Today the Supreme Court rejected an appeal of pharmacists who claimed dispensing emergency contraceptives, including Plan B, under Washington state’s regulations requiring pharmacies to provide lawfully prescribed drugs, would violate their religious beliefs.
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.
Have Ministers Really Been Forced To Marry Same-Sex Couples?
Ark Encounter Needs Staff, But Not Everyone Need Apply
Amazing Anniversary: Marriage Equality Decision Celebrates First Year
This Sunday will mark the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which brought marriage equality to the states in 2015.
Federal Court Refuses To Halt Enforcement of Mississippi's "Religious Liberty" Bill
A federal court in Mississippi has refused to halt enforcement of HB 1523, the Mississippi law passed in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s upholding marriage equality last year. The bill is apparently the brainchild of a Religious Right organization that has litigated denial-of-service cases across the country.
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.
American Counseling Association Finalizes Convention Move Over Tennessee's Anti-LGBT Law
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.
Pharisees And Sadducees: The Religious Right Reacts To Orlando By Doubling Down
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of The 2016 State Sessions, Part 2: The Bad And The Ugly
In part 1, we recapped the good— the harmful bills that were stopped. In today’s post, we cover the bad and the ugly of the 2016 state legislative sessions.
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of The 2016 State Sessions, Part 1: The Good
Third Lawsuit Filed Against Mississippi's Governor Bryant Over "Religious Liberty" Law
It's been over two months since Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed the state's overly broad "religious liberty" bill into law, but neither he nor the bill has been able to rest easy.
Americans United Legislative Director To Be Honored At Georgia Equality Award Ceremony
Exploiting Orlando: The Threat Of Rhetoric That Divides Instead Of Unites
“Neither Rain Nor Snow Nor Sleet Nor Dark Of Night” Will Keep Postal Workers From Their Appointed Rounds, But Religious Beliefs Might
As reported in the Friendly Atheist blog, a postal worker in Bremerton, Washington, is refusing to deliver mail to pot shops and an adult video store. Her excuse? Her religious beliefs.
Americans United and Allies Secure Victory in Alabama for Marriage Equality
Birth Control Battles: The Theocrats’ Long War On Contraceptive Access
Yesterday marked the 51st anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut, a landmark Supreme Court decision that broadened access to contraception. In a 7-2 decision, the nation’s highest court found that the Connecticut Comstock Act of 1879, which banned contraceptives, violated the Fourteenth Amendment right to privacy.
Off-Base Bishop: Catholic Leader Complains Of ‘Bloodless Persecution’
A powerful Roman Catholic official is so upset about marriage equality and the Obama administration’s efforts to include birth control access in healthcare plans that he’s decided to label them examples of “Christian persecution.”