Scrap over old Indiana gay marriage ban derails popular bill
A potential fight over whether to repeal Indiana’s obsolete ban on same-sex marriages has sidetracked a widely supported proposal to raise the state’s minimum age for getting married.
LGBT issues
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7th Circuit: Birth certificates should list both mothers in same-sex marriages
Nearly three years after oral arguments, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has issued a ruling in Indiana’s same-sex birth certificate case by following what the U.S. Supreme Court said to do — find in favor of the mothers.
Religious retaliation, accommodation claims to continue against Brownsburg schools
A federal lawsuit alleging Brownsburg schools discriminated against a former teacher who refused to address transgender students by their chosen first names will continue with claims brought under Title VII, though 11 other state and federal constitutional claims against the school district were dismissed. The judge also cautioned both sides against efforts to expand the issues in the case to nonparty students.
‘Ministerial exception’ discovery motion fails in lawsuit against Indianapolis Archdiocese
A motion in a lawsuit against the Indianapolis Archdiocese to limit discovery to the question of whether a fired gay counselor falls under the First Amendment’s “ministerial exception” has been defeated in “close call” in Indiana federal court.
Arguments in Archdiocese lawsuit nixed, settlement possible
The oral arguments scheduled for Dec. 12 in the case involving the Cathedral High School teacher fired by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for being in a same-sex marriage have been postponed, but the judge presiding over the matter is hopeful the parties will reach a settlement in the interim.
Archdiocese claiming church autonomy in defense of teacher firing
Declaring the courts have no jurisdiction over church doctrine, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis will be in Marion Superior Court next week, arguing for the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a teacher who was fired from his position at Cathedral High School because he is in a same-sex marriage.
Indiana residents speak out on proposed BMV gender rule
Indiana residents spoke out at a hearing about a proposed rule regarding a policy that allows residents who do not identify as male or female to choose a nonbinary option on driver’s licenses. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles’ new rule would require nonbinary applicants to go through the Indiana State Department of Health to change gender on licenses and identification cards.
Fired Indianapolis Catholic school counselor files lawsuit
A former guidance counselor at an Indianapolis Catholic high school who was fired for being in a same-sex marriage is suing the school and the archdiocese — the second such lawsuit filed by an employee who was fired for the same reason.
Transgender man wins appeal after judge denies gender-marker change
A transgender man who was granted a name change but denied his petition for a gender-marker change won on appeal Tuesday, with the Indiana Court of Appeals finding the trial court lacked sufficient cause to deny the petition.
Divided US Supreme Court weighs LGBT workers’ rights
A seemingly divided Supreme Court struggled Tuesday over whether a landmark civil rights law protects LGBT people from discrimination in employment, with one conservative justice wondering if the court should take heed of “massive social upheaval” that could follow a ruling in their favor.
US Supreme Court takes up cases about LGBT employment rights
The US Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in two of the term’s most closely watched cases over whether federal civil rights law protects LGBT people from job discrimination.
Title VII questions at U.S. Supreme Court echo Indiana case
The issue that arose in Indiana from the employment discrimination case against Ivy Tech will go before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday as the nine justices will be asked whether Title VII protections extend to sexual orientation and gender identity.
Supreme Court begins election year term full of big cases
The justices are returning to the Supreme Court bench for the start of an election year term that includes high-profile cases about abortions, protections for young immigrants and LGBT rights.
Indiana BMV puts nonbinary gender option for IDs on hold
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is putting on hold a policy allowing nonbinary gender designations on driver’s licenses while state officials develop new formal regulations for gender changes on state-issued IDs.
Groups argue RFRA fix infringes on religious rights
Nearly five years after Indiana’s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act was signed into law, a lawsuit alleging subsequent amendments to the act infringe on religious rights went before a Hamilton County judge Thursday.
Judge hearing suit over Indiana’s religious objections law
Conservative religious groups are arguing their constitutional rights were violated by limits that were placed on Indiana’s contentious religious objections law signed in 2015 by then-Gov. Mike Pence.
Justice Department supports archdiocese’s right to fire teacher in same-sex marriage
The U.S. Justice Department filed a statement in court Friday saying the Archdiocese of Indianapolis was within its rights when it fired a Cathedral High School teacher in a same-sex marriage. The Justice Department’s so-called “statement of interest” said the First Amendment prevents courts from impairing the constitutional rights of religious institutions.
Attorney General Hill stalls BMV gender change rule
Indiana’s attorney general is stalling a measure that would allow people to change their gender on driver’s licenses and IDs, according to the state’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Indiana Youth Group seeks to intervene in lawsuit against Brownsburg schools
A group representing transgender students filed a motion Thursday to intervene in a lawsuit brought by a teacher who claims Brownsburg Community School Corp. violated his religious freedom rights by requiring him to refer to students with gender dysphoria by their preferred names.
SUPREME COURT NOTEBOOK: Gender pronouns part of LGBT fight
Dozens of legal briefs supporting fired funeral director Aimee Stephens at the Supreme Court use “she” and “her” to refer to the transgender woman. Decisions about gender pronouns may seem minor, but they appear to reflect the larger issues involved in this high-stakes battle over LGBT rights.