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Updated 06.04.10 The ACLU believes that individuals should not be discriminated against based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
To that end, the ACLU deploys legal, educational and legislative resources to fight for full legal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, whether in employment, schools, marriage or parenting.
What’s Happening in Ohio
June is Pride month! Visit
our calendar to see a list of Pride festivals where we’ll be tabling and to find out how you can help!
Check out pictures of our volunteers in action at past Pride festivals
on our
Facebook page.
Equal Housing and Employment Act
In September, 2009, the Ohio House of Representatives passed the Equal Housing and Employment Act (EHEA), H.B. 176, by a vote of 56 - 39. The bill is now before the Senate. If passed, this legislation will protect Ohioans from losing their jobs or housing because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Learn what you can do to extend equality in Ohio.
Repeal of Bowling Green Anti-Discrimination Ordinance on the November 2010 Ballot
Last year, Bowling Green, Ohio passed a fully-inclusive human rights ordinance that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and several other characteristics. Opponents collected enough signatures to put a repeal of the ordinance on the ballot in November 2010. Local activists have formed the Bowling Green Coalition for Justice to keep Bowling Green a safe and welcoming community.
Learn what you can do to help stop the repeal.
Anti-discrimination Ordinances
Twenty-two Ohio cities and counties now have anti-discrimination ordinances. Nine of these fully protect individuals from discrimination in employment and housing based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The other thirteen have partial ordinances that only protect sexual orientation or may only address housing or employment, but not both.
The following Ohio cities and counties have an LGB or LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance: Akron*, Athens, Bowling Green*, Canton, Cincinnati*, Cleveland*, Cleveland Heights, Columbus*, Cuyahoga Falls, Dayton*, Gahanna, Hamilton, Lakewood, Laura, Lima, North Olmsted, Oberlin, Oxford*, Shaker Heights, Summit County, Toledo*, and Yellow Springs*.
* Denotes that the ordinance also covers gender identity. Unmarked cities or counties only offer partial protections.
Domestic Partner Registries
In December, 2008, Cleveland City Council became the third city in Ohio
-- joining Toledo and Cleveland Heights -- to
pass a domestic partner registry.
Read our press
release.
Marriage Equality
The pursuit of marriage equality is an ongoing struggle. A handful of
states recognize full marriage benefits, civil unions, domestic partnerships, or other types of legal recognition.
But other
states
have either state laws or constitutional provisions barring
same-sex marriage or relationship recognition.
In November 2004, Ohio’s state constitution was amended by ballot Issue 1 to ban same sex marriage.
Read the ACLU of Ohio's
statement.
Article 15, Section 11 of the Ohio Constitution now says that the state shall not create or recognize relationships of unmarried adults that approximates marriage. In 2007, the Ohio Supreme Court interpreted the reach of Issue 1 in the case
Ohio v. Carswell. Read the ACLU of Ohio
press
release and
amicus.
Get Active!
Urge your senator to support the Equal Housing and Employment Act.
Expand rights in your community! Our
LGBT Activism 101
fact sheet will help you get started.
Tell 3 people why you support LGBT rights and take a step towards equality.
Resources
Use our Students! Know Your Rights
guide in conjunction with your school's handbook.
Can you take a same-sex date to the
prom?
Know Your Rights: Transgender People and the Law
This brochure provides an overview of the legal issues affecting the transgender community.
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law LGBT Symposium Research Resources
Equality Ohio
TransOhio
TransFamily
Gay Ohio History Initiative
(GOHI)
National
ACLU Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Project
Human
Rights Campaign
Freedom To Marry
Lambda Legal
The
Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
Gay
& Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)
National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce
Parents, Family & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (P-FLAG)
The
Gender Public Advocacy Coalition (GenderPAC) works to end
discrimination and violence caused by gender stereotypes.
Read LGBT related news releases and articles in our
News Center.
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