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Fighting Anti-LGBTQ+ Hiring Practices By Religious Organizations

Jan 4, 2020

Fighting Anti-LGBTQ+ Hiring Practices By Religious Organizations

Seattle lawyer Matt Woods spent more than three years volunteering his legal skills for the Union Gospel Mission. When a full-time staff position opened up, he leapt at the chance to apply for his "dream job" working for the poor and homeless. He was initially encouraged to apply because of his outstanding job performance, but when he told the managing attorney at Union Gospel that he was in a relationship with a man, they told him not to bother submitting an application. The

A Second Chance for Christal—but Occupational Barriers Persist

Feb 21, 2019

A Second Chance for Christal—but Occupational Barriers Persist

This morning, the Washington Supreme Court stood up for a second chance for Christal Fields, who was wrongfully denied the opportunity to work in her chosen field because of a 30-year-old conviction. Christal was successfully working in childcare when the Department of Early Learning conducted a background check, found a decades-old conviction for attempted robbery, and swiftly disqualified her from her work. She went from thriving in a profession she loved to being banned fr

WA Supreme Court: 'Harassment is a Form of Discrimination'

Feb 1, 2019

WA Supreme Court: 'Harassment is a Form of Discrimination'

No one should be harassed for being who they are. No one. But it happens, in public spaces, every day. People are targeted and harassed for wearing a hijab, for the color of their skin, and because they are transgender or gender non-conforming. They are sexually harassed at work, at restaurants, and even when they seek medical care. That’s exactly what happened to Rev. Christopher Floeting, who sought health care services on a near-weekly basis from a Group Health clinic. Dur

This Tenant Policy Harms Single Mothers & Their Children

Not Just Cakes: SCOTUS Hears Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission

Dec 5, 2017

Not Just Cakes: SCOTUS Hears Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission

You've likely heard a lot about cake today. That's because the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case this morning involving a same-sex couple and a Christian baker who refused to sell them a wedding cake. In short, the baker asserts that his refusal to make the couple's cake is protected by his rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Or, even shorter: that his religious freedom translates into the right to discriminate. Because, truly, this is what discrimination looks

Recognizing You As Who You Are: Gender Marker Changes in Washington State

Dec 1, 2017

Recognizing You As Who You Are: Gender Marker Changes in Washington State

Great news! The Washington Department of Health has proposed a new rule to make it easier for a person to change the gender listed on their birth certificate. It also creates a gender marker in addition to male or female. If the rule is approved, you could change your gender marker to X, which represents a gender that is not exclusively male or female (such as intersex, agender, genderfluid, genderqueer, Two Spirit, non-binary, and more). Currently, state law requires either

Unjust, Unfair, Unfounded: Legal Voice's Statement on Trump Administration's Travel Ban

Sep 28, 2017

Unjust, Unfair, Unfounded: Legal Voice's Statement on Trump Administration's Travel Ban

The Trump Administration’s most recent travel ban is a poorly disguised attempt at discriminating against Muslims and an assault on many of the civil rights Legal Voice and our allies fight for. Thousands of immigrants and refugees—who are just as much a part of the fabric of our society as people born in the United States—are now subject to a permanent policy built on xenophobia and unfounded fear; no citizens from the banned countries have been involved in a fatal terrorist

Apr 26, 2017

A person's ability to donate plasma does not hinge on their gender identity.

As transgender people's dignity and safety continue to be threatened across the country—including in Washington State—we must be vigilant to uphold the legal protections we have fought so hard to win. That's why I'm thrilled to give you a final update about our advocacy for Jasmine. You may recall Jasmine, who alleged that she was turned away from donating at CSL Plasma in Kent, Washington, in 2014 because she is transgender. Jasmine also alleged that she was told the comp

Jan 6, 2017

Pursuing Economic Justice for Formerly Incarcerated Women

Did you know that a person with a felony is prevented from obtaining a number occupational licenses, no matter how much they have changed their lives? All across the nation, state and local lawmakers are fighting to make reentry possible for people with criminal records. Legal Voice is proud to join that fight! Last month, we filed an amicus brief on behalf of Christal Fields, a childcare worker and mother. Christal is fighting an uphill battle as a 30-year-old conviction for

Dec 20, 2016

Ensuring Freedom from Harassment and Discrimination in Public Spaces

It should go without saying that sexual harassment is a form of discrimination. Yet Christopher, who had to receive health care services on a near-weekly basis from Group Health, was subjected to sexually explicit comments, sexual advances, and unwanted touching from a patient access representative, T.T., every time he visited the clinic. T.T. made comments such as “You have a nice ass, and I want to squeeze it”; told him how “hot” he made her; invited him to lunch so she cou

Jul 28, 2016

Eastern Washington Catholic Hospital Settles Transgender Discrimination Suit

We are still celebrating this month's defeat of Initiative 1515, which would have rolled back protections for transgender Washingtonians that allow them to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity. But we know that transgender people don't just face discrimination and humiliation in restrooms—they often face these same barriers when accessing health care. Over the last two years, we have made a lot of progress in fighting refusals to provide health care to transgen

Feb 19, 2016

Legal Voice Joins with National Center for Lesbian Rights to Defend Washington's Anti-Discrimina

In 2013, shortly after marriage for same-sex couples became legal in Washington State, Richland florist Baronnelle Stutzman refused to sell wedding flowers to Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed, citing her religious beliefs. The State of Washington, through the Attorney General, sued Ms. Stutzman and her business, Arlene's FLowers, for violations of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA). Mr. Ingersoll and Mr. Freed also filed a complaint for violations of Washington's Law Against Di

Dec 15, 2015

Workplace Equity and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

Today, Legal Voice joined bill sponsors Rep. Jessyn Farrell, Sen. Karen Keiser, and allied organizations to introduce the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), which would guarantee that no woman has to choose between a healthy pregnancy and a paycheck. Too often, pregnant women are still forced to take unpaid leave or are fired because of a pregnancy, when slight modifications would enable them to safely continue working. The bills (HB 2307 & SB 6149) would require that empl

Nov 10, 2015

Prohibiting Discrimination in Health Care Coverage with the ACA

Everyone’s heard about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and how it has improved access to equitable health care. But did you know that the same law also contains a powerful tool to combat discrimination? Section 1557 of the ACA prohibits discrimination in health care coverage and care based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in a range of health programs. The federal Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has requested comments on its proposed new fede

Oct 30, 2015

Upholding Transgender Students' Title IX Rights

Legal Voice—along with our partners in The Alliance: State Advocates for Women’s Rights & Gender Equality, the National Women’s Law Center, and other nonprofit gender justice advocacy organizations—recently signed-on to an amicus brief filed by Columbia Law School’s Sexuality and Gender Law Clinic arguing that a high school’s refusal to allow a transgender male to use the boys’ bathroom violates Title IX. Gavin Grimm, a 16-year-old student in Gloucester County, Virginia, chal

Oct 16, 2015

Working Nationally to End Sex Discrimination in Housing

Legal Voice has long fought to end sex discrimination in housing in the Northwest. We've represented women who were sexually assaulted or harassed by their landlords. We've drafted and helped pass laws to ban housing discrimination against domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking survivors. And we've strongly supported efforts to ensure that housing discrimination against transgender and gender nonconforming people is recognized as a form of sex discrimination prohibit

Jul 14, 2015

Advocating for Fairer Blood Donation Policies

Today, Legal Voice—in coalition with our allies at Gender Justice and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)—submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the agency’s proposed Revised Recommendations for industry guidance regarding blood and blood product donation policies. Our comments focus on discrimination that many transgender people experience when attempting to donate blood or plasma. Legal Voice and Gender Justice are currently representing a

Apr 27, 2015

Upholding Protections for Transgender People in Washington

This morning, in collaboration with Gender Justice—a Minnesota-based sister organization of Legal Voice and member of The Alliance—and our cooperating counsel at Keller Rohrback, we filed a lawsuit challenging CSL Plasma’s practice of prohibiting transgender individuals from donating plasma. Last June, Jasmine Kaiser went to CSL Plasma in Kent, Washington, to make a donation. The employees would not permit her to donate, and informed her that the company had placed a "lifetim

Apr 3, 2015

The Fight for LGBT Equality Continues

We’ve made such enormous progress in the fight for LGBT equality. But our work is far from over. Even in states like Washington, where we have won long and hard-fought battles for legal protections, LGBT people continue to face discrimination in employment, in health care, in housing - and in our family court system. That’s why Legal Voice is representing Rachelle Black. She and her husband had three children, and Rachelle was a stay-at-home mother for 15 years. Several years

Jun 8, 2014

Amicus Brief: Family Leave and Pregnancy / Sex Discrimination

Today, Legal Voice submitted an amicus brief urging the Washington Supreme Court to review the Court of Appeals’ decision in Brooks v. BPM Senior Living Company, a case regarding workplace discrimination and retaliation based on pregnancy and maternity leave. This case presents issues of significant public interest to Washington’s women workers, who frequently are subjected to changes in their working conditions after becoming pregnant or giving birth. Elizabeth Brooks had