Sports

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
This site has information on how to create a safe school environment for gay and lesbian students. Also on site is Pat Griffin's article "Assessing the Athletic Climate for Lesbian, Gay, and bisexual Athletes and Coaches."

Gay & Lesbian Athletic Foundation (GLAF)
www.glaf.org
Focuses on the acceptance and visibility of LGBT athletes in the professional, amateur, and recreational athletics communities. Human Rights Campaign
www.hrc.org
This site has information on how straight individuals can develop an ally program to support gay and lesbian co-workers. Lambda Legal Defense
www.lambdalegal.org/
Sports persons can find maps and charts of all cities, counties, and states that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. OutSports.com
www.outsports.com/outathletes.htm
Outsports has compiled the most extensive listing of out athletes, coaches and administrators available to date Project to Eliminate Homophobia in Sport
www.homophobiainsports.com
A collaborative effort involving seven leading national organizations, designed to create an educated public that respects all athletes and sports-affiliated personnel regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity/expressions. Sexual Minorities in Athletics
www.smiaonline.org
SMIA is a resource for college athletics with articles, available discussions, etc.

Women's Sports Foundation
www.womenssportsfoundation.org
The Women's Sports Foundation, founded by Billie Jean King, is a charitable educational organization that works to ensure sports participation and leadership opportunities for all girls and women. The WSF initiated a collaborative for their Project to Eliminate Homophobia in Sports. See above homophobiainsport site.

Back to Top

Youth

Camp Lavender Hill
www.camplavenderhill.org
Camp Lavender Hill is a non-profit organization offering a week-long summer camp for children of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families. Our goal is to create a safe and supportive environment for children of alternative families ages 7-14. Children, adolescents and young people of all ages have a strong need for acceptance, validation and a sense of belonging. By providing these children with an alternative to traditional summer camp, Camp Lavender Hill offers them the opportunity to enhance self-esteem in a place where differences and diversity are celebrated.  

LYRIC
www.lyric.org
LYRIC brings LGBTQQ youth together to build a peer-based community that empowers them to end isolation; create a progressive queer youth voice; increase well-being and self-esteem; and change the communities in which they live. LYRIC accomplishes this by offering peer-based education, advocacy, recreation, information, and leadership opportunities.

Back to Top

Iowa Voter Rights

http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/IowaVotes/VoterBillofRights.pdf

As an Iowa citizen, you have the right to
1. Ask questions.
2. Request a ballot and vote if you are:
        Registered to vote;
        18 years of age or older;
        A resident of Iowa;
        A United States citizen.
3. Review a sample ballot before voting.
4. Vote in an accessible voting place.
        Virtually all Iowa precincts are accessible. However, if you cannot get inside the polling place because it is not accessible, two precinct workers will bring a ballot to your vehicle. They may also help you mark the ballot, but only if you ask them. You may want to call ahead or bring someone with you to tell the precinct workers that you need to vote in your car.
5. Mark your ballot privately and free from coercion or intimidation.
6. Receive assistance with voting in a polling place, if needed.
        If you need help marking your ballot because of a disability, literacy or language barrier, any person you choose may help you except your employer or your employer's agent or an officer or agent of your union.  If you want help from the precinct workers, one person from each political party will help you. If precinct workers assist you, you will need to sign a form showing that you requested help.
7. Vote a provisional or special ballot if your name is not on the voter registration list or if
there is another question about your qualifications to vote.
8. Receive a ballot if you are in line at the time the polls close. Polls close at 9:00 p.m. in most elections.
9. Request a new ballot if you made a mistake and have not already cast your ballot. You may receive up to three ballots before casting your ballot.
10. Have your ballot count if you cast it legally and in a timely manner.

As an Iowa citizen, you have the responsibility to
1. Register to vote at least 10 days before the election.
2. Vote in the polling place for the precinct where you live.
3. Respect the privacy and voting rights of others.
4. Treat election workers and other voters with courtesy and respect.
5. Have a form of identification with you when you go to the polls.
6. Read and follow instructions.
7. Ask for assistance if you need it.
8. Be informed about the candidates and issues on the ballot.
9. Follow all federal and state voting laws.
10. Review your ballot before casting it to ensure it is complete and correct.

Register to Vote

The Iowa Secretary of State has made the official voter registration available online in a pdf format. You may print this online form and fill it out by hand, please be sure to sign the form before you send it to your county auditor.

Back to Top

Legal Organizations

ACLU Lesbian and Gay Rights Project
ACLU
The American Civil Liberties Union is the nation's foremost advocate of individual rights -- litigating, legislating, and educating the public on a broad array of issues affecting individual freedom in the United States.

Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
www.lambdalegal.org/
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund is a national organization commited to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, and people with HIV/AIDS through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. The Lesbian and Gay Immigration Rights Task Force
www.immigrationequalitysf.org
The SF/Bay Chapter of LGIRTF, sponsored by NCLR, seeks equal application of US immigration law toward lesbian and gay couples; provides resources and a support network for bi-national relationships; and advocates for persons facing HIV/AIDS descrimination and for those seeking asylum based on sexual orientation.

Transgender Law and Policy
www.transgenderlaw.org
A comprehensive transgender legal resource, providing up-to-date publications, cases, briefs and newstories on transgender legal issues.

Back to Top