LGBTQ+ Rights

Through lobbying, litigation and public education, the ACLU of RI works so that LGBTQ+ people can live openly without discrimination and enjoy equal rights, personal autonomy, and freedom of expression and association.

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Explore our work in protecting LGBTQ+ rights in Rhode Island, through litigation, advocacy, and education.

Make sure you know your rights:

The Latest

News & Commentary
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After Appeals Court Denies Child Advocate’s Emergency Motion to Prevent the Release of Medical Records of Minors Receiving Care at RI Hospital, Safeguards Remain in Place to Protect the Data

"While we are disappointed in this result, this decision is not the end of our fight to protect Rhode Island children’s medical privacy."
News & Commentary
Light blue background with white and pink images of a doctor and a trans pride flag.

Emergency Motion Filed to Prevent the Release of Private Medical Records of Minors Receiving Medical Care at RI Hospital

Rhode Island’s Child Advocate filed an emergency motion this morning in the federal appeals court
News & Commentary
Light blue background with white and pink images of a doctor and a trans pride flag.

Judge Upholds Children’s Privacy Rights, Quashes Department of Justice Subpoena of R.I. Hospital Records

“DOJ’s request for intimate medical details from one of this country’s most vulnerable populations constitutes a drastic overreach of its investigative authority.”
News & Commentary
Light blue background with white and pink images of a doctor and a trans pride flag.

Child Advocate Seeks to Block Federal Government Subpoena for Private Medical Records of Minors

Subpoena called an “unprecedented intrusion” into private medical information of children
Court Case
May 14, 2026

Administrative Subpoena – Private Medical Records of Minors

Attorneys for the Lawyers’ Committee for Rhode Island (LCRI) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island (ACLU) filed an emergency motion to quash a subpoena issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) seeking the sensitive private medical records of minor patients who have received medical treatment for gender dysphoria at Rhode Island Hospital. Case name: In the Matter of Administrative Subpoena 25-1431-032 Civil action number: 4:26-MC-00006-O
Court Case
Apr 01, 2026

National Alliance to End Homelessness v. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

This case was filed by a broad coalition of local governments and nonprofit organizations across the country — including Rhode Island-based nonprofits Crossroads Rhode Island and Youth Pride, Inc. — seeking to stop the Trump-Vance administration from creating unlawful and unreasonable restrictions for funding for proven solutions to homelessness, threatening to push hundreds of thousands of families onto the street as cold winter months arrive.
Court Case
Oct 22, 2025

Parente v. Lefebvre

This "friend of the court" brief was submitted to challenge the RI Attorney General's position that state officials are immune from ever being sued in federal court under one of RI’s key anti-discrimination civil rights statutes.
Court Case
Mar 31, 2026

National Alliance to End Homelessness v. Scott Turner, et al.

This case suit challenges new funding restrictions on federal housing grants. Under the new funding application rules, service providers and communities are blocked from applying for federal housing funds for new permanent supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness if they operate in jurisdictions with policies the Trump-Vance administration disfavors. This includes cities and states, like Rhode Island, that the Trump Administration deems to be “sanctuary protections” for immigrants; that provide services considered “harm reduction” services for drug users; and that have inclusive policies for transgender people.