 Through litigation, legal advocacy, and public
education, the ACLU of Utah fights against the discriminatory treatment
of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Utah.
Read more about the ACLU of Utah’s work to further LGBT equality >>
Learn about the national ACLU LGBT Project >>
Press Releases - Litigation
Legal Advocacy and Policy Work
Legislative Reports - Resources - Events
Join the ACLU of Utah for a morning of FUN, SOLIDARITY,
and the largest party for EQUALITY in Utah!
The Utah Pride Parade
Sunday, June 2nd, 2013, Downtown Salt Lake City
More information >>
ACLU Argues For Equality Before the Supreme Court
Updated 3/27/13 - The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the ACLU case Windsor v. United States. The ACLU is challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on behalf of Edie Windsor.
The history of this case including filed court documents >>
Watch videos of plaintiff Eddie Windsor and her attorneys after the hearing, as well as a wonderful slide show of happenings outside the court. See more >>
ACLU Delivers Letter In Support of Equality Bill
Posted 3/7/13 - The ACLU of Utah sent a letter to all of the members of the Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Standing Committee, in support of S.B 262, "Employment and Housing Antidiscrimination Amendments."
This bill would provide protection from discrimination for members of the
LGBT community and focus on the need to treat all Utahns fairly and
equally.
Read the letter (PDF) >>
TAKE ACTION: Support Employment And Housing Equality Across Utah
Posted 3/6/13 - SB 262, Employment and Housing Antidiscrimination Amendments, will be heard in committee tomorrow, Thursday March 7, 2013 at 4 pm in Room 215 of the Senate building. Contact members of the Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Standing Committee and tell them to vote YES on SB 262, Employment and Housing Antidiscrimination Amendments.
Read more >>
The Civil Liberties Minute - Once Upon A Time, In Our Mothers' House…
Posted 2/14/13 - A copy of "In Our Mothers' House" was very unhappy when it was moved behind the counter of a Utah elementary school library—and so was the ACLU.
Listen to the 1 minute audio podcast produced by the ACLU of Massachusetts >>
After Returning Book to Shelves, Utah School District Agrees Not to Remove Library Books Containing LGBT Content
Posted 1/31/13 - In the wake of its decision to return “In Our Mother’s’ House,” a book about a family with same-sex parents to the shelves of elementary schools, Davis School District in Utah has agreed to never again remove the book based solely on its content. The agreement settles a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Utah on behalf of a mother with children in the district that had remained pending after the book’s return.
Read the press release >>
Davis School District Returns Children’s Book About Lesbian Parents to Library Shelves
Posted 1/14/13 - Davis School District has returned a children’s book about a family with same-sex parents to its library shelves following a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Utah on behalf of a mother with children in the district.
Read more >>
NATIONAL ACLU: We’re Going to The Supreme Court! The Supreme Court Takes Review of DOMA and Prop 8!
Posted 12/7/12 - This is it – the Supreme Court marriage moment that the ACLU has been working towards for years. The Court announced today that it has granted review of the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act in Edie Windsor’s case. The Court also took review of California’s Prop 8, so the full range of marriage issues will now be before the high court. These cases are poised not just to take down DOMA and Prop 8, but to be the next building blocks for LGBT equality more broadly.
Read more >>
Davis School District Sued for Removing Children’s Book About Lesbian Parents from Library Shelves
Posted 11/13/12 - The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Utah filed a lawsuit against the Davis School District after elementary schools in the district were instructed to remove a children’s book about a family with same-sex parents from library shelves. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a mother whose children attend one of the schools where the book was restricted.
Read more >>
Davis School District Restricts Access To Library Book Raising Constitutional Concerns, - Looking for Parents of Elementary Students in Davis School District
Posted 8/17/12 - As you may recall, we've been investigating the District's removal of the book "In Our Mothers' House" from the shelves of school libraries and requiring parental permission to check it out. For school administrators to place restrictions on a library book because they disagree with its message is viewpoint discrimination, and violates the First Amendment. We would like to speak to parents with children at Parkside Elementary School in Clinton, Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Snow Horse Elementary School in Kaysville or South Weber Elementary School in South Weber, where the book was removed.
Read more >>
Summit seeks to support LGBT youth in Top of Utah (7/30/12)
ACLU of Utah Reaches Out To Davis School District To Discuss Constitutional Requirements
Posted 6/12/12 - Today the ACLU of Utah sent a letter to Superintendent Bryan Bowles of the Davis School District to request a meeting to discuss the constitutional implications of the district’s recent removal of the book “Our Mothers’ House,” by Patricia Polacco, from the shelves of a school in the district. In the letter, the ACLU of Utah pointed to several cases in which courts have ruled that the First Amendment prevents schools from limiting student access to library materials containing portrayals of LGBT people and noted that this situation is factually similar to those cases.
Read more >>
Students’ Right to Form Queer/Straight Alliances
Updated 5/30/12 - Every year, the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah receives calls from Utah high school students seeking to form student clubs in which they can create a safe, welcoming, and accepting environment for all youth, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Often called Queer/Straight Alliances or Gay/Straight Alliances (QSAs), these clubs are important resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students, as well as for those who are perceived by others to be LGBTQ, who are questioning their identity, who have LGBTQ friends or family members, or who just care about LGBTQ issues.
Read more >>
Support Open Health Education In Our Schools
Posted 2/9/12 - HB 363, Health Education Amendments would alter Utah law by categorically prohibiting even the mere discussion of certain topics, including homosexuality, sex outside of marriage and contraception. Under existing Utah law, a parent can already choose whether or not to have their child participate in sex education. HB 363 removes the ability for school districts to make decisions for students that they deem to be in their best interests.
TAKE ACTION: Contact representatives on the House Education Subcommittee TODAY and tell them to vote NO on HB 363 >>
Prop. 8 Decision in California Must Inspire Progress Everywhere
Posted 2/8/12 - The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a historic opinion on February 7, affirmed that Proposition 8 — the California state constitutional amendment that took away the right to marry from same-sex couples — violates the equal protection guarantee of the federal constitution. “Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples. The Constitution simply does not allow for laws of this sort.”
Read more >>
Support Employment And Housing Equality Across Utah
Posted 2/2/2012 - SB 51, Statewide Nondiscrimination Amendment Protections will be heard in committee tomorrow, Friday February 3, 2012 at 2:10 pm in Room 415 of the state Capitol. Contact members of the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Standing Subcommittee and tell them to vote YES on SB 51, Statewide Nondiscrimination Amendment Protections.
Read more and take action >>
Press Releases
ACLU of Utah Reaches Out To Davis School District To Discuss Constitutional Requirements (6/12/12)
Utah High School Seniors Honored For Their Social Justice and Equality Activism (4/13/12)
ACLU of Utah and SLC Human Rights Commission Team Up To Celebrate Human Rights, Civil Liberties (12/7/10)
ACLU of Utah Condemns Act of Vandalism at the Utah Pride Center (8/20/10)
School District Revises Unconstitutional Policies, Allows Formation of Gay-Straight Alliances (4/26/10)
California Marriage Ban Struck Down - ACLU Hails Historic Decision And Urges Efforts In Other States To Ensure Success On Appeal (8/4/10)
Beyond the Division: How Equality for Gay and Transgender People Can Co-Exist with Religious Liberty in Post Prop 8 Utah - A public discussion at Utah Valley University (PDF) (9/21/09)
ACLU of Utah Applauds Proposed Salt Lake City Non-Discrimination Ordinance (8/20/09)
LGBT Organizations Point Out that Lawsuits Could Set Back Progress on Marriage for Same-Sex Couples (5/26/09)
Beyond the Division: How Equality for Gay and Transgender People Can Co-Exist with Religious Liberty in Post Prop 8 Utah - A public discussion at Salt Lake Community College (PDF) (03/31/09)
Utah court rules anti-gay amendment doesn’t bar Salt Lake City from offering domestic partner benefits (5/16/06)
ACLU of Utah files friend-of-the-court brief in support of
domestic partner benefits for Salt Lake City employees (11/10/05)
ACLU of Utah files amicus brief on behalf of transgender employee (10/5/05)
In a win for
free speech, the Utah State Tax Commission approves personalized license
plates with gay-positive messages (7/27/05)
Provo High School
sees first same-sex couple promenade at prom (4/29/05)
Copper
Hills High School revokes discriminatory dance policy (12/22/04)
ACLU
defends Utah high school students censored for wearing gay-themed anti-smoking
t-shirts (5/11/04)
ACLU
of Utah applauds Utah Supreme Court decision to uphold the rights of high
school teacher (4/4/03)
ACLU of Utah Defends High School Teacher Before
the Utah Supreme Court (10/2/02)
ACLU of Utah Defends High School Teacher (3/14/002)
State
of Utah Spent Quarter Million in Futile Fight Against Gay Student Groups (11/13/01)
Students
and Salt Lake City School Board End Feud over Gay-Supportive Clubs (10/6/00)
Judge Orders School to Make Room for Student Club
with Gay Perspective (4/27/00)
Salt Lake School District Sued for Nixing Yet Another
School Club: Despite In-Court Pledge Not to Suppress Gay-Positive Views,
District Rejects Club’s Application (4/11/00)
Gay
Positive Views Will Not be Censored, Salt Lake School Officials Guarantee (12/2/99)
ACLU Joins Children’s Advocacy Group in Fighting
Utah’s Biased, Restrictive Adoption Policy (11/30/99)
Gay/Straight Alliance’s Lawsuit to Proceed Against
Salt Lake School Board -- Utah Federal Judge Says Barring Student Group
may have Violated the First Amendment (10/8/99)
U.S.
Senior District Judge Bruce Jenkins Rules in Favor of Wendy Weaver (11/30/98)
Utah High School “Gay/Straight Alliance” Sues School
Board Over Right to Exist (3/19/98)
Dismissal of Utah Lesbian Suit Sought (1/5/98)
Litigation
Etsitty v. Utah Transit Authority (2007)
Norman v. Anderson (2006)
Citizens of Nebo School District v. Weaver (2003)
Utah Children v. Utah Division of Child and Family
Services (2000)
East High Gay/Straight Alliance v. Board of Education(2000)
and
East High School PRISM Club v. Cynthia L. Seidel (2000)
Weaver v. Nebo School District (1998)
Legal Advocacy and Policy Work
ACLU of Utah Reaches Out To Davis School District To Discuss Constitutional Requirements (6/12/12)
Support Open Health Education In Our Schools, Say No to HB 363 (2/9/12)
Support Employment And Housing Equality Across Utah (2/2/12)
Proposed American Fork Non-Discrimination Ordinance Would Be First For Utah County (12/13/11)
ACLU of Utah Asks School Superintendents to Confirm that LGBT Students Will Not be Excluded from School Dances (11/18/11)
TAKE ACTION: Stop Censorship in Our Public Schools! (4/5/11)
Senate Votes To End Discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Policy (12/20/10)
City of Logan Passes Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (5/19/10)
Salt Lake City Acts to Reduce Employment and Housing Discrimination Against LGBT members of Community (11/11/09)
LGBT Legal And Advocacy Groups Decry Obama Administration's Defense of DOMA (6/16/09)
ACLU of Utah urges House Business and Labor Committee to support House Bill 89, "Anti-Discrimination Act Amendments" (1/25/08)
ACLU of Utah urges Congressman Matheson to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) (10/10/07)
Letter
on behalf of Utah high school student who was told to change gay-friendly
t-shirt (10/20/05)
The Utah State Tax Commission approves personalized license plates with gay-positive messages (read the ACLU of Utah’s April appeal of the Tax Commission’s initial decision to deny these plates) (7/19/05)
Letter to Provo High School regarding
the right of same-sex couples to participate in annual prom and promenade (4/15/05)
Open
letter to a Utah State University professor in which the ACLU of Utah
maintains that Amendment 3 should not be interpreted to prohibit benefits
to dependents of gay and lesbian faculty and staff (4/14/05)
ACLU
of Utah appeals the Utah State Tax Commission’s denial of personalized
license plates expressing gay-positive viewpoints (read the Tax
Commission’s July decision to approve the plates) (4/5/05)
Letter
to Copper Hills High School regarding its school dances policy (12/7/04)
Letter to Hillcrest High School and the
Jordan School District regarding the school’s disciplinary actions against
a group of students who wore t-shirts proclaiming “Queers Kick
Ash” to school (5/11/04)
Letter
to Murray High School regarding its actions prohibiting a lesbian student
couple from joining other couples in the “grand promenade”
at their Junior Prom (3/11/04)
Letter to Logan High School regarding
its student Gay/Straight Alliance (6/20/03)
From Our Legislative Reports
2012 Legislative Report - LGBT & AIDS
2011 Legislative Report - LGBT & AIDS
2010 Legislative Report - LGBT & AIDS
2009 Legislative Report -LGBT Rights
2008 Legislative Report
2007 Legislative Report - Student Clubs
2007 Legislative Report - Lesbian and Gay Families
2006 Legislative Report - Student Clubs
2006 Legislative Report - Lesbian and Gay Families
2006 Legislative Report - Hate Crimes
2005 Legislative Report -LGBT Rights
2004 Legislative Report - Hate Crimes
2004 Legislative Report - Same-Sex Marriage
2003 Legislative Report - Hate Crimes
2003 Legislative Report - Same-Sex Marriage
2002 Legislative Report
2001 Legislative Report
2000 Legislative Report
1999 Legislative Report - Hate Crimes
Articles and Resources
Start a GSA Today (11/4/11)
Utah GSA Clubs Make National News (1/3/11)
Gay Straight Alliances Flourishing in Utah Schools (12/20/10)
ACLU Staffers' "It Gets Better" Videos (10/1/10)
Four Things You Should Know about Student Rights and Day of Silence (4/13/10)
New ACLU Resources to help LGBT Students Prepare for High School Prom (5/1/2009)
"Beyond the Division" Panel a Success! (4/16/09)
Religious liberty and gay marriage:
Some fears are real, experts say, some are overblown (10/23/09)
Past Executive Director is Honored at 2009 Equality Utah Allies Dinner (8/21/09)
Kissing Incident Highlights Conflicting Rights (7/20/09)
New ACLU Resources to help LGBT Students Prepare for High School Prom (5/1/2009)
ACLU of Utah seeks to clarify "religious liberty" issues regarding Proposition 8 (11/07/08)
ACLU Won't Let Proposition 8 Stand (11/07/08)
Why Marriage Matters (10/30/08)
Proposition 8: ACLU Freedom Alert (10/21/08)
Make Change, Not Lawsuits (6/27/08)
California Supreme Court Ruling is Big Win for
Marriage Equality (5/15/08
Students’ Right to Form Gay/Straight Alliances (April 2007)
ACLU Marriage Equality Cases (Fall 2006)
ACLU Forum: Domestic Partnership Benefits for City Employees (Fall 2005)
The Right of Same-Sex
Student Couples to Participate in their High School Dances, Proms,
and Promenades (April 2005)
ACLU of
Utah Responds to the Passage of Amendment 3
Definition of Marriage: “A Measured Pace” (Fall 2004)
Campaign to Defeat Utah’s Discriminatory Marriage Amendment (Fall 2004)
Supreme Court Decision on Sodomy Laws Signals New Era for
Gay Rights (Fall 2003)
Overview of Lesbian and Gay Parenting, Adoption
and Foster Care (2002)
GLSEN Utah Newsletter: Balancing
the Rights of Students, Teachers and Parents (July 1999)
The Pillar: Child and Family Services Seeks to Ban
Adoptions by Same Sex Couples (Spring 1999)
New Granite School District Policy Renews Controversy Over Gay-Related Student Groups (Fall 1997)
Anti-Gay Policies in the Public School and
the First Amendment (Summer 1997)
Events
2012 Pride Parade Pictures
2011 Pride Parade Pictures
2010 Pride Parade Pictures
2009 Pride Parade Pictures
Panel Discussions Explore Balance of Religious Rights with LGBT Equality (2010)
Civil Rights & Rights of Conscience: Spotlight on LGBT Equality (9/21/2010)
Beyond the Division: Balancing Religious Liberty and Equality for Gay and Transgender People (4/8/2010)
Beyond the Division: How Religious Liberty and Equality for Gay and Transgender People Can - and Must- Be Balanced in our State and Nation (9/25/09)
Southern Utah LGBT Town Hall Meeting (9/25/09)
How Equality for Gay and Transgender People Can Co-Exist
with Religious Liberty in Post-Prop 8 Utah. A Critical Community Dialogue (4/10/2099)
"Freedom to Parent: Lesbian & Gay Families," a Film Screening and Public Dialogue with Kenneth Choe, Senior Staff Attorney with the ACLU’s National Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & AIDS Project (2/14/08)
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