At the end of January, 2019, the North Dakota senate defeated legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The senator, who was the primary sponsor of the bill, also known as Senate Bill 2303, has said that the measure was created to decrease the rate at which discrimination against LGBTQ individuals occurs in Read More

The United States Supreme Court recently declined to hear an appeal by a high school football coach who was dismissed by his school district because the man prayed on the field immediately following football games. This decision occurred despite commentary by four of the Supreme Court justices that they were troubled by the coach’s dismissal Read More

At the end of January 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States allowed President Trump’s transgender military ban to go into effect, which many LGBT advocates have hailed as a cruel body of regulations. In a 5-to-4 order, the Supreme Court declined to take a stance on the legality of the prohibition, but allowed Read More

The United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently supported a ruling by a three-judge panel that prohibits a California district from continuing its prayer policy. In arriving at this decision, the Ninth Circuit explained why the prayers in this prayer policy differed from legislative chaplain prayers which were upheld by the United States Supreme Read More

In less than a month, courts in Arizona will hear arguments connected to a 2016 lawsuit that challenge a section of Phoenix’s nondiscrimination ordinance that applies to gender identity and sexual orientation. While it remains uncertain how this case will be resolved, it will have a substantial impact on LGBT laws in Arizona and might Read More

A federal appeals court in Washington recently sided with the Trump administration in ruling that restrictions on transgender troops in the military is permitted to stand. Lower court judges had previously blocked Trump’s prohibition from taking effect while the case was appealed. Current Transgender Military Laws In 2017, president Trump announced extensive prohibitions against transgender Read More

The Virginia Supreme Court recently ruled that a transgender inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Petersburg may be entitled to change her name to reflect her identity. In making its decision, the court held that the Petersburg Circuit Court had erred in denying the inmate’s application for a name change without considering the merits. Read More

The Montana Supreme Court recently struck down a tax credit for donations that fund scholarships for students at private schools on the basis that these credits are a type of unconstitutional aid offered to attend religiously affiliated schools. In its decision, the court said that the $150 tax credit is designed to aid private schools Read More

A federal judge in Idaho recently held that the state must provide gender reassignment surgery to a transgender inmate who has been living as a woman for some time but who is currently housed in a men’s prison. As a result of the decision, the inmate will become the first in Idaho to receive gender Read More

  Earlier this year, Montevallo, Alabama passed an ordinance protecting individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in relationship to housing, employment discrimination, and public accommodations. This is an historic event because Montevallo is only the second city in Alabama to pass an ordinance of this kind. Alabama is one Read More