The Real L Word: Litigation (Impact)

In the July issue of Lesbian News Magazine, there's a brief but terrific piece on the history of one of our most prominent organizations: NCLR, or the National Center for Lesbian Rights. As one of our oldest civil rights organizations (they turn 30 this year), NCLR has been at the forefront of many court cases that have set precedents leading to a change for the better in the lives of LGBTQ people and their families.

Started in San Francisco as the Lesbian Rights Project of the feminist law firm Equal Rights Advocates (ERA), NCLR won important victories for the LGBTQ community including child custody for lesbian mothers, joint-adoptions by a same-sex couple, as well as the parental rights of a gay man with AIDS for custody of his son.

The NCLR is widely recognized as an authority on family law and is often called upon as experts representing the LGBTQ community. In 1997, Executive Director Kate Kendell debated Rev. Jerry Falwell on the topic of LGBT issues within the national discussion of family values. Later on in 2001 NCLR helped Sharon Smith become the first same-sex (or unmarried) partner to win the right to sue for wrongful death, in the now infamous case of the dog mauling of Diane Whipple.

Always evolving forward, NCLR has recently expanded to include transgender rights law. NCLR also counts famed transgender attorney Shannon Minter amongst its staff, who not only retained his position after transitioning from female to male, but also as Legal Director helped win Sharon Smith's groundbreaking wrongful death suit.

In our topsy-turvy world today where the erosion of LGBT rights continues albeit subtly, it's encouraging to know there are still hardcore groups like NCLR holding down the fort for us. Happy 30th NCLR!



To learn more and to support, please visit:

NCLR

Diane Whipple

Shannon Minter

The Lesbian News Magazine

Afterellen.com at NCLR 30th Anniversary Celebration