RELATED NEWS
ERADICATING DISCRIMINATION
Equality. It is guaranteed by the federal Constitution and by the constitutions of every state in the Northwest. And Legal Voice is there to make sure that rights under these laws—including the rights to equal treatment, privacy, and access to the courts—are protected and enforced for women and girls in our region.
To ensure that women's basic civil rights to equality are fulfilled, we work to eradicate gender-based discrimination in every area where it is present—including schools, workplaces, courtrooms, housing, prisons, and athletic leagues.
CURRENT ACTION
-
Fighting discrimination against LGBTQ people in health care, employment, and public accommodations.
Kaiser v. CSL Plasma, Inc.
-
Ensuring that landlords follow state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination in housing based on gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression.
-
Defending against efforts to erode anti-discrimination laws by expanding religious freedom rights and exemptions excusing companies and individuals from compliance.
-
Investigating Title IX cases involving sexual violence on college campuses—a barrier to equal opportunity in education—and supporting legislation to improve campus responses to such cases.
-
Fighting the use of immigration status as a weapon in litigation against undocumented workers.
-
Supporting legislation to enhance anti-harassment strategies in public schools.
-
Fighting for more opportunities for girl athletes in middle and high school sports and in community athletic leagues.
VICTORIES
-
Alongside our allies at Northwest Fair Housing Alliance, Gender Justice League, and YWCA Spokane, created Sex Discrimination in Housing resources with a unique focus on discrimination based on gender identity, gender stereotyping, domestic violence, and sexual harassment.
-
Successfully advocating in the Washington Legislature to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, including discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and real estate, credit, and insurance transactions.
HB 2661 - 2006 session
-
Forcing the U.S. military to reinstate Colonel Grethe Cammermeyer, who was removed from her position because of her sexual orientation.
Cammermeyer v. Perry
-
Striking down Montana's "sexual deviant conduct law" that criminalized intimate sexual relationships between consenting adults of the same sex.
Gryczan v. Montana
-
Ensuring that pregnancy-based discrimination and maternal stereotyping are unlawful.
Hegwine v. Longview Fibre Company
Maxwell v. VESi
-
Successfully urging the Washington State Supreme Court to recognize a common law cause of action for termination based on gender discrimination.
Roberts v. Dudley
-
Successfully advocating for legislation that ensures equity in athletic opportunities provided at community parks and recreation centers.
SB 5967 - 2009 session
-
Requiring local sports programs to provide equal ice time for girls' hockey teams as for comparable boys' teams.
Firebirds Hockey Association v. City of Anchorage
-
Requiring school districts to change slow-pitch to the more competitive fast-pitch softball teams, increasing access to scholarship opportunities for girls.
-
Challenging policies that exclude girls from playing on boys' teams based solely on their gender, without consideration of their ability and other relevant non-discriminatory factors.
Russell v. Seattle Youth Soccer Association
Nared v. YMCA of Columbia-Willamette and The Hoop
-
Writing and helping to pass a law that protects victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking from housing discrimination.
HB 1645 - 2004 session
-
Winning court cases in Oregon and Washington requiring the Fraternal Order of Eagles to admit women as members.
Grand Aerie FOE v. FOE Tenino Aerie No. 564
Lahmann and Shimer v. Grand Aerie, FOE
-
Requiring the State of Alaska to correct discriminatory conditions suffered by women prisoners.
Cleary v. Smith
-
Successfully arguing against the court using litigants' immigration status against them in civil cases.
Salas v. Hi-Tech Erectors
-
Convincing the Washington Supreme Court that the Washington Law Against Discrimination should be interpreted to include an employer’s duty to accommodate religion, as long as such accommodations do not interfere with the rights of co-workers and customers to be free from discrimination in the guise of religion.
Kumar, et al. v. Gate Gourmet, Inc.
-
Successfully arguing against exemptions for nonprofit religious organizations so that their employees may pursue employment discrimination claims if their job responsibilities are unrelated to religion.
Ockletree v. Franciscan Health Systems
-
Enforcing state and federal law against athletic discrimination in educational programs.