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Votes for Women — and Everyone — Now!

Votes for Women — and Everyone — Now!

When the 19th Amendment, ratified on August 18, 1920, finally allowed women to vote, ACLU founder Crystal Eastman, an ardent suffragist, was not interested in a victory celebration. She wanted women to use their newly minted political power to promote true freedom and equality, regardless of sex. “Now We Can Begin,” she urged, in a still-renowned speech.  But the adoption of the 19th Amendment did not actually enable all women to vote. Black women and other women of color still had…

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An Abortion Advocacy Movement for Everybody

An Abortion Advocacy Movement for Everybody

Abortion is legal in Texas and across the United States, but that doesn’t stop anti-abortion politicians from doing whatever they can to interfere with access to reproductive healthcare. Local governments have added fuel to the fire by passing anti-abortion ordinances that confuse residents about their rights and increase the ever-present stigma around seeking abortion care. That’s why, for the first time, reproductive rights, health, and justice groups in our state are joining forces to expand essential health care access for…

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Chad Wolf’s Desperate Attempt to Rewrite History

Chad Wolf’s Desperate Attempt to Rewrite History

For weeks, federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security laid siege to the city of Portland to suppress the voices of those demanding justice for Black lives. The militarized agents used sharpshooters to maim people, swept protesters away in unmarked cars, and brutally attacked journalists, legal observers, and medics with sonic weapons and tear gas. They didn’t spare moms, dads, veterans, nurses, or even the city’s mayor.  The agency’s lawlessness was so profound that a federal court in Portland…

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We’ve Filed 400 Legal Actions Against Trump

We’ve Filed 400 Legal Actions Against Trump

Immediately after Trump’s election, we put the president and his administration on notice: If they enacted unconstitutional and illegal policies, we would see them in court. We meant it. As of today, we’ve filed 400 legal actions against this administration. Our 400th filing was a class-action lawsuit that seeks to block the removal of children seeking asylum at the border.  https://twitter.com/ACLU/statuses/1295369061916958720 In this centennial year of our founding, we remain steadfast. We at the ACLU believe that America — our…

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PHOTOS: Wilson Cruz takes it off like it’s his civic duty

PHOTOS: Wilson Cruz takes it off like it’s his civic duty

Wilson Cruz has something to show you…something truly titillating …something often described as the strongest aphrodisiac known to humankind. We’re referring, of course, to a website with .gov domain name. The Star Trek: Discovery actor pointed his fans to CENSUS.GOV and VOTE.ORG, reminding everyone of the importance of participating in the census and making sure that voter registration is active ahead of the November election. But clearly playing to his audience, Cruz gave civic duty a bit of sex appeal. View…

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Don’t Ban TikTok and WeChat

Don’t Ban TikTok and WeChat

President Trump’s executive orders threatening to ban TikTok and WeChat, two of the most popular messaging and social media apps in the world, are an unprecedented abuse of emergency powers. No president has ever taken actions like these against platforms that tens of millions of people in the United States use. Selectively banning platforms does little to protect our personal data from abuse — comprehensive surveillance reform and consumer privacy legislation would actually help accomplish that goal. Instead, the bans…

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West Hollywood’s famed Flaming Saddles closes permanently due to pandemic setbacks

West Hollywood’s famed Flaming Saddles closes permanently due to pandemic setbacks

Via Facebook Owners of West Hollywood’s popular western-themed drag & dance bar Flaming Saddles have made a sad announcement: the bar will not reopen following the coronavirus pandemic. Like so many venues around the country, Flaming Saddles shut down due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Five months in, the owners have announced the bar will not reopen its West Hollywood location. Owners Jacqui Squatriglia and Chris Barnes took to Facebook over the weekend to announce the closure. “With the heaviest of…

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This sinking boat at a Trump boat parade is another perfect metaphor for 2020

This sinking boat at a Trump boat parade is another perfect metaphor for 2020

A bunch of idiotic Trump supporters gathered in Portland, Oregon over the weekend for a Trump 2020 boat parade along the Willamette River. But things didn’t quite go as planned. Viral video shows dozens of boats with Trump flags and other MAGA signage creating large wakes as they tear down the river blowing fog horns. The video then cuts to a smaller boat quickly taking on water after being swamped by the wake. “Help us! Help us, please,” a woman…

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Inside Ellen’s ‘tearful’ call with staff: 2020 will be “best season ever”

Inside Ellen’s ‘tearful’ call with staff: 2020 will be “best season ever”

It’s hard to imagine anything in 2020 will be the “best ever,” but Ellen DeGeneres wants the 18th season of The Ellen Show to meet the mark. Or at least that’s what she told the show’s remaining staff after breaking the news that three senior producers had been fired amid endless allegations of a toxic workplace. Executive producers Ed Galvin and Kevin Leman, and co-executive producer Jonathan Norman were let go after the show launched an internal investigation. Ellen broke the…

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People can hardly wait to hear Melania give Michelle Obama’s incredible DNC speech again next week

People can hardly wait to hear Melania give Michelle Obama’s incredible DNC speech again next week

Last night was the first night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Among the evening’s top speakers were Sen. Bernie Sanders, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and former Ohio governor and GOP presidential candidate John Kasich. Everyone gave solid speeches, but it was Forever First Lady Michelle Obama’s epic closing remarks that stole the show, and quite possibly the entire convention. Mrs. Obama spoke for approximately 18 minutes in a pre-taped speech that was widely praised by,…

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