ACLU

A W.Va. group that promotes fair treatment of GLBT residents, has launched a new campaign with hopes of creating effective anti-bullying policies in the state. Fairness West Virginia has partnered with the ACLU of W.Va. for the campaign, named West Virginia Bully-Free. "It is a campaign that will show the public as well as policymakers that we need to have a much more effective policy here," Fairness WV Program Director Bradley Milam said.

Lightspeed Systems is believed to be the first major web filter provider to allow access to educational websites about GLBT issues. Change arose after the ACLU sent letters this spring to about 15 districts as part of a campaign aimed at stopping the filtering of LGBT content.

The partner of a Missouri State Police trooper killed in the line of duty says he is entitled to the same benefits as other survivors. Trooper Dennis Englehard (pictured with Kelly Glossip - his committed partner of 15 years) died in the line of duty on Christmas day 2009.

Englehard was killed when he was struck by a vehicle while on an accident call. Kelly Glossip and the ACLU filed a lawsuit, because Glossip believes he's entitled to spousal benefits offered to others whose mates are also killed in the line of duty for the Highway Patrol.

On October 3rd, the ACLU of Florida, along with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Family Equality Council, and SAVE Dade, will host a free training event at the Miami-Dade GLBT Expo that will provide participants with the skills to take a stand against Florida's ban on gay adoption and support litigation challenging Florida's ban by changing the hearts and minds of your friends, neighbors, and communities.

The ACLU's federal lawsuit against Tennessee school districts that prohibited students from visiting gay-themed websites from school computers has been dismissed by a judge, but the decision comes after the districts agreed to remove the filtering software.

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Florida and its LGBT Advocacy Project has been awarded a $150,000 grant from The Tides Foundation's State Equality Fund to defend its recent trial court victory ending Florida's ban on adoption by gays and lesbians, and to educate Floridians about the case. The grant funds will pay some of the significant costs of defending the judgment on appeal and of conducting a grass-roots public awareness campaign.

Earlier this month a lesbian couple in Idaho - and their three foster children - were denied a reduced admission price to a pool in eastern Idaho because "the Lava Hot Springs State Foundation says the five don't fit the definition of a family".

Mark Lowe, executive director for the Lava Hot Springs State Foundation, says the state doesn't recognize gay or lesbian marriage and defines a family as one male, one female and children.