To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.

×
Rights Groups Join Forces to Fight Trump's #LicenseToDiscriminate

LGBTQ organizations, legal rights groups, and reproductive rights advocates gathered outside the White House on Friday, October 13 to protest the Trump administration's recent attempts to use religious beliefs to justify discrimination. (@PeoplePower/Twitter)

Rights Groups Join Forces to Fight Trump's #LicenseToDiscriminate

Protesters denounced the Trump administration's attempts to use "religious freedom" to justify discrimination and limiting access to contraception

LGBTQ organizations, legal rights groups, and reproductive rights advocates rallied outside the White House on Friday to protest the Trump administration's latest attempts to use religious beliefs to justify discrimination and limit access to birth control.

Specifically, they gathered to oppose President Donald Trump's recent decision to roll back the birth control mandate--jeopardizing access to contraception for millions of women--and a "religious freedom" memo from Attorney General Jeff Sessions declaring that the Justice Department will allow employers to use religious or moral beliefs as a defense against discrimination allegations.

Faith leaders, doctors, and leaders of various national organizations addressed the crowd gathered in D.C. Between speakers, those gathered chanted "not the church, not the state, women must decide our fate," and "our bodies, our lives, our right to decide!"

Rally participants included members of reproductive rights groups such as the National Abortion Federation and Planned Parenthood as well as major legal advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Health Law Program, and the National Women's Law Center, one of the event's main organizers.

LGBTQ organizations such the Human Rights Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task Force were also represented, as was Catholics For Choice, a group which believes "that the Catholic tradition supports a woman's moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health."

Rights groups shared images and updates from the rally on social media using the hashtags #HandsOffMyBC and #LicenseToDiscriminate.

Religious groups and faith leaders who spoke at the rally argued that it is immoral to deprive women of access to contraception.

Some female members of Congress expressed solidarity with the protesters on Twitter.

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
acluhealthcarehuman rights campaignjeff sessionslgbtqplanned parenthoodreligionreproductive rightstrumpismtwitterwomen

LGBTQ organizations, legal rights groups, and reproductive rights advocates rallied outside the White House on Friday to protest the Trump administration's latest attempts to use religious beliefs to justify discrimination and limit access to birth control.

Specifically, they gathered to oppose President Donald Trump's recent decision to roll back the birth control mandate--jeopardizing access to contraception for millions of women--and a "religious freedom" memo from Attorney General Jeff Sessions declaring that the Justice Department will allow employers to use religious or moral beliefs as a defense against discrimination allegations.

Faith leaders, doctors, and leaders of various national organizations addressed the crowd gathered in D.C. Between speakers, those gathered chanted "not the church, not the state, women must decide our fate," and "our bodies, our lives, our right to decide!"

Rally participants included members of reproductive rights groups such as the National Abortion Federation and Planned Parenthood as well as major legal advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Health Law Program, and the National Women's Law Center, one of the event's main organizers.

LGBTQ organizations such the Human Rights Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task Force were also represented, as was Catholics For Choice, a group which believes "that the Catholic tradition supports a woman's moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health."

Rights groups shared images and updates from the rally on social media using the hashtags #HandsOffMyBC and #LicenseToDiscriminate.

Religious groups and faith leaders who spoke at the rally argued that it is immoral to deprive women of access to contraception.

Some female members of Congress expressed solidarity with the protesters on Twitter.

LGBTQ organizations, legal rights groups, and reproductive rights advocates rallied outside the White House on Friday to protest the Trump administration's latest attempts to use religious beliefs to justify discrimination and limit access to birth control.

Specifically, they gathered to oppose President Donald Trump's recent decision to roll back the birth control mandate--jeopardizing access to contraception for millions of women--and a "religious freedom" memo from Attorney General Jeff Sessions declaring that the Justice Department will allow employers to use religious or moral beliefs as a defense against discrimination allegations.

Faith leaders, doctors, and leaders of various national organizations addressed the crowd gathered in D.C. Between speakers, those gathered chanted "not the church, not the state, women must decide our fate," and "our bodies, our lives, our right to decide!"

Rally participants included members of reproductive rights groups such as the National Abortion Federation and Planned Parenthood as well as major legal advocacy groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Health Law Program, and the National Women's Law Center, one of the event's main organizers.

LGBTQ organizations such the Human Rights Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task Force were also represented, as was Catholics For Choice, a group which believes "that the Catholic tradition supports a woman's moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of sexuality and reproductive health."

Rights groups shared images and updates from the rally on social media using the hashtags #HandsOffMyBC and #LicenseToDiscriminate.

Religious groups and faith leaders who spoke at the rally argued that it is immoral to deprive women of access to contraception.

Some female members of Congress expressed solidarity with the protesters on Twitter.

acluhealthcarehuman rights campaignjeff sessionslgbtqplanned parenthoodreligionreproductive rightstrumpismtwitterwomen