Today Governor Quinn will sign the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act, which will go into effect June 1, 2011. To support families protected by the new law, Lambda Legal and Equality Illinois launched Civil Union Tracker.

(Columbus, OH, January 31, 2011) - The Ohio Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in a custody case in which Lambda Legal represents a lesbian mother.

1/28/2011

"Lambda Legal has reached a settlement with the Gary, Ind., school district, in the case of a transgender student who was barred from attending prom in a dress in 2006, and the district has adopted LGBT-inclusive policies as part of it.

"K.K. Logan, who at the time identified as a feminine male and now identifies as female, was physically blocked by the school principal from entering the West Side High School senior prom in May 2006.

Today Lambda Legal announced the resolution of a lawsuit against Gary School Corporation brought by transgender former student K.K. Logan, who was barred from prom at West Side High School in 2006 because she wore a dress.

Governor Quinn will sign civil unions into Illinois law on Monday, January 31, 2011, and spokespeople from Lambda Legal, the organization that provided significant technical and drafting support for the civil union bill, will be there and available for questions and interviews.

(New York, NY, January 19, 2011) —Yesterday, new federal regulations regarding hospital visitation rights went into effect. The new rules will affect same-sex couples and their families across the country.

1/18/2011

"The question of whether Louisiana must put both parents' names on birth certificates of children adopted by gay couples goes before 16 federal appeals court judges on Wednesday.

"Oren Adar and Mickey Ray Smith of San Diego want the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a unanimous three-judge ruling and a district judge's decision that both of their names must go on their son's birth certificate.

(New Orleans, January 14, 2011) - The full 16-member U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments on Wednesday, January 19, 2011, regarding the New York adoption of a Louisiana-born baby boy by a same-sex couple.

When news of the Atlanta Eagle raid case came out, it shocked the community, exacerbated by the APD's stunning and cavalier public assertion a month later that such police conduct was standard operating procedure. The effect on the city was so profound that city brass really couldn't defend the police conduct—even though they tried for more than a year. Mayor Kasim Reed eventually apologized in a press conference. But what made the difference was the incredible bravery and selflessness of our clients, who overcame fear and intimidation and were willing to serve as plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit to publicly denounce the horrendous police harassment they suffered and to seek meaningful change. As a result, after more than a year of litigation, we achieved an important settlement that included comprehensive police reforms. It will protect not just people who go to the Eagle or who go to gay bars, but everybody who lives in or visits Atlanta.

While Congress and President Obama gave lesbian, gay and bisexual service members a happy ending to a bumpy year, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) may remain in effect for months. That's because the language of the repeal states that the President, Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff of the services must now certify that the military is ready to implement whatever changes are necessary to allow lesbian, gay and bisexual troops to serve openly.