'More Equal Union' - Music Album for LGBT Civil Rights

MORE EQUAL UNION is a concept music album about the LGBT civil rights movement in America and is available for purchase on iTunes.

The album follows the story of a gay family from when the couple first met to their tragic end as they react to the forces around them (The Story of Ethan and Jacob).

The songs feature a multitude of genres, including electronica, punk rock, folk, grunge rock, jazz, rap, soundtrack, ballads, pop and choral.

The songs cover various LGBT issues currently on the radar, including marriage equality, openly serving in the military, gay adoption, hate crimes, workplace discrimination and anti-gay bullying.

Proceeds from the album will be donated to Lambda Legal so that we can continue the fight towards LGBT civil rights everywhere in America.



Sean Chapin hopes to achieve a number of goals with his new album, including:

(1) sell over 10,000 copies of the album on iTunes,

(2) raise over $100,000 in sales to donate to Lambda Legal.

(3) change over 1,000,000 minds from fearing us to accepting us.

Prom Season - What LGBTQ Youth Need to Know!

Every public school student is entitled to "free expression" rights and is allowed to bring a same-sex date to prom. Many youth face obstacles from their administration without full well knowing their own legal recourse for the discriminatory actions by their school.

Lambda Legal offers an informative document with info about your rights and courses of action you can take.

Sample letter one can use to contact school officials about their right to take the person of their choice to prom.

Finally, if the above suggestions and courses of action do not work, you can contact Lambda Legal to see about taking legal action against the school. (This may seem intimidating, but sometimes it is as simple as an attorney calling the school to clarify that they are in violation of your rights which helps clear up the whole mess).

"Ex-Gay" and the Law - A Survivors Guide to Taking Action

Truth Wins Out and Lambda Legal have created a booklet to educate survivors of the so called "ex-gay" movement who believed they were harmed by their radical and fringe tactics.

If you are a victim of the "ex-gay" movements psycholocially damaging practices, and have been sold under the false guise that your orientation or identity would change there may be legal options for you by reading the newly produced guide.

Ex-Gay and the Law.

You can also call Lambda Legal toll free at 866-542-8336.

New Guide for NY'ers Married Out of State

The Empire State Pride Agenda, the ACLU, the NYCLU, and Lambda Legal have collaborated to create a document called Your Government Respects Your Marriage: Developments in New York State Agency Recognition of Same-Sex Couples’ Out-of-State Marriages.

Iowa Event: Let My Parents Marry!

Lambda Legal is looking for same-sex couples who want to marry and who are raising children to stand up with other families and be strong voices for marriage equality in Iowa. Coming together as a community of families for marriage equality will be instrumental in winning and keeping marriage equality in our state. If you are interested in learning how you can share your family’s story and joining a network of families for marriage equality, we hope that you will contact us at mfender@lambdalegal.org or 515.288.4019 (ext. 202). Please also consider passing this message along to others you think may be interested.

Let My Parents Marry

Iowa City
When: Wednesday, Feburary 18th @ 6:30pm
Where: Coralville Public Library (1401 5th St in Coralville)

Des Moines
When: Thursday, February 19th @ 6:30pm
Where: Middleton Center for Children’s Rights, Drake Law Clinic (24th & University Ave in Des Moines)

Crosposted via Daily Queer News.

Equality on Campus Day - T-Shirts Available!

Equality on Campus Day shirts are now available on the Students for Equality website.

The t-shirt will be worn by high school and college students across the country on January 27th, and the proceeds will go to Lambda Legal to help revoke Prop 8.

Also, be sure to RSVP via facebook and invite your friends!

Turkey Urged to Respect LGBT People’s Right to Freedom of Association

"A local court in Istanbul ordered the closure of the Turkish lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender solidarity organization, Lambda Istanbul. The court ruled on May 29 in favor of a complaint by the Istanbul Governor's Office that Lambda Istanbul's objectives were against Turkish "moral values and family structure".

Amnesty International considers it an act of discrimination and a violation of the right to freedom of expression to close or attempt to close organizations on the basis of advocating for the rights of persons with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities."

Please use Amnesty International's online form to contact Besir Atalay - Turkey's Minister of Interior. (The text is already there, just sign your name and submit).

Amnesty International Online Action Center

Word of the Gay: "Lambda"

Originally a Greek letter chosen to represent a campaign for gay liberation that has gone onto become an international symbol of gay/lesbian rights. The lambda represents energy in physics and is also symbolic of the power and energy of the gay rights movement. Others suggest the symbol is reflectant of the fact that Queer people operate on a different "wavelength". It is now seen as a symbol of unity and pride, and frequently used in Queer Theory and academic circles.

Pledge-a-Thon for Workplace Equality

Help Lambda Legal make the case for equal workplace rights by signing their petition.

Click here for Pledge-A-Thon petition for Workplace Equality

Here is the pledge you would sign above:

"I believe that workplace discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and people living with HIV is wrong. I pledge to support workplace equality whenever I can and will strive to do one or more of the following:

* Treat LGBT people and people living with HIV with respect in and out of the workplace.

* Get educated about forms of workplace discrimination that LGBT people and people living with HIV experience.

* Help make my workplace LGBT- and HIV- friendly.

* Support my co-workers' (or employees') right to form an LGBT employee resource group.

* Help improve policies in my workplace that protect the rights of LGBT workers and workers living with HIV and work to carry out existing policies.

* Help improve laws protecting the rights of LGBT workers and workers living with HIV on the local, state and federal level.

* Speak out if I witness workplace harassment or discrimination at work or in the community."