Religious Right groups have worked hard to make the owner of the Colorado bakery that turned away Craig and Mullins into a victim of persecution and a hero. He is neither. He’s simply a person who wants to take an entire segment of our population and treat them poorly because of his narrow interpretation of a religious book.
State Legislatures Are Considering More Bills Than Ever to Allow College Student Groups to Use Religion to Discriminate
It’s February, and that means students across the country are back on college and university campuses for a new semester. One of the highlights of campus life is joining student groups. But in some states, students at public universities could be denied the opportunity to participate in a student club because of who they are.
Kentucky Judge Reprimanded For Refusing To Hear Adoption Cases Involving LGBTQ Parents
Kentucky’s Judicial Conduct Commission this week reprimanded a judge who made headlines earlier this year for refusing to hear adoption cases involving LGBTQ parents.
Kim Davis Refused To Recognize Marriage Equality, And Now Kentucky Taxpayers May Pay For That
For Focus On The Family, The Focus Remains On Far-Right Politics
Vice President Mike Pence will be in Colorado Springs this Friday speaking at an event to mark the 40th anniversary of Focus on the Family (FOF), the fundamentalist Christian family ministry and Religious Right group founded by Dr. James C. Dobson, a child psychologist.
Another Loss For Those Wanting To Use Religion As An Excuse To Discriminate
Today the Kentucky Court of Appeals (the state’s intermediate appellate court) issued an opinion in another one of the series of cases involving a commercial business claiming it could refuse to serve a customer based on the religious beliefs of the owner. And it’s a loss for those who want to use religion to sidestep nondiscrimination laws.
Kentucky Judge Uses Religion As Excuse To Refuse To Hear Adoption Cases Involving LGBTQ Parents
The State Legislatures Are Back In Session And We’re Ready!
Federal Judge Says Key Protections Against Discrimination in the ACA Will Violate RFRA
On New Year’s Eve, a federal judge sided with states and stopped the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from implementing the protections barring sex discrimination in the provision of healthcare services. As a result, individuals who are transgender and who’ve had abortions are at risk.
ACA Non-Discrimination Regulations Under Attack By Providers Seeking Religious Exemption
Another Challenge To The ACA And Transgender Equality
New Lawsuit Claims Healthcare Professionals Should Have Religious Exemptions When Caring For Transgender Individuals
Texas and four other states filed suit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Tuesday, claiming that healthcare professionals should be able to deny transgender individuals necessary medical care if it violates their religious beliefs. This is the second lawsuit brought by Texas that directly attacks the rights of the transgender community.
Keeping Secrets?: Kim Davis Accused Of Violating Ky. Open-Records Law
Legislative Blowback: One Year Later, States Are Trying To Undermine The Marriage Equality Ruling
Yesterday we celebrated the one-year anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark Supreme Court decision that made marriage equality the law of the land. Today we want to remind you that there’s still much work to do.
Ark Encounter Needs Staff, But Not Everyone Need Apply
Kim Davis Wants To Have Her Own Appeal Dismissed—And Claim Victory
Kim Davis—the Rowan County, KY, clerk who stopped issuing all marriage licenses so that she would not have to issue them to same-sex couples—filed a motion today with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that her own case is moot and should be dismissed. But that’s not all: she also argues that the court should throw out the preliminary injunction issued by the trial court last year, which prohibits Davis from refusing marriage licenses altogether.
Accommodating Transgender Students In Public Schools Is Nothing New
What happens when a school district allows a transgender student to use the bathroom consistent with his or her gender identity? According to a recent article in The Miami Herald, not much.
Last Week in Review: February 29–March 4
Spotlight On: Kentucky's Marriage Bills
Today we examine bills four pre-filed bills from Kentucky that would allow individuals, including government officials, to deny marriage licenses or refuse to solemnize marriages and one that would change the state’s role in marriage. HB 14, 17, 28, 31 and SB 5 would each amend Kentucky law in various ways but all with similar intent – to discriminate against LGBT couples who have the desire, and constitutional right, to marry.
Kentucky Owes Marriage Equality Lawyers $1.1 Million
Like the citizens of Alabama before them, Kentucky taxpayers are going to see over a million of their dollars going to the lawyers who fought the state's marriage equality ban.