By Lake Geslani, Lambda Legal Digital Content Manager Last Saturday, about 70 teenagers gathered together in a downtown Washington, D.C., venue for prom. But it wasn’t your run-of-the-mill school event: Pride Prom DMV not only promised a safe space for local LGBTQ+ youth to be their authentic selves, but a night dedicated to celebrating queer joy, friendship, and community. The pride energy was palpable immediately upon entering the venue, thanks to the event’s brilliant Rainbow Rodeo theme. Alongside pride flags and luminescent disco balls, glittery cowboy hats, bejeweled boots, and fringe ga ..read more

By Sonja Kerr, Counsel This month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a landmark final rule to implement Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act (Section 504). This pivotal regulation prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by any entity receiving federal funds. This particularly includes transgender individuals experiencing gender dysphoria and those living with HIV. The rule’s enactment reaffirms the federal government’s commitment that people with disabilities will be full and equal members of our communities. 47 Years:  The 1964 Civ ..read more

By Michael Remaley, Lambda Legal Major Gifts Officer There is a story behind the National Liberty Awards table with her name on it. She is like a lot of our donors, and yet, like no other. In April 1993, a mom who loved her gay son went to Washington, DC, to participate in the largest LGBTQ+ demonstration ever assembled and, at the time, one of the largest protests in American history. She didn’t tell her son she was going to the march. Over the decades, she had been to countless protests for reproductive rights, environmental justice and civil rights (and later, of course, the Movement for Bl ..read more

Today marks National Transgender HIV Testing Day, an essential moment to reflect on the progress we have made and the challenges that lie ahead in the battle against HIV for the transgender community. In particular, it is crucial to spotlight the disproportionate impact of HIV on the transgender community, especially transgender folks of color. At Lambda Legal, we recognize that the fight against HIV is inextricably linked with our ongoing battle against discrimination, and we reaffirm our commitment to advocating for the rights and well-being of transgender individuals living with or at risk ..read more

In honor of National Doctors Day on March 30, we at Lambda Legal want to celebrate the physicians who provide life-saving medically necessary health care to our LGBTQ+ community, especially transgender and nonbinary youth.  Even in the face of retaliation, threats to their livelihood, and legal action, these doctors remain steadfast in their commitment to their patients’ health and well-being. Their essential work is grounded in evidence-based science, while their approach upholds the humanity and dignity of the LGBTQ+ people for whom they care.  This year, we’ve seen state legislatu ..read more

For Women’s History Month, we’re reminiscing on the incredible women who have helped Lambda Legal secure legal and lived equality for our community.  Every year when Women’s History Month rolls around, it’s an opportunity to reflect on all the women and femmes who have led our movement forward — and especially those who trusted Lambda Legal to make their cases in courtrooms across America. Queer women have always been an integral part of the LGBTQ+ community, and we couldn’t be more grateful for their unique perspectives, tenacity, lived experiences, and continued contributions to our col ..read more

By Richard Saenz, Lambda Legal Senior Attorney and Criminal Justice and Police Misconduct Strategist Lambda Legal’s Richard Saenz, Protected and Served? project manager and criminal legal system strategist, is a contributing author of the American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice magazine. This past January, his article “A Crisis Behind Bars: Legal Issues Impacting Transgender People in Prisons” was the featured cover story of the Winter 2023 issue, reaching thousands of ABA members.  Based on findings from Lambda Legal and Black and Pink National’s Protected and Served? 2022 Report, Sa ..read more

By Sasha Buchert, Lambda Legal Director of the Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project, and Alexandra Curd, Lambda Legal Staff Policy Attorney Legislative sessions are well underway in many states this year, and once again, instead of working on the kitchen table issues that Americans truly care about — such as health care coverage or safer schools —  far-right state legislators are once again choosing to focus their time and energy on their ongoing top priority: bullying LGBTQ+ people.    Anti-LGBTQ+ legislation has escalated dramatically in the last four years, both in quantity an ..read more

By J. Ahmir Vines and Lake Geslani In honor of Black History Month and Valentine’s Day, we’re shining a light on five couples who embody the beauty, power, and magic of Black queer love.  But these folks aren’t just loving loudly and proudly.  They are reimagining in real-time what partnership, parenthood, and family can look like, while also inspiring society at large to reimagine a more expansive and inclusive future for Black LGBTQ+ relationships.  These couples are proof that, even in the face of a sometimes cruel world resistant to change, the limits of love are truly bound ..read more

We at Lambda Legal mourn the monumental loss of our beloved Cecilia Gentili.  She will be forever remembered as a pillar of the transgender community, a trailblazing Latina activist and organizer, and evocative author, artist, and actress. The impact of her tireless efforts advocating for marginalized communities — including LGBTQ+ people, sex workers, undocumented immigrants and refugees, and people living with HIV — will undoubtedly live on and continue to inspire change for generations to come.  To honor her life and legacy, we’ve gathered personal reflections and tributes from a ..read more