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 At the West Valley Detention Center in San Bernardino County, gay, bisexual, and transgender (GBT) people are punished twice: first, for the crimes they allegedly committed and again, simply for being GBT. Unlike non-GBT inmates who are housed in dorms or are out of their cells most non-sleeping hours, GBT prisoners languish in an anachronistically dubbed "Alternative Lifestyle Tank."Here, they are kept in their cells for an average of 22 hours each day and are given no access to the center's programs and facilities provided to non-GBT prisoners. They are prohibited from attending congressional prayer, and denied access to GED classes, rehabilitation programs and work opportunities -- all because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

By: Matthew Robinson and Merlin Vinegradova

By James Gilliam

By: Joey Hernández

Growing up gay in the South wasn’t easy. But what kept me striving for my own rights and the rights of my community were stories about countless civil rights leaders who faced their own seemingly insurmountable struggles.

The transgender experience in the United States has been heavily misunderstood and stigmatized. Being transgender in this country has become a radical act of self-preservation in the face of a traditionally gendered society.

This summer Californians celebrated a historic victory when Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law AB 1266 – the School Success and Opportunity Act.

When we at the ACLU of Southern California first heard about the anti-gay laws being used to oppress the LGBT community in Russia, we were particularly troubled to learn that the intent behind the law is to prevent LGBTQ youth there from hearing positive information about being LGBTQ.