Lambda Legal has won victories in two class action lawsuits on behalf of surviving same-sex partners and spouses across the country who were denied Social Security survivor’s benefits because they were unable to be married for at least nine months before their partners and spouses died because of discriminatory state marriage laws.
Today, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) announced the introduction of the Equality Act, federal legislation that will update existing federal nondiscrimination laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act, to confirm that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is unlawful discrimination based on sex.
Lambda Legal today hailed the elimination of the “Walking While Trans” ban, Section 240.37 of the New York penal law relating to loitering for the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offense.