Report: Dignity Now: The Campaign to Stop Bullying and Bias-Based Harassment in New York City Schools (2009)

Dignity Now: The Campaign to Stop Bullying and Bias-Harassment in New York City Schools, a white paper by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the New York City Bar Association’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Committee, uses legal analysis and students’ first-hand accounts to conclude that though Mayor Bloomberg and the DOE have made strides toward ending the problem of bullying and biased-based harassment in the schools, more effort is necessary.

Fact Sheet: Marriage Fairness In New York State (2008)

Marriage fairness is a civil rights issue. Denying same-sex couples the right to marry creates a second class citizenry just as laws banning interracial marriage did. Among the rights denied same-sex couples are: the authority to make medical decisions, the ability to visit a hospitalized partner, access to inheritance and the protection of Family Court in domestic violence cases or child custody disputes.

The Dignity Project (2008)

Nationally, 65 percent of teens have been harassed or assaulted during the past year because of their appearance or their perceived or actual gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, race, ethnicity, disability or religion.

Fact Sheet: Dignity for All Students (2008)

The Dignity in All Schools Act (DASA) is a law that, if implemented, would prohibit harrassment, making schools more accountable and allowing students to reach their fullest potential.

Marriage Recognition Q&A for Same-Sex Couples

Background

This background discusses the legal developments that have led to New York State’s the recognition, in New York State, of the out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples. Martinez v. County of Monroe: 2008 Case Requiring Respect for Our Marriages On February 1, 2008, a New York State intermediate appeals court (the Appellate Division, Fourth Department) ruled that valid marriages between same-sex couples performed outside the state are entitled to recognition here in New York.