Press Releases - Litigation
Legal Advocacy and Policy Work
Legislative Reports - Resources - Events

ACLU of Utah Condemns Act of Vandalism at the Utah Pride Center
Posted 8/20/10 - The individual who spray painted the word "FAGS" across the marquee of Cafe Marmalade (the coffee shop associated with the Utah Pride Center) engaged in a criminal act.  The rights to freedom of speech and freedom of expression that are enshrined in and protected by the First Amendment do not include the right to vandalize private property.  Although individuals have a First Amendment right to express their views, which can certainly involve troublesome or hateful words such as "fag," choosing to express oneself in this manner is reprehensible and, ultimately, counterproductive.  The ACLU of Utah encourages individuals with contrary viewpoints, whether personal or political, to express and discuss their differences in constructive and responsible ways, not through cowardly and destructive acts such as vandalism.

California Marriage Ban Struck Down - ACLU Hails Historic Decision And Urges Efforts In Other States To Ensure Success On Appeal
Posted 8/4/10 - In a landmark decision today, a federal judge ruled that Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that excluded same-sex couples from marriage in the state, violates the United States Constitution. The American Civil Liberties Union, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and Lambda Legal filed two friend-of-the-court briefs in the case supporting the argument that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.

Read the press release >>

Help build on the victory in California. Take the pledge to keep working until same-sex couples are allowed to marry all across the country >>

Utah Pride 2010
We had a great PRIDE weekend, June 5-6. Thank you to everyone who came to walk with us in the parade and volunteered at our booth. And, of course, we appreciate all those who stopped by to become members, renew their membership, or just pick up information about what we do.

Pictures of the ACLU of Utah at Pride 2010 >>

Panel Discussions Explore Balance of Religious Rights with LGBT Equality
Since last April, the ACLU of Utah has hosted four panel discussions, dubbed “Beyond the Division,” to explore perceived tensions between religious liberty and equal protection and treatment for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Originally conceived in the wake of California’s Proposition 8, these events address, from a legal perspective, common myths about how equality for LGBT people may impact the rights of religious people.

Read more >>

City of Logan Passes Anti-Discrimination Ordinance
Posted 5/19/10 - After shelving the proposal for several months on May 5, the Logan City Council rescheduled a public hearing on the proposals that would prohibit employment and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. 100's of community members packed the hearing and flooded the council members with email, letters and phone calls. The proposals passed and Logan the growing tide of Utah cities in offering basic protections to their LGBT residents.

Read the ACLU of Utah's letter to the Mayor and City Council in support of the proposed ordinance (PDF) >>

Read an action alert >>

Gay Teens - Battling Bias One Mind at a Time
A Salt Lake Tribune Editorial
Posted 5/3/10 - "But this year, all it took was some correspondence from the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah to grease the skids for the kids in the Washington County School District. GSA clubs at four of the district's five high schools --- Dixie, Desert Hills, Snow Canyon and Pine View -- will officially form this fall."

Read the editorial >>

School District Revises Unconstitutional Policies, Allows Formation of Gay-Straight Alliances
Posted 4/26/10 - Under pressure from the ACLU of Utah, the Washington County School District agreed to implement district-wide revisions to its policies for forming non-curricular student clubs. These revisions made it possible for students at four St. George-area high schools—Desert Hills, Dixie, Pine View, and Snow Canyon—to form Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) for the first time in the schools’ history.

Read the ACLU of Utah press release >>

Four Things You Should Know about Student Rights and Day of Silence
Posted 4/13/10 - A blog post by Chris Hampton of the national ACLU LGBT Project.
"Two things I’ve learned over the years that I’ve worked with LGBT students at the American Civil Liberties Union are that many school administrators and teachers don’t have the slightest clue about what their students’ legal rights are, and that a lot of the ones who do know go right ahead and violate students’ rights anyway because they think they can get away with it."

Read more >>

School District Revises Unconstitutional Policies, Allows Formation of Gay-Straight Alliances
Posted 4/26/10 - Under pressure from the ACLU of Utah, the Washington County School District agreed to implement district-wide revisions to its policies for forming non-curricular student clubs. These revisions made it possible for students at four St. George-area high schools—Desert Hills, Dixie, Pine View, and Snow Canyon—to form Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) for the first time in the schools’ history.

Read more >>

Salt Lake City Acts to Reduce Employment and Housing Discrimination Against LGBT members of Community
Posted 11/11/09 - The ACLU applauds the Salt Lake City Council for unanimously passing a Non-Discrimination Ordinance that will help protect a growing segment of the Salt Lake City community from employment and housing discrimination.

Read the ACLU of Utah's letter supporting the proposed ordinance >>
Read a Salt Lake Tribune article about the passing of the ordinance>>

Religious liberty and gay marriage:
Some fears are real, experts say, some are overblown
By Peggy Fletcher Stack, The Salt Lake Tribune - If you're worried that government someday will force your minister, rabbi, imam or bishop to perform a same-sex marriage, don't be. Even if such weddings become legally enshrined and widely accepted in the United States, gay couples never will be sealed, for instance, in an LDS temple unless the church chooses to do so. .... Fostering civil dialogue is precisely what Utah's ACLU has been trying to do by staging panel discussions on same-sex marriage at Salt Lake Community College and Utah Valley University.

Read the full article >>

Past Executive Director is Honored at 2009 Equality Utah Allies Dinner
Posted 8/26/09 - Carol Gnade, ACLU of Utah Executive Director from 1992 - 2002, and her partner Lorraine Miller, received an award at the 2009 Equality Utah Allies Dinner for their service to the LGBT community. The ACLU of Utah applauds Carol and Lorraine for their tireless efforts to support equality for all Utahns.

Read a Salt Lake Tribune article about the dinner >>

Proposed Ordinance Would Properly Protect Salt Lake City's Growing LGBT Community
Posted 8/20/09 - The ACLU of Utah applauds the efforts of Salt Lake City Mayor Becker to introduce a city ordinance that would prevent discrimination, particularly on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Read the letter to Mayor Becker submitted as part of a public comment process >>

Kissing Incident Highlights Conflicting Rights
Posted 7/20/09 - ACLU of Utah Executive Director, Karen McCreary, and former Legal Director, Stephen Clark, discuss the debate over balancing private and public rights in downtown Salt Lake City since a recent citation of two men for "trespassing" after displaying public affection on the Main Street Plaza.

Read the opinion piece published in the Salt Lake Tribune >>

How We Got From There to Here: The Saga of the Main Street Plaza >>

LGBT Legal And Advocacy Groups Decry Obama Administration's Defense of DOMA
Posted 6/16/09 - The Obama administration has defended the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in a brief filed in the case Smelt v. United States, a lawsuit brought in federal court in California by a married same-sex couple asking the federal government to treat them equally with respect to federal protections and benefits. The administration is using many of the same flawed legal arguments that the Bush administration used. These arguments rightly have been rejected by several state supreme courts as legally unsound and discriminatory.

Read the full statement >>

Utah Pride Festival 2009 See some photos >>

Posted 6/8/09 - It rained on the parade but we still had a blast joining thousands of other Utahns in celebrating our pride and walking for equality. Thank you to all of our volunteers and everyone who walked with us, stopped by our booth and became a member or renewed your membership this weekend. You are the ACLU of Utah!

California Supreme Court Upholds Prop 8
Posted 5/26/09 - In a 6-to-1 decision, the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, the ballot measure that eliminated the right of same sex couples to marry. At the same time, the court unanimously ruled that the more than 18,000 marriages that took place between June 16 and November 4, 2008 continue to be fully valid and recognized by the state of California.

Matt Coles, Director of the ACLU LGBT Project, explains that fundamental American values are at stake in the fight for marriage and for LGBT rights generally. This, Coles says, is about the right to live your life without having someone else’s morality imposed on you.

LGBT Organizations Point Out that Lawsuits Could Set Back Progress on Marriage for Same-Sex Couples
Posted 5/26/09 - In response to the California Supreme Court decision allowing Prop 8 to stand, four LGBT legal organizations and five other leading national LGBT groups are reminding the LGBT community that ill-timed lawsuits could set the fight for marriage back. The groups released a new publication, “Why the ballot box and not the courts should be the next step on marriage in California.”

Read more >>

New ACLU Resources to help LGBT Students Prepare for High School Prom
Posted 5/1/2009 - Almost every year, the ACLU of Utah receives calls from students whose schools have told them that they cannot bring a same-sex date to the Prom or that they must wear Prom clothing that conforms to traditional gender norms. Policies such as these, which exclude LGBT students from participating fully in school life, are not only prejudicial, they are unconstitutional.

Read more from the ACLU's national LGBT Project including resources that students can use to address these issues with their schools>>

"Beyond the Division" Panel a Success!
Posted 4/16/09 - Our panel discussion about the movement for full LGBT equality - and the movement's perceived impacts on religious liberty - was a great success. Over 100 people attended the event at Salt Lake Community College's Redwood Campus on April 10, to learn that there is indeed plenty of room for respect and common ground in Post-Prop 8 Utah!

Read the write-up in the SL Tribune >>
See photos of the event >>

Press Releases

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)

Etsitty v. Utah Transit Authority

Norman v. Anderson

Citizens of Nebo School District v. Weaver

Utah Children v. Utah Division of Child and Family Services

East High Gay/Straight Alliance v. Board of Education and
East High School PRISM Club v. Cynthia L. Seidel

Weaver v. Nebo School District

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)

ACLU of Utah Asks Governor Huntsman to Veto Student Clubs Bill (2007)

Lawmakers Again Consider In Loco Parentis; SB 58 “Wrongful Death Amendments” Fails (2007)

Trio of Bills Attempted to Restrict Lesbian and Gay Couples from Receiving the Same Benefits and Protections for their Families As Straight Couples (2006)

Legislators Rejected Attempts to Ban Gay/Straight Alliances in Public High Schools (2006)

Lawmakers Fail to Extend Basic Rights to Lesbians and Gay Men (2005)

New Surrogate Parenting Law Excludes Gay Parents (2005)

Bill Limiting Gestational Agreements to Married Couples Fails (2004)

Legislators Clear the Way for a Constitutional Marriage Amendment (2004)

Resolution Calling for Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage is Abandoned (2003)

Bill Negatively Impacts Gay-Positive Viewpoints Expressed in the Classroom (2001)

Gays and Lesbians Now Prohibited from Adopting Children (2000)

New Law Regarding Teachers is Troubling (1999)

New ACLU Resources to help LGBT Students Prepare for High School Prom
Posted 5/1/2009 - Almost every year, the ACLU of Utah receives calls from students whose schools have told them that they cannot bring a same-sex date to the Prom or that they must wear Prom clothing that conforms to traditional gender norms. Policies such as these, which exclude LGBT students from participating fully in school life, are not only prejudicial, they are unconstitutional.

Read more from the ACLU's national LGBT Project including resources that students can use to address these issues with their schools>>

 

ACLU of Utah seeks to clarify "religious liberty" issues regarding Proposition 8
Posted 11/07/08 - In the interest of disseminating accurate information, we feel it is important to highlight that the choice between religious freedom and equal rights is a false dichotomy. As an organization long dedicated to protecting and promoting religious liberties and equal rights, even when those rights appear to be in tension with one another, the ACLU of Utah asserts that it is misleading and inaccurate to claim that recognition of same-sex marriage by the state of California in some way infringes on the religious liberty of the LDS Church or any other religious institution.

Read the full press release >>

ACLU Won't Let Proposition 8 Stand
Posted 11/07/08 - The ACLU and others filed a writ petition before the CA Supreme Court on Nov. 5 urging the court to invalidate Prop. 8 if it passes. The lawsuit charges that Prop. 8 is invalid because the initiative process was improperly used in an attempt to undo the constitution’s core commitment to equality for everyone by eliminating a fundamental right from just one group – lesbian and gay Californians. According to the CA Constitution, such radical changes cannot be made by simple majority vote through the initiative process, but instead must go through the state legislature first.

Read More >>

Why Marriage Matters
Posted 10/30/08 - There is a human cost when gay couples are denied the fundamental right to marry. The stories of three couples demonstrate what thousands of couples in California stand to lose if their right to marry is taken away on Election Day. It is important that we save marriage in California so couples in other states can have the hope to marry, too. Please forward and share this video with everyone you know in California and ask them to vote NO on Prop 8.

Watch the You Tube Video >>

Proposition 8: ACLU Freedom Alert
Posted 10/21/08 - The right to marry is in jeopardy for gay couples in California. If Proposition 8 passes, the state constitution will be amended to take away all marriage rights for gay couples. It is too close and too many are complacent. Matt Coles, director of the ACLU LGBT Project, has an urgent message.

Watch the You Tube video alert >>

Make Change, Not Lawsuits
Posted 6/27/08 - The ACLU is part of a coalition of leading national LGBT groups that have issued a statement entitled "Make Change, Not Lawsuits." The statement explains that while couples who go to California to marry should ask friends, neighbors and institutions to honor their marriages, they generally shouldn't sue. The statement says that ill-timed lawsuits are likely to set the fight for marriage back, and that there are other ways to fight which are more likely to win.

Read the full statement >>

Read an Opinion Editorial by Senator Scott McCoy "Gay marriages commence in California" >>

California Supreme Court Ruling is Big Win for Marriage Equality
Posted 5/15/08 - Today the California Supreme Court said that constitutional principles demand that marriage be open to same-sex couples.

Read more >>

 

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)

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

Thrs, April 8
Beyond the Division:
Balancing Religious Liberty and Equality for Gay and Transgender People
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Panel discussion at Weber State University
Details here >>

Thrs, March 4
Beyond the Division:
Balancing Religious Liberty and Equality for Gay and Transgender People
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Panel discussion at the University of Utah's S.J. Quinney College of Law
Details here >>

"Beyond the Division" A Huge Success
Posted 9/28/09 - On Friday, September 25, the second in a series of panel discussions about balancing LGBT equality and religious liberty drew more then 130 students, faculty, and community members. This event took place at the Utah Valley University in Orem.

Check out photos (thanks to David Daniels!) here >>
Moderator Bill Allred talks about his experience on X96 "Radio From Hell" podcast >> (Select the 9/28/09 6 a.m. show. The discussion starts at 15:08 minutes into the show)

Fri. Sept. 25 :"Beyond the Divison: How Religious Liberty and Equality for Gay and Transgender People Can - and Must - Be Balanced in Our State and Nation"
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
@ UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY'S NEW LIBRARY AUDITORIUM
More information >>

Fri. Sept. 25
Southern Utah LGBT Town Hall Meeting
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
@ MOJO ESPRESSO BAR IN ST. GEORGE
Get the details >>

 

BEYOND THE DIVISION
How Equality for Gay and Transgender People Can Co-Exist with Religious Liberty in Post-Prop 8 Utah. A Critical Community Dialogue. Friday, April 10, 2009, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Join us for "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, on March 4, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Main Library (2/14/08)

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