Supreme Court to Strike Down DOMA
Using funds appropriated for congressional operations to fight court battles on behalf of the Defense of Marriage Act turned out to be a bad deal for taxpayers and DOMA supporters alike.