Two months in the tank

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Protection, not punishment

 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 Brendan Hamme

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'Orange is the New Black,' Henry Waxman, among others honored by ACLU SoCal

By: Matthew Robinson and Merlin Vinegradova

By Marcus Benigno

ACLU Foundation of Southern California 20th Annual Law Luncheon

ACLU's work for LGBT community has broad reach

By James Gilliam

By Marcus Benigno

Hedy Weinberg, executive director at the ACLU of Tennessee, with James Gilliam, deputy executive director at the ACLU of Southern California

LGBTQ youth advocates demand fair treatment in school

By: Joey Hernández

By Marcus Benigno

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Tyrone Garner: Civil rights' unsung hero

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.

By Marcus Benigno

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"Honor our dead and fight like hell for the living"

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.

By Marcus Benigno

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Supporting all transgender students

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

By Marcus Benigno

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Sisterhood: LA calls on Peter to grow up

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.

By Marcus Benigno

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