The ACLU advocates for the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming people. Since our first case involving discrimination against a transgender person in 1967, we’ve been bringing discrimination lawsuits on behalf of transgender people; advocating for gender identity inclusion in state, federal, and local anti-discrimination policies; conducting outreach to transgender youth and students on their legal rights; and developing public education campaigns that raise awareness of the types of harms transgender people face.

The ACLU has long considered equality for transgendered people to be part of our mission of advocating for equality for everyone, and that the struggles for equality of lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people are inextricably linked to the struggles of transgender people.

You can learn more about the ACLU’s position on equal rights for transgender people through these two essays:

• The Work of the ACLU: Linking Gender Identity and Gay Rights


• Why We're Asking Courts and Legislatures for Transgender Equality