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Rights and Justice

LGBTQI+ Policy

The LGBTQI+ Policy team provides timely, strategic resources on policy issues affecting LGBTQI+ communities.

Participants hold up their fists prior to the start of the 46th annual Gay Pride march, June 26, 2016 in New York. (Getty/Bryan R. Smith/AFP)

What We're Doing

Expanding legal and lived equality for LGBTQI+ people

Through data and policy analysis, we examine the effects of discrimination and the misuse of religious exemptions while advocating for comprehensive federal nondiscrimination protections such as the Equality Act.

Advancing racial equity in LGBTQI+ policy

Our research has clearly demonstrated stark racial disparities in well-being, vulnerabilities, and experiences of discrimination among LGBTQI+ people. We work to show the nature of these disparities and ensure policy responses do not continue to leave LGBTQI+ people of color behind.

Improving LGBTQI+ health and economic security

Exclusion of LGBTQI+ people from opportunities in education, employment, housing, and health care has material consequences on the well-being of LGBTQI+ individuals. We examine these impacts and recommend responses to policymakers and other key stakeholders.

Enhancing data collection from LGBTQI+ people

Good policy demands good research, and the government needs an accurate picture of the experiences of LGBTQI+ people to adequately respond to the issues they face. Expanding and enhancing data collection on sexual orientation, gender identity, and intersex status in research is a central priority of our team.

The LGBTQI+ Policy team provides timely, strategic resources on policy issues affecting LGBTQI+ communities.

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Featured work

Fair Play
Report A teacher plays softball with a group of students, May 2019. (Getty/Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald)

Fair Play

Shoshana K. Goldberg

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CAP Submits Comments Against the Proposed Rule To Amend the Finalized HHS Rule on ‘Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Assistance’ Article

CAP Submits Comments Against the Proposed Rule To Amend the Finalized HHS Rule on ‘Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Assistance’

The Center for American Progress submitted comments to the Department of Health and Human Services opposing its proposed rule that would deny Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act’s protections for individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

Mia Ives-Rublee, Casey Doherty, Haley Norris

Under Trump, workplace harassment can now go unpunished In the News

Under Trump, workplace harassment can now go unpunished

In an op-ed published by Salon, Sara Estep and Haley Norris unpack the Trump administration’s attempts to roll back workplace anti-harassment protections, culminating in an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission vote.

Salon

Sara Estep, Haley Norris

Serving All Who Served: State Leadership for Transgender Veterans Past Event

Serving All Who Served: State Leadership for Transgender Veterans

Join CAP and Out in National Security for a virtual event launching the Transgender Veterans Toolkit for governors and state legislatures.

Center for American Progress Online via Zoom

In Conversation: The 2024 LGBTQI+ Community Survey Past Event

In Conversation: The 2024 LGBTQI+ Community Survey

Join CAP for a panel and discussion about new insights into LGBTQI+ experiences.

Center for American Progress Online via Zoom

The 2024 LGBTQI+ Wage Gap Article
A biker rides along “Rainbow Road,” a painted street mural in Washington, D.C.

The 2024 LGBTQI+ Wage Gap

In recognition of LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day, new analysis from the Center for American Progress’ LGBTQI+ Community Survey shows that in 2024, LGBTQI+ households made just 85 cents for every dollar earned by non-LGBTQI+ households, equaling about $12,600 less per year.

Sara Estep, Haley Norris

State of the LGBTQ+ Community: New Data and Insights Past Event

State of the LGBTQ+ Community: New Data and Insights

Join the Center for American Progress for a discussion about the threats facing LGBTQI+ Americans using data from the 2024 CAP LGBTQI+ Community Survey.

Center for American Progress and online | A light breakfast will be provided.

The SAVE Act: The Bill That Could Block Millions of Americans From Voting Past Event

The SAVE Act: The Bill That Could Block Millions of Americans From Voting

Please join the Center for American Progress for a virtual event to hear from, and ask questions of, CAP experts about their work on the SAVE Act, how the legislation would affect tens of millions of Americans, and what you can do to help prevent its passage.

Online only

Hundreds of LGBTQI+ Resources Censored by the Trump Administration Article
A rainbow flag is seen outside the White House.

Hundreds of LGBTQI+ Resources Censored by the Trump Administration

According to new analysis by the Center for American Progress, more than 350 LGBTQI+ pages, policies, and guides have been removed from the websites of the White House and federal agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Caleb Smith

United States v. Skrmetti: The Trans Medical Care Case Before the Supreme Court Is About Bodily Autonomy for Everyone Article
A rainbow and clouds are seen above the U.S. Supreme Court building.

United States v. Skrmetti: The Trans Medical Care Case Before the Supreme Court Is About Bodily Autonomy for Everyone

Should the court side with families and doctors, the decision in United States v. Skrmetti could overturn bans on lifesaving transgender medical care, but should the justices decide otherwise, the implications for everyone’s access to health care could be drastic.

Haley Norris

Climate Change Jeopardizes HIV Care in the U.S. Article
Photo shows a black and white sign reading

Climate Change Jeopardizes HIV Care in the U.S.

Policymakers and public health officials need to take steps to integrate climate resilience in HIV/AIDS health care programs to mitigate the disproportionate impact that extreme weather events have on people living with HIV.

Haley Norris

CAP Changemakers: Equality for All Past Event

CAP Changemakers: Equality for All

This conversation with Cait Smith and Winnie Stachelberg highlights CAP’s role in developing the Equality Act and current strides to make the country and world more equitable for LGBTQI+ communities.

Video Premiere

5 Connections Between Attacks on Abortion Care and Transgender Medical Care in Idaho Court Cases Article
Photo shows a group of people demonstrating in front of the Supreme Court building. One sign reads

5 Connections Between Attacks on Abortion Care and Transgender Medical Care in Idaho Court Cases

Two court cases originating in Idaho—Idaho v. United States and Poe v. Labrador—reveal five connections between attacks on abortion care and transgender medical care and highlight how the politicization of the judiciary is fueling the politicization of medicine.

Sabrina Talukder, Caleb Smith

2023 CAP IDEAS Conference Past Event
CAP IDEAS Conference logo

2023 CAP IDEAS Conference

Join the Center for American Progress as we celebrate 20 years of innovative policy solutions and look boldly forward to a progressive future.

A Place for Us: A Memoir, in Conversation With Brandon J. Wolf and Chasten Buttigieg Past Event
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A Place for Us: A Memoir, in Conversation With Brandon J. Wolf and Chasten Buttigieg

Join Brandon J. Wolf, Chasten Buttigieg, and the Center for American Progress for an armchair conversation to discuss LGBTQI+ rights, gun violence prevention, and finding purpose and power through tragedy.

Center for American Progress

Paid Leave Policies Must Include Chosen Family Article
Photo shows a couple sitting together on a park bench.

Paid Leave Policies Must Include Chosen Family

In order to better support all workers—especially LGBTQI+ workers—policymakers must design paid leave policies that are inclusive of chosen family and reflect the diverse caregiving needs of people across the country.

Caroline Medina, Molly Weston Williamson

Discrimination and Barriers to Well-Being: The State of the LGBTQI+ Community in 2022 Report
Intersex Progress Pride flag

Discrimination and Barriers to Well-Being: The State of the LGBTQI+ Community in 2022

A comprehensive new CAP study finds that many LGBTQI+ people continue to face discrimination in their personal lives, employment, housing, and health care, as well as in the public sphere.

Caroline Medina, Lindsay Mahowald

Advancing Health Care Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQI+ Communities Report
A woman wears a pride flag in her hair in Manassas, Virginia.

Advancing Health Care Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQI+ Communities

New data reveal that LGBTQI+ communities encounter discrimination and other challenges when interacting with health care providers and health insurers, underscoring the importance of strengthening nondiscrimination protections through Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

Caroline Medina, Lindsay Mahowald

How Congress can illuminate LGBTQI+ experiences — and craft equitable solutions In the News

How Congress can illuminate LGBTQI+ experiences — and craft equitable solutions

Caroline Medina and Rose Khattar discuss the historic House passage of the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act and underscore how comprehensive data collection is critical to better understand LGBTQI+ communities, shed light on persistent disparities, and craft responsive policy solutions.

The Hill

Caroline Medina, Rose Khattar

Fact Sheet: LGBT Workers in the Labor Market Fact Sheet
Activists holding signs that read

Fact Sheet: LGBT Workers in the Labor Market

New data from the Census Bureau reveal economic insecurity and labor market gaps experienced by LGBT people compared with non-LGBT populations.

Caroline Medina, Lindsay Mahowald, Rose Khattar, 1 More Aurelia Glass

LGBTQ+ Military Members and Veterans Face Economic, Housing, and Health Insecurities Article
Thousands of people take the streets to protest then-President Donald Trump’s proposal to ban transgender people from serving in the military. The person in the foreground holds a sign that says

LGBTQ+ Military Members and Veterans Face Economic, Housing, and Health Insecurities

New analysis shows that LGBTQ+ service members and veterans face a bevy of social, economic, and health concerns—while contending with the legacy of discriminatory policies as well as ongoing social stigma and limits to benefits.

Lindsay Mahowald

State Attacks Against LGBTQI+ Rights Article
A protestor in front of the Minnesota capitol holds a sign reading

State Attacks Against LGBTQI+ Rights

Learn more about the discriminatory anti-LGBTQI+ bills advancing in states across the country and what can be done to oppose these damaging legislative attacks.

Caroline Medina, Sharita Gruberg

The 2022 Legislative Landscape for LGBTQI+ Rights Article
A participant is seen holding a sign reading

The 2022 Legislative Landscape for LGBTQI+ Rights

State-level attacks against LGBTQI+ rights are poised to continue in the year ahead, heightening the need for the Senate to pass the Equality Act.

Sharita Gruberg, Caroline Medina

LGBTQI+ equality is central to health of our democracy In the News

LGBTQI+ equality is central to health of our democracy

Sharita Gruberg and Mark Bromley explain why the U.S. Senate must pass the Equality Act and outline why the full and inclusive participation of LGBTQI+ Americans strengthens our democracy.

The Washington Blade

Sharita Gruberg, Mark Bromley

‘Mayor Pete’ Past Event
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‘Mayor Pete’

A Reel Progress Screening and Discussion

LGBTQI+ Members of Generation Z Face Unique Social and Economic Concerns Article
A crowd of protesters at the Trans Youth March.

LGBTQI+ Members of Generation Z Face Unique Social and Economic Concerns

Disproportionately high rates of discrimination in school, housing, and the workforce among young LGBTQI+ individuals negatively affects their well-being.

Lindsay Mahowald, Edwith Theogene, Han Le, 1 More Ella Azoulay

Key Issues Facing People With Intersex Traits Article
A young child carries a box of chalk outside their home, September 2018, in Milwaukee. They are one of a growing number of intersex children whose parents are raising them without early genital surgery. (Getty/John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service)

Key Issues Facing People With Intersex Traits

New CAP data and analysis offer insights into the experiences of people with intersex traits.

Caroline Medina, Lindsay Mahowald

Protecting and Advancing Health Care for Transgender Adult Communities Report
A man guides his stepdaughter in a wheelchair through a parking lot outside a wound care clinic in Los Angeles, 2021. His stepdaughter is transgender. (Getty/Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times)

Protecting and Advancing Health Care for Transgender Adult Communities

The federal government and policymakers must address health disparities and barriers to care for transgender communities by implementing holistic policy solutions.

Caroline Medina, Thee Santos, Lindsay Mahowald, 1 More Sharita Gruberg

Black LGBTQ Individuals Experience Heightened Levels of Discrimination Article
People holding signs supporting Black transgender people gather during a candlelight vigil in West Reading, Pennsylvania, on September 14, 2020. (Getty/Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle)

Black LGBTQ Individuals Experience Heightened Levels of Discrimination

The compounding effects of discrimination for Black LGBTQ Americans are evident in the workplace, health care systems, and police interactions, leading to gaps in economic advancement and mental and physical health outcomes.

Lindsay Mahowald

LGBTQ People of Color Encounter Heightened Discrimination Article
A protestor holds a “Resist” sign at a rally in support of transgender people at the Stonewall Inn in New York City, February 2017. (Getty/Spencer Platt)

LGBTQ People of Color Encounter Heightened Discrimination

A nationally representative survey conducted in June 2020 by the Center for American Progress highlights that LGBTQ people of color are more likely than white LGBTQ individuals to encounter discrimination in a variety of settings.

Lindsay Mahowald

Millions Will Gain Nondiscrimination Protections Under the Equality Act Article
Protestors march in support of transgender lives during a demonstration in New York City, October 2020. (Getty/John Lamparski/SOPA Images/LightRocket)

Millions Will Gain Nondiscrimination Protections Under the Equality Act

These fact sheets highlight how the Equality Act will result in expanded nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, women, communities of color, and foreign-born individuals in states across the country.

Caroline Medina, Lindsay Mahowald, Sharita Gruberg

The American Rescue Plan Act Will Significantly Address LGBTQ Poverty Article
The ARPA’s investments are a critical first step on the road to recovery for LGBTQ communities living in poverty. (Getty/Kristina Barker)

The American Rescue Plan Act Will Significantly Address LGBTQ Poverty

LGBTQ people—particularly LGBTQ people of color and transgender people—were among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ARPA’s investments are a critical first step on the road to recovery.

Sharita Gruberg

What You Need To Know About the Equality Act Fact Sheet
(LGBTQ rights demonstrators rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., October 2019.)

What You Need To Know About the Equality Act

This fact sheet outlines how the Equality Act would provide much-needed civil rights protections for LGBTQ people, women, people of faith, and others.

Thee Santos, Caroline Medina, Sharita Gruberg

Making the Case for Chosen Family in Paid Family and Medical Leave Policies Article
Transgender women at an outreach center in Washington in 2016. (Getty/Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

Making the Case for Chosen Family in Paid Family and Medical Leave Policies

To ensure that LGBTQ individuals are included in paid family and medical leave policies, lawmakers must design the policies to cover diverse family relationships and allow for caregiving of chosen family.

Lindsay Mahowald, Diana Boesch

Lessening the Pandemic’s Burden on LGBTQ Workers and Families Article
Blue and Emerson kiss their 7-year-old daughter on the cheek in Monterey, California, January 2019. (Getty/Barcroft Media)

Lessening the Pandemic’s Burden on LGBTQ Workers and Families

Government strategies to address COVID-19 and improve socioeconomic conditions must include targeted assistance for LGBTQ workers and households.

Caroline Medina, Lindsay Mahowald

Fair Play Report
A teacher plays softball with a group of students, May 2019. (Getty/Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald)

Fair Play

Despite recent legislative pushback, schools across the country are recognizing the important benefits of equal participation in sports for all young people, including transgender youth.

Shoshana K. Goldberg

Improving the Lives and Rights of LGBTQ People in America Report
(LGBTQ rights supporters gather during a candlelight vigil in West Reading, Pennsylvania, on September 14, 2020.)

Improving the Lives and Rights of LGBTQ People in America

The incoming Biden administration has stated its commitment to advancing LGBTQ equality, which will require undoing the harms caused during the last four years and by generations of discrimination, as well as proactively championing a progressive agenda.

Caroline Medina, Sharita Gruberg, Lindsay Mahowald, 1 More Thee Santos

Transforming U.S. Foreign Policy To Ensure Dignity and Rights for LGBTI People Report

Transforming U.S. Foreign Policy To Ensure Dignity and Rights for LGBTI People

America must restore its leadership role in advancing LGBTI equality and human rights more broadly on the global stage.

Phil Crehan, Susan Dicklitch-Nelson, Kerry-Jo Ford Lyn, 5 More Jay Gilliam, Sharita Gruberg, Ryan Kaminski, Chloe Schwenke, Ryan Thoreson

Supreme Court Case Could Give Taxpayer-Funded Service Providers a Broad License To Discriminate Against LGBTQ People Article
A pride flag is waved in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26, 2013, in Washington, D.C. (Getty/AFP/Saul Loeb)

Supreme Court Case Could Give Taxpayer-Funded Service Providers a Broad License To Discriminate Against LGBTQ People

A case before the U.S. Supreme Court could allow discrimination against same-sex couples seeking to foster children and may also have broad negative impacts on nondiscrimination laws that affect a broad range of services and individuals.

Lindsay Mahowald, Caroline Medina

The State of the LGBTQ Community in 2020 Report
A participant holds a rainbow flag as the Reclaim Pride Coalition takes to the streets of Manhattan for the second annual Queer Liberation March, June 2020. (Getty/Erik McGregor)

The State of the LGBTQ Community in 2020

A comprehensive new study from the Center for American Progress finds that many LGBTQ people continue to face discrimination in their personal lives, in the workplace and the public sphere, and in their access to critical health care.

Sharita Gruberg, Lindsay Mahowald, John Halpin

The Trump Administration’s Latest Attack on Transgender People Facing Homelessness Report
(A hall in the Seattle Center has been turned into a temporary men's shelter in Seattle on April 6, 2020.)

The Trump Administration’s Latest Attack on Transgender People Facing Homelessness

As homelessness among transgender people increases, the Trump administration is attempting to cruelly and illegally restrict their access to critically needed housing services.

Thee Santos, Lindsay Mahowald, Sharita Gruberg

Beyond Bostock: The Future of LGBTQ Civil Rights Report
A man attaches a safety whistle to his chair while waiting in line outside the U.S. Supreme Court building for a chance to attend the Bostock v. Clayton arguments, October 2019.

Beyond Bostock: The Future of LGBTQ Civil Rights

The Supreme Court’s recent decision on workplace protections for LGBTQ people has far-reaching implications for LGBTQ rights.

Sharita Gruberg

Expanding Definitions of Family in Federal Laws Report
Members of an extended family gather together in their living room in Burlington, Vermont, December 2015. (Members of an extended family gather together in their living room in Burlington, Vermont, December 2015.)

Expanding Definitions of Family in Federal Laws

Federal statutory definitions of family often fail to reflect the wide diversity of family structures in the United States, which can be particularly harmful to members of the LGBTQ community.

Frank J. Bewkes

Connecting the Dots: How the Trump Administration Misuses Religious Freedom To Create a License To Discriminate Video

Connecting the Dots: How the Trump Administration Misuses Religious Freedom To Create a License To Discriminate

This video examines how the Trump administration is expanding religious exemptions in an attempt to gut civil rights protections and codify discrimination against people of minority faiths, women, and people who are LGBTQ.

Maggie Siddiqi, Kurt Mueller, Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, 1 More Sharita Gruberg

A Closer Look at Bisexual People of Color Fact Sheet
(People hide under umbrellas from heavy rain during a pride parade.)

A Closer Look at Bisexual People of Color

This analysis examines differences in health outcomes and caregiving by sexual orientation for white people and people of color.

Shabab Ahmed Mirza

9 LGBTQ Faith Leaders to Watch in 2019 Article
The Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart delivers a prayer at a vigil in support of the Equality Act in Washington, D.C., May 2019. (Mackenzie Harris/Faith in Public Life)

9 LGBTQ Faith Leaders to Watch in 2019

These nine LGBTQ faith leaders work to resist injustice and articulate a moral vision for the United States.

Emily London, Maggie Siddiqi, Luke Wallis

The Nondiscrimination Protections of Millions of Workers Are Under Threat Report
(A worker monitors a production line for a government contractor in North Carolina on January 11, 2019.)

The Nondiscrimination Protections of Millions of Workers Are Under Threat

The U.S. Department of Labor is trying to undermine nondiscrimination protections for employees of federal contractors—a move that would harm millions of workers, including countless LGBTQ people.

Frank J. Bewkes, Caitlin Rooney

Secretary DeVos Is Failing to Protect the Civil Rights of LGBTQ Students Report
Betsy DeVos testifies during her confirmation hearing for Secretary of Education, Washington, D.C., January 17, 2017. (Getty/Chip Somodevilla)

Secretary DeVos Is Failing to Protect the Civil Rights of LGBTQ Students

Data from the Department of Education show that civil rights enforcement for LGBTQ students has been drastically scaled back since the start of the Trump administration.

Shabab Ahmed Mirza, Frank J. Bewkes

Attack on the ACA Article
An examination table sits in an empty room in a Blacksville, West Virginia, health clinic, March 2017. (Getty/Brendan Smialowski)

Attack on the ACA

Insurance companies could save billions of dollars under the Trump administration’s proposed rule to undermine patient protections under the Affordable Care Act.

Sharita Gruberg

Going Bold to Protect LGBTQ Equality Video
(Video thumbnail; two people holding hands)

Going Bold to Protect LGBTQ Equality

The Equality Act would help to ensure that all Americans, including LGBTQ people, receive full equality under the law.

Laura E. Durso, Kurt Mueller, Jasmine Hardy

The Urgency of Equality, With Charlotte Clymer and Laura Durso Podcast
(The Thinking CAP podcast logo, a yellow neon cap against a black background with the word

The Urgency of Equality, With Charlotte Clymer and Laura Durso

Ed and Daniella sit down with Charlotte Clymer, press secretary for rapid response at the Human Rights Campaign, and CAP's Laura Durso, to discuss the likely passage of the Equality Act in the House of Representatives.

Daniella Gibbs Léger, Ed Chung, Kyle Epstein, 1 More Chris Ford

HHS Budget Would Fund Discrimination at Expense of Civil Rights Enforcement Article
OCR Director Roger Severino, center, and then-acting HHS Secretary Eric Hargan, right, watch Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) speak at a news conference announcing the creation of a Conscience and Religious Freedom Division on January 18, 2018, in Washington, D.C. (Getty/Aaron P. Bernstein)

HHS Budget Would Fund Discrimination at Expense of Civil Rights Enforcement

President Trump’s HHS budget request to Congress slashes funding for civil rights enforcement and patient privacy protections while increasing funding for religious exemptions.

Sharita Gruberg

Religious Liberty Should Do No Harm Report
People take part in a candlelight vigil at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., March 2018. (Getty/Tasos Katopodis)

Religious Liberty Should Do No Harm

Policymakers should ensure that religious liberty extends to all Americans—and that it is not misused as a license to discriminate.

Emily London, Maggie Siddiqi

Faith Leaders Rally in Support of the Equality Act Video

Faith Leaders Rally in Support of the Equality Act

Faith leaders across the United States are showing support for the Equality Act, a bill that would grant members of the LGBTQ community consistent protections.

Kurt Mueller, Emily London, Rob Keithan, 1 More Laura E. Durso

Reclaiming Religious Freedom Article
An interfaith candlelight vigil remembers victims of the Holocaust, New York, January 2016. (Getty/Erik McGregor/Pacific Press/LightRocket)

Reclaiming Religious Freedom

The right to religious freedom is an essential American protection, yet it has been distorted in recent years to cause harm and discrimination.

Emily London, Maggie Siddiqi

Anti-LGBTQ Discrimination Took a Foster Child From Her Loving Foster Dads Video

Anti-LGBTQ Discrimination Took a Foster Child From Her Loving Foster Dads

John Freml—whose foster daughter was taken from his home—is one of a growing number of LGBTQ individuals who has faced discrimination in adoption and foster care.

Jasmine Hardy, Frank J. Bewkes

Welcoming All Families Report

Welcoming All Families

Religious exemptions allowing child placing agencies to discriminate against LGBTQ prospective parents will likely reduce the number of families available to adopt, further overburdening the child welfare system and harming the best interests of children in care.

Frank J. Bewkes, Shabab Ahmed Mirza, Caitlin Rooney, 3 More Laura E. Durso, Joe Kroll, Elly Wong

People of Faith Support LGBTQ Equality in a Philadelphia Child Welfare Case Article
A reverend of a Unitarian Universalist church in Massachusetts leads a song with other participants rallying in support of the DREAM Act. Unitarian Universalist leaders are just some of the people and organizations of faith who have signed on to support LGBTQ equality in a Philadelphia child welfare case. (Getty/Scott J. Ferrell)

People of Faith Support LGBTQ Equality in a Philadelphia Child Welfare Case

Religious organizations and people of faith affirm that LGBTQ individuals should be allowed to adopt and foster children from child welfare organizations without facing discrimination.

Emily London

Disaggregating the Data for Bisexual People Fact Sheet

Disaggregating the Data for Bisexual People

A new analysis from the Center for American Progress shows key differences in health, economic security, and other indicators between bisexual and monosexual people.

Shabab Ahmed Mirza

Protecting Basic Living Standards for LGBTQ People Report
A transgender father holds his 1-year-old daughter on her birthday, March 2017, in Michigan. (Getty/JJ Fabre)

Protecting Basic Living Standards for LGBTQ People

New data show that nutrition and housing assistance, Medicaid, and unemployment benefits are critical to LGBTQ people’s economic security.

Caitlin Rooney, Charlie Whittington, Laura E. Durso

Trump’s Executive Order Rewards Private Prison Campaign Donors Article
The Adelanto Detention Facility in California houses an average of 1,100 immigrants in custody and is managed by the private GEO Group Inc., November 2013. (Getty/John Moore)

Trump’s Executive Order Rewards Private Prison Campaign Donors

Private prison companies—which often do not operate in immigrants’ best interests and have donated large sums of money to President Trump—stand to make billions of dollars from the administration’s policy.

Sharita Gruberg

Bold Ideas for State Action Report

Bold Ideas for State Action

Americans are ready for states—the laboratories of democracy—to offer a new progressive vision for shared prosperity. This report presents a menu of state policy priorities to help people secure good jobs and good wages and to support strong and healthy communities in which all people are treated fairly and equitably.

Center for American Progress

Religious Liberty for a Select Few Report
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on

Religious Liberty for a Select Few

Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ guidance is already empowering appointees throughout the administration to attack the equality and legal protections of LGBTQ people, women, and religious minorities.

Sharita Gruberg, Frank J. Bewkes, Elizabeth Platt, 2 More Katherine Franke, Claire Markham

Love, Loss, and the Fight for Acceptance Podcast
(The Thinking CAP podcast logo, a yellow neon cap against a black background with the word

Love, Loss, and the Fight for Acceptance

Igor chats with Sarah McBride, an author and transgender activist, about her experiences as a transgender woman, her relationship with her late husband, and the harmful policies of the Trump administration.

Igor Volsky, Sally Tucker, Rachel Rosen

The ACA’s LGBTQ Nondiscrimination Regulations Prove Crucial Report

The ACA’s LGBTQ Nondiscrimination Regulations Prove Crucial

New analysis by CAP further explains the range of health care discrimination faced by LGBTQ people and HHS's critical role in combatting it under Section 1557.

Sharita Gruberg, Frank J. Bewkes

Fact Sheets: President Trump’s FY 2019 Budget Harms Nearly Every Community Across the Country Fact Sheet
Copies of President Donald Trump's fiscal year 2019 budget sit on a table at the House Budget Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 12, 2018. (Getty/AFP/Saul Loeb)

Fact Sheets: President Trump’s FY 2019 Budget Harms Nearly Every Community Across the Country

Trump’s budget is an unmitigated disaster for everyday Americans—including women, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, communities of color, and more.

Eliza Schultz, Katherine Gallagher Robbins, Rejane Frederick, 7 More Silva Mathema, Connor Maxwell, Heidi Schultheis, Anusha Ravi, Leila Schochet, Leonard Scott IV, Shabab Ahmed Mirza

Serving LGBTQ Immigrants and Building Welcoming Communities Report
Immigrants take the oath of citizenship to the United States in the Great Hall of Ellis Island on September 16, 2016, in New York City.

Serving LGBTQ Immigrants and Building Welcoming Communities

Cities and service providers can take steps to ensure LGBTQ immigrants have access to the resources they need to become full participants in their communities and thrive.

Sharita Gruberg, Caitlin Rooney, Ashe McGovern, 2 More Shabab Ahmed Mirza, Laura E. Durso

Discrimination Prevents LGBTQ People From Accessing Health Care Article
A waiting room, March 2015. (Getty/BSIP, UIG)

Discrimination Prevents LGBTQ People From Accessing Health Care

New data from the Center for American Progress show that LGBTQ people frequently avoid health care and experience discrimination in these settings, underscoring the importance of ACA.

Shabab Ahmed Mirza, Caitlin Rooney

Tales and Truth in the Masterpiece Cakeshop Arguments Article
Charlie Craig, left, and David Mullins touch foreheads after leaving the Supreme Court, which heard <em>Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission</em>, December 5, 2017, in Washington. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)

Tales and Truth in the Masterpiece Cakeshop Arguments

A ruling for Charlie Craig and David Mullins would dispel three key misunderstandings and underscore the dignity of LGBTQ people.

Claire Markham

How Masterpiece Cakeshop Can Undermine Civil Rights Video

How Masterpiece Cakeshop Can Undermine Civil Rights

The U.S. Supreme Court could undermine civil rights for the LGBTQ community in Masterpiece Cakeshop.

Jasmine Hardy, Claire Markham, Jake Faleschini, 1 More Laura E. Durso

Masterpiece Cakeshop Ruling Could Turn Back the Clock 50 Years Article
The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., is seen at sunset, October 2017. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

Masterpiece Cakeshop Ruling Could Turn Back the Clock 50 Years

The case to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court is not about cakes or even just the LGBTQ community; it’s a fight for civil rights and the kind of society Americans want to live in.

Frank J. Bewkes, Billy Corriher

People Need Paid Leave Policies That Cover Chosen Family Report

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.

Katherine Gallagher Robbins, Laura E. Durso, Frank J. Bewkes, 1 More Eliza Schultz

What Ending DACA Means for LGBTQ Dreamers Article
A supporter of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals waves a flag during a rally at the White House in September 2017. (AP/Carolyn Kaster)

What Ending DACA Means for LGBTQ Dreamers

DACA has allowed thousands of LGBT immigrants improve their economic security and pursue higher education. They could lose protection under President Trump’s elimination of the program and risk being deported to countries where their lives are at risk.

Sharita Gruberg

Mississippi Faith Leaders Fight Discrimination Video

Mississippi Faith Leaders Fight Discrimination

Faith leaders in Mississippi combat a discriminatory bill targeting members of the LGBTQ community.

Claire Markham, Sejal Singh, Andrew Satter, 1 More Aki Suzuki

Advancing LGBTQ Equality Through Local Executive Action Report

Advancing LGBTQ Equality Through Local Executive Action

With unique knowledge of the needs of their constituents, city and county executives have the power to enact policies and programs that protect LGBTQ communities, increase community engagement, and open doors of opportunity.

Laura E. Durso, Caitlin Rooney, Sharita Gruberg, 5 More Sejal Singh, Shabab Ahmed Mirza, Frank J. Bewkes, Aaron Ridings, Daniel Clark

Who Seeks Religious Accommodations to Providing Contraceptive Coverage? Article
Any effort to deny access to affordable contraceptive care is an infringement on women’s reproductive rights and justice, March 2014 (AP/Charles Dharapak)

Who Seeks Religious Accommodations to Providing Contraceptive Coverage?

New data show that for-profit corporations make up the majority of entities seeking exemptions from providing no-cost contraception under the Affordable Care Act.

Laura E. Durso, Sharita Gruberg, Jamila Taylor, 1 More Theresa Chalhoub

How the Religious Liberty Executive Order Licenses Discrimination Article
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks during his interview with The Associated Press, July 28, 2017, at the National Police Headquarters in San Salvador, El Salvador. (AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

How the Religious Liberty Executive Order Licenses Discrimination

Far from maintaining the status quo, the religious liberty executive order permits Attorney General Sessions to remove protections that Americans rely upon in everyday life.

Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza, Sharita Gruberg

A Crisis Moment for the LGBT Community Podcast

A Crisis Moment for the LGBT Community

Michele and Igor discuss President Trump's announcement to bar transgender people from serving—in any capacity—in the nation's armed forces.

Michele L. Jawando, Igor Volsky, Sally Tucker, 1 More Rachel Rosen

Betsy DeVos: Secretary of Discrimination? Article
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos arrives to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Maryland, February 2017. (AP/Susan Walsh)

Betsy DeVos: Secretary of Discrimination?

Just months into Betsy DeVos’ tenure as secretary of education, the department is already rolling back critical protections for vulnerable students.

Coleton Whitaker, Sejal Singh, Stephenie Johnson

The Senate Health Care Bill Would Be Devastating for LGBTQ People Article
The U.S. flag flies in front of the Capitol dome on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 2017. (AP/Susan Walsh)

The Senate Health Care Bill Would Be Devastating for LGBTQ People

LGBTQ people are disproportionately likely to be uninsured. The ACA narrowed the coverage gap, and the Senate health care bill could undo that progress.

Kellan Baker, Sejal Singh, Shabab Ahmed Mirza, 1 More Laura E. Durso

Wage Discrimination: Behind the Numbers Article
A plaintiff, center, speaks after a news conference in the field office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to announce a settlement in their case in Denver, February 2016. (AP/David Zalubowski)

Wage Discrimination: Behind the Numbers

Understanding the breadth of wage discrimination charges is critical to ensuring that the United States pursues solutions responsive to the diverse needs of workers.

Jocelyn Frye, Kaitlin Holmes

The Pulse Shootings, One Year Later Video

The Pulse Shootings, One Year Later

One year after the Pulse nightclub shootings, survivors, activists, and advocates reflect on how they turned tragedy into action following the shooting, and how to protect all Americans from gun violence and discrimination.

Andrew Satter, Aki Suzuki, Hayden Duncan

Trump’s First 100 Days in 100 Seconds Video

Trump’s First 100 Days in 100 Seconds

Watch a 100-second run-down of Trump's chaotic first 100 days.

Center for American Progress

100 Ways, in 100 Days, that Trump Has Hurt Americans Article
President Donald Trump poses for a portrait in the Oval Office in Washington, April 2017 (AP/Andrew Harnik)

100 Ways, in 100 Days, that Trump Has Hurt Americans

Trump’s actions during his first 100 days in office have time and again benefitted corporations and the wealthy at the expense of ordinary Americans.

Center for American Progress

How Police Entanglement with Immigration Enforcement Puts LGBTQ Lives at Risk Report

How Police Entanglement with Immigration Enforcement Puts LGBTQ Lives at Risk

Collaboration between law enforcement and immigration enforcement undermines public safety by making police departments deportation forces rather than protectors of people facing extreme risk of violence.

Sharita Gruberg

People of Faith Are Increasingly Vocal Supporters of Transgender Justice Article
Members and allies of the transgender community rally on the steps of the Texas Capitol, on March 6, 2017. (AP/Eric Gay)

People of Faith Are Increasingly Vocal Supporters of Transgender Justice

For many people of faith, the motivation to fight against transgender discrimination in public policy comes from their religious identities, not despite them.

Claire Markham, Tracy Wolf

People of Faith Support Transgender Rights Article

People of Faith Support Transgender Rights

Despite attempts by conservative lawmakers to use religious and values language to support anti-transgender legislation, communities of faith show majority and increasing support for transgender people and LGBT rights, equality, and inclusion.

Claire Markham, Tracy Wolf

Gorsuch Signals an Extreme Threat to LGBT Rights Article
Judge Neil Gorsuch testifies in Washington at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, March 22, 2017. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

Gorsuch Signals an Extreme Threat to LGBT Rights

Neil Gorsuch’s refusal to recognize LGBT people as a class during his confirmation hearing could signal a threat to the future of LGBT equality.

Sharita Gruberg, Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza

Judge Gorsuch Threatens the Dignity of LGBT People Article
People gather in Lafayette Park to see the White House illuminated with rainbow colors in commemoration of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington on June 26, 2015. (AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Judge Gorsuch Threatens the Dignity of LGBT People

The constitutional right to dignity is critical to LGBT people. Gorsuch is likely to reject that right.

Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza

The Trump Administration Is Rolling Back Data Collection on LGBT Older Adults Article
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price speaks outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Monday, March 13, 2017. (AP/Andrew Harnik)

The Trump Administration Is Rolling Back Data Collection on LGBT Older Adults

The Trump administration is ending vital data collection programs about LGBT seniors and people with disabilities, erasing disparities and potential discrimination in federal programs.

Sejal Singh, Laura E. Durso, Aaron Tax

13 Facts that Set the Record Straight on DeVos Article
Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos testifies at her confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on January 17, 2017. (AP/Carolyn Kaster)

13 Facts that Set the Record Straight on DeVos

During her confirmation hearing, Betsy DeVos expressed confusion and avoided questions. Here’s what her record shows.

Stephenie Johnson, Coleton Whitaker

Tom Price Would Jeopardize LGBT People’s Health and Wellness Article
House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA), President-elect Donald Trump's choice for health and human services secretary, delivers the keynote address at an event hosted by the Brookings Institution, November 30, 2016, in Washington. (AP/Alex Brandon)

Tom Price Would Jeopardize LGBT People’s Health and Wellness

The job of the health and human services secretary is to fight discrimination in health care—but Rep. Price’s anti-LGBT record suggests that he may exacerbate it instead.

Sejal Singh, Laura E. Durso

Diversifying and Strengthening Our National Security Workforce Article
Cadets attend their graduation and commissioning ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy on May 21, 2016. (AP/Mike Groll)

Diversifying and Strengthening Our National Security Workforce

Federal agencies must sustain the efforts undertaken by President Barack Obama to ensure that the U.S. national security workforce reflects the talent and experience of the entire country.

Trevor Sutton, Carolyn Kenney

Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions Threatens Basic LGBT Rights Article
Sen. Jeff Sessions questions then-Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch in January 2015 during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Lynch's nomination. (AP/Susan Walsh)

Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions Threatens Basic LGBT Rights

Jeff Sessions has a long history of opposing civil rights and LGBT equality. As attorney general, he would have the power to roll them back.

Sejal Singh, Laura E. Durso

Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQ Communities Report

Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQ Communities

Federal, state, and local nondiscrimination laws can help secure the protections that all LGBTQ people—indeed, all people—need to safely lead their lives and equally participate in society.

Ashe McGovern, Sarah McBride, Sharita Gruberg

Making Paid Leave Work for Every Family Report
Gregg Pitts feeds his son Thomas Brunson-Pitts, 6 months, a bottle as his husband Brooks Brunson gets ready for work at their home in Washington, D.C., on May 19, 2016. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin)

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.

Moira Bowman, Laura E. Durso, Sharita Gruberg, 5 More Marcella Kocolatos, Kalpana Krishnamurthy, Jared Make, Ashe McGovern, Katherine Gallagher Robbins

Supporting Two-Spirit/Native American LGBT People Article
Cleo Pablo and her wife, Tara Roy-Pablo, stand outside their home in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 9, 2015. (AP/Matt York)

Supporting Two-Spirit/Native American LGBT People

A growing number of tribal leaders and organizations affirm two-spirit tribal citizens through policy and action.

Aaron Ridings, Se-ah-dom Edmo

Two-Spirit/Native American LGBT People Interactive

Two-Spirit/Native American LGBT People

This interactive map of the United States highlights Native American tribes' historical terms for two-spirit people, which refers to the historical and current indigenous people whose individual spirits are a blend of female and male spirits.

Aaron Ridings

Elected Judges Rule Against LGBT Rights More Often Than Appointed Judges Article
Roy Moore speaks to an audience in Montgomery, Alabama on November 6, 2012. (AP/David Bundy)

Elected Judges Rule Against LGBT Rights More Often Than Appointed Judges

A recent study shows that elected judges are more likely to rule against LGBT rights, as illustrated by the recently terminated political career of an Alabama judge.

Billy Corriher

State ID Card Policies for LGBTQ Youths Experiencing Homelessness Fact Sheet
Expanding access to state-issued identification for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness could create opportunities and improve their safety and well-being. (AP/Susan Montoya Bryan)

State ID Card Policies for LGBTQ Youths Experiencing Homelessness

Expanding access to state-issued identification for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness could create opportunities and improve their safety and well-being.

Shabab Ahmed Mirza, Steven Soto, Caitlin Rooney

Expanding Support Systems for Socially Isolated LGBT and American Indian Seniors Article
An elderly woman takes pictures of a gay pride parade on July 9, 2016. (AP/Jorge Saenz)

Expanding Support Systems for Socially Isolated LGBT and American Indian Seniors

Adequate social and economic support is essential to ensure the economic security, health, and well-being of vulnerable seniors and their caregivers.

Laura E. Durso, Katherine Gallagher Robbins, Ashe McGovern, 2 More Shabab Ahmed Mirza, Jackie Odum

Helping State and Local Officials Advocate for LGBT Communities Article
Participants carry a rainbow flag during a pride parade in Miami Beach, Florida, on April 10, 2016. (AP/Lynne Sladky)

Helping State and Local Officials Advocate for LGBT Communities

A new CAP toolkit provides resources to build support for nondiscrimination protections, oppose discrimination, and collect data on LGBT people in your community.

Aaron Ridings, Erin Cohan

The Human Toll of North Carolina’s H.B. 2 Video

The Human Toll of North Carolina’s H.B. 2

This video shows the devastating emotional and psychological impact that North Carolina's controversial law H.B. 2 can have on transgender people.

Andrew Satter, Sarah McBride

Advancing Progressive Religious Liberty in 2016 Report
Opponents of Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act march in protest past the Indiana Statehouse on April 4, 2015. (AP/Doug McSchooler)

Advancing Progressive Religious Liberty in 2016

A hopeful, progressive understanding of religious liberty can prevent harm and discrimination while preserving the freedoms of both religious and nonreligious Americans.

Carolyn Davis

How to Collect Data About LGBT Communities Fact Sheet
Alexis Sypek, left, and Victoria Parker conduct a survey of homeless people on the streets of New York City on February 9, 2016. (AP/Craig Ruttle)

How to Collect Data About LGBT Communities

Collecting more and better data about sexual orientation and gender identity is essential to meet the needs of LGBT people and their families across the United States.

Kellan Baker, Laura E. Durso, Aaron Ridings

Fired for Being Who I Am: The Fight for LGBT Equality Continues Video

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.

Kulsum Ebrahim, Sarah McBride, Claire Markham

The Economic Cost of Overly Broad RFRAs Article
Dominic Dorsey uses a megaphone as he leads a group of opponents to Indiana S.B. 101, the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, in a march toward Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, April 4, 2015. (AP/Doug McSchooler)

The Economic Cost of Overly Broad RFRAs

Anti-LGBT religious exemption laws pose a serious risk to state economies.

Sarah McBride

Building Transgender-Inclusive Faith Communities Video

Building Transgender-Inclusive Faith Communities

The Center for American Progress asked transgender and allied faith leaders how communities of faith can lead the way for greater acceptance of transgender people. Here is what they said.

Andrew Satter, Sarah McBride, Bishop Gene Robinson, 1 More Samuel Chang

How For-Profit Companies Are Driving Immigration Detention Policies Report
An unidentified Guatemalan woman stands inside a dormitory in the Artesia Family Residential Center on September 10, 2014. (AP/Juan Carlos Llorca)

How For-Profit Companies Are Driving Immigration Detention Policies

Companies’ quest for greater profits is expanding the immigration custody system at the expense of the health, safety, and rights of immigrants.

Sharita Gruberg

LGBT Inclusion in Sports Report
American Abby Wambach celebrates after winning the women's soccer gold medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. (AP/Lefteris Pitarakis)

LGBT Inclusion in Sports

Study results suggest that professional teams that endorse an LGBT-inclusive vision of diversity in sports are viewed favorably by the public and could gain support from LGBT fans.

Laura E. Durso, Sarah McBride, Caitlin Rooney

Infographic: The Equality Act Explained Article

Infographic: The Equality Act Explained

LGBT people still lack basic nondiscrimination protections throughout daily life. The Equality Act would modernize the nation’s nondiscrimination laws to include everyone.

Sarah McBride

Obama Administration Makes Refugee Program More LGBT-Inclusive Article
The U.S. Department of State’s recently included same-sex partners as a family reunification refugee priority category, improving access to the refugee program for LGBT families. (AP/Matt Rourke)

Obama Administration Makes Refugee Program More LGBT-Inclusive

The U.S. Department of State’s recent inclusion of same-sex partners as a family reunification refugee priority category will improve access to the refugee program for LGBT families.

Sharita Gruberg

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