Gov. Mike Pence Has Much To Answer For During Tonight's Vice Presidential Debate

The Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which Gov. Mike Pence signed in 2015, harms the state's women, LGBTQ individuals and families, those who belong minority religions, and others who could face discrimination because of this law.

Still More Trouble For North Carolina As Another Athletic Association Pulls Championships From The State

It's been less than a month since the NCAA and ACC moved their championships out of North Carolina due to HB2, a law that sanctions discrimination against transgender people, and the state is taking another hit.

Legislators Need to Strip Taxpayer-Funded Discrimination from Defense Bill

A few months ago, some members of the U.S. House snuck a provision into their version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which would authorize taxpayer-funded discrimination in every single federal contract and grant issued by the federal government, whether defense related or not. Now, a group of bipartisan Representatives and Senators are meeting to resolve the issue.

Roy Moore, Alabama’s Anti-Gay Chief Justice, Stands Trial For Ethics Violations

Alabama’s anti-gay chief justice, Roy Moore, was on trial before a state ethics board yesterday. He stands accused of instructing Alabama officials to defy the U.S. Supreme Court’s marriage equality decision. Based on media reports, it seems the longtime foe of Americans United didn’t make a very strong case for keeping his job.

Tar Heel Travels: Lessons From North Carolina

Americans United Faith Organizer Bill Mefford and Legislative Director Maggie Garrett toured North Carolina to discuss church politicking with faith leaders. On the way, they learned some powerful lessons about true religious freedom.

Invent Legal Claims. Sue. Repeat.

A website-design business wants to deny wedding website-design services to same-sex couples based on the owner’s religious beliefs. The catch? The company, 303 Creative, hasn’t even launched its wedding website-design services yet and so, obviously, no LGBT couples have even asked her company to design a website.

Arizona Court Refuses To Bar Enforcement Of Nondiscrimination Law For Anti-LGBT Calligraphy Shop

This week, a trial court in Arizona denied a request by a anti-LGBT calligraphy and wedding invitation shop to bar Phoenix from enforcing its nondiscrimination law. Here's the kicker: the City of Phoenix wasn’t threatening them with anything because no same-sex couple had sought invitations from the business.

NCAA And ACC Pull Championships From North Carolina Over Anti-LGBT Law

Yesterday the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) became the second major college sporting body to pull its championships from North Carolina this week due to the state's HB2, a law that sanctions discrimination against transgender people. Their decision follows NCAA's Monday announcement that it would relocate seven championship events from the Tar Heel State. 

Congress Should Scrap Government-Funded Discrimination From Defense Bill

In the rush to get out the door, Congressional lawmakers have some important decisions to make. One of those should be that taxpayer-funded employment discrimination has no place in the NDAA

Yet Another Lawsuit Filed Against The Federal Government Over Guidance On Transgender Students' Rights

The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has filed yet another a lawsuit  claiming that the federal government's guidance to public schools on the rights of transgender students violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

Civil Rights Commission Releases Report On Nondiscrimination And Civil Rights

Yesterday, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights released a report focused on religious freedom following a 2013 briefing where AU’s then-Legal Director Ayesha Khan testified.

 

‘Marriage Equality’ Is A Confusing Term For This Texas Judge

A Texas Supreme Court justice recently wrote a dissent arguing that it should be legal for government bodies to deny same-sex couples spousal benefits because— get this– it would “encourage procreation.”

ACA Non-Discrimination Regulations Under Attack By Providers Seeking Religious Exemption

Jessica Mason Pieklo of Rewire details the assault on Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, a non-discrimination provision that protects against denial of healthcare services based on sex. 

Americans United Submits Amicus Brief Against Bakers Who Discriminated Against Same-Sex Couple

The Oregon Court of Appeals has been asked to decide whether the First Amendment gives businesses the right to discriminate against customers. In a friend-of-the-court brief filed yesterday, Americans United explained that the First Amendment does no such thing.  

Americans United Warns Tennessee Official That He Cannot Discriminate Against Same-Sex Couples

Americans United sent a Tennessee trustee a letter warning him that his practice of officiating marriages for different-sex couples while refusing to preside over marriages for same-sex couples is both unconstitutional and discriminatory.

A Federal Judge Rules That Transgender Individuals Do Not Qualify For Federal Civil Rights Protections

Americans United litigation fellow Bradley Girard dissects a federal district judge's ruling in the case that Texas and twelve other states brought against the federal government challenging employment and education protections for transgender Americans.