Kim Davis Wants To Have Her Own Appeal Dismissed—And Claim Victory

Kim Davis—the Rowan County, KY, clerk who stopped issuing all marriage licenses so that she would not have to issue them to same-sex couples—filed a motion today with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that her own case is moot and should be dismissed. But that’s not all: she also argues that the court should throw out the preliminary injunction issued by the trial court last year, which prohibits Davis from refusing marriage licenses altogether.  

Accommodating Transgender Students In Public Schools Is Nothing New

What happens when a school district allows a transgender student to use the bathroom consistent with his or her gender identity? According to a recent article in The Miami Heraldnot much.

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of The 2016 State Sessions, Part 2: The Bad And The Ugly

In part 1, we recapped the good— the harmful bills that were stopped. In today’s post, we cover the bad and the ugly of the 2016 state legislative sessions. 

The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of The 2016 State Sessions, Part 1: The Good

Over the next two days, we will be reviewing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the 2016 state sessions. Today’s post will cover the good— harmful bills that were stopped. 

Third Lawsuit Filed Against Mississippi's Governor Bryant Over "Religious Liberty" Law

It's been over two months since Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed the state's overly broad "religious liberty" bill into law, but neither he nor the bill has been able to rest easy.

Americans United Legislative Director To Be Honored At Georgia Equality Award Ceremony

We are pleased to share some good news from our friends at Georgia Equality! On June 18, Americans United's Legislative Director Maggie Garrett will receive the group’s Allen Thornell Political Advancement Award during an “Evening for Equality” event in Atlanta.

“Neither Rain Nor Snow Nor Sleet Nor Dark Of Night” Will Keep Postal Workers From Their Appointed Rounds, But Religious Beliefs Might

As reported in the Friendly Atheist blog, a postal worker in Bremerton, Washington, is refusing to deliver mail to pot shops and an adult video store. Her excuse? Her religious beliefs.

Federal Court Was Right To Issue Permanent Injunction On Ala. Marriage-Equality Ban, Says Americans United

State Officials’ Reluctance To Follow Supreme Court Ruling Necessitated Order, Says Church-State Watchdog

Birth Control Battles: The Theocrats’ Long War On Contraceptive Access

Yesterday marked the 51st anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut, a landmark Supreme Court decision that broadened access to contraception. In a 7-2 decision, the nation’s highest court found that the Connecticut Comstock Act of 1879, which banned contraceptives, violated the Fourteenth Amendment right to privacy.

Off-Base Bishop: Catholic Leader Complains Of ‘Bloodless Persecution’

A powerful Roman Catholic official is so upset about marriage equality and the Obama administration’s efforts to include birth control access in healthcare plans that he’s decided to label them examples of “Christian persecution.”

Making A Martyr: How The Religious Right Is Fighting LGBT Protections In Phoenix

On May 12, the evangelical Christian co-owners of a calligraphy shop filed suit to demand a right to discriminate against LGBT couples. Joanna Duka and Breanna Koski, who are being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), seek exemption from Phoeniz, Ariz., non-discrimination law, claiming that the law could potentially land them jail time if they turned away LGBT couples seeking hand-lettered wedding invitations. The key words here: "could" and "if". No same-sex couples have actually requested invitations from the studio yet. 

Arizona's Largest Women's Health Network Obstructs Abortion Access Due To Religious Beliefs

Nicole Knight Shine wrote a fascinating investigative piece for Rewire about MomDoc, a Mormon-owned women's health network in Arizona that uses religion to deny women the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare.