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LGBT Rights

Updated 03.12.08 The ACLU deploys all of its 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 Nationally

At the end of September 2007, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was close to a floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.  The legislation would have protected employees from discrimination because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.   Unfortunately, Congressional leadership felt they did not have enough votes for passage.

Some victories are bittersweet. In November 2007, the U.S. House passed a stripped-down ENDA, barring workplace discrimination against lesbian and gay people. However, the bill did not include protections for gender identity.

Read more about ENDA on the national ACLU website.

What’s Happening in Ohio

On March 11, 2008, the Equal Housing and Employment Act was introduced in the Ohio Legislature.  The ACLU of Ohio applauds the introduction of this bi-partisan legislation that will protect workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill is sponsored by Ohio Rep. John Peterson (R-Delaware), Rep. Dan Stewart (D-Columbus) and Senator Dale Miller (D-Cleveland). Read more here.

Contact your state Senator or Representative today and urge them to support the Equal Housing and Employment Act, HB 502 and SB 305.

Congratulations to the cities of Toledo and Dayton! In November 2007, the Toledo City Council passed and the Mayor signed a law creating a domestic partnership registry, joining Cleveland Heights as the only Ohio city to do so. In Dayton, the City Commission amended its anti-discrimination law to include sexual orientation and gender identity. In March 2008, Oxford became the 15th city in Ohio to have an LGB or LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance. Ohio cities with such laws include Athens, Canton, Cincinnati*, Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Columbus, Dayton*, East Cleveland, Lakewood, North Olmsted, Oberlin, Oxford*, Toledo* and Yellow Springs.
 * denotes that ordinance also covers gender identity.

In July 2007, The Ohio Supreme Court, in Carswell v. Ohio, upheld domestic violence protections for all Ohioans. The case resolved the question of whether Ohio’s anti-gay marriage amendment precludes non-married Ohioans from being prosecuted for domestic violence. go»

Read the ACLU of Ohio’s amicus briefs in Carswell v. Ohio (May 2005 and July 2006).


Resources
Students! Know Your Rights
Use this guide in conjunction with your school's handbook.

Ohio LGBT Campus Connection

Equality Ohio

Transohio

National ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project

National ACLU Get Busy/Get Equal activist resources

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.

TransFamily, a support group for transgender and transsexual people and their family and friends

ACLU brochure Know Your Rights: Transgender People and the Law provides an overview of the legal issues affecting the transgender community.

In January 2006, the Ohio Historical Society (OHS) and Outlook Weekly joined together to preserve, archive and curate Ohio’s GLBT history and culture. This partnership is called the Gay Ohio History Initiative (GOHI) and more information is available at www.gohi.org. GOHI aims to celebrate Ohio’s gay history across the state; one of the key goals is to commemorate that history with several public historical markers. More information about the OHS historical marker program is available at www.remarkableohio.org.

Read LGBT related press releases and news articles in our News Center.