GSAs and LGBTQ+ clubs can make middle school and high school better for all students.
If you run into issues starting or running a GSA or LGBTQ+ club at your New England school, contact us at www.GLADAnswers.org
If you attend a public school or a school that receives any federal funding – which includes many private schools – and if your school allows any non-curricular clubs (a club not associated with a subject taught at your school), you have the right to start a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) or other LGBTQ+ club.
Your school cannot prohibit your club just because they fear it may be disruptive
Thanks to a law called the Federal Equal Access Act, your school must allow you to form a club with the same rights, privileges and access as any other non-curricular club.
Your school cannot impose rules on your club that aren’t imposed on any other club
For instance, your school cannot force you to have a faculty advisor or permission slips if no other club is required to have one
Your school cannot force you to change the name of your club
GSAs/LGBTQ clubs are allowed to choose their own names, and shouldn’t be forced into euphemisms like “The Diversity Club.”
Diversity Club
Tolerance Club
Gay-Straight Alliance ✔
Queer Club ✔
Your school must allow your club access to the same facilities as any other club, like:
Because testing, consent and privacy laws vary greatly by state, you should check out our information for your state for the most accurate information.
歧视
Federal law protects you from discrimination based on your HIV status in many settings, including work and school.
This means, for example, you cannot be barred from participation in school events, including sports, due to fears about transmission of HIV.
Access to Health Care
Healthcare providers cannot refuse to treat you because of your HIV status.
测试和隐私
You have a right to decide whether to be tested for HIV, and to know your status.
In all six New England states, you have the right to be tested for HIV without obtaining your parent’s permission.
Every New England state has a law governing what kind of consent you need to give for an HIV test.
Every New England state has a law governing if, when and with what required authorization a medical provider may disclose your HIV status.
Never assume you are NOT protected. Contact us at GLAD 答案 for help!
At School
Laws in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont explicitly protect you from discrimination or harassment in public school based on your actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, sex or HIV status.
Federal law also protects you from discrimination based on your sex or HIV status at any school that receives federal funding no matter where you live. And in many cases, protection against sex discrimination can protect against discrimination based on gender identity or expression and sometimes against sexual orientation discrimination.
Remember that no matter where you go to school, you have a right to be safe. Visit Bullying， 和 联系 GLAD Answers if you are experiencing any discrimination, bullying or harassment.
Outside School
In all six New England states there are explicit laws protecting you from discrimination based on your actual or perceived sexual orientation, HIV status or sex in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations, like restaurants, public transportation or stores.
Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont law also prohibit discrimination based on your actual or perceived gender identity in employment, housing, credit and public accommodations. Massachusetts law prohibits discrimination based on your actual or perceived gender identity in employment, housing, credit and services.
Even where there is no explicit gender identity protection, you may still be protected using a different characteristic like sex, sexual orientation or disability.
Federal law sometimes provides additional protections.
For information about employment non-discrimination laws in states outside New England, visit www.lgbtmap.org
Across New England, it is explicitly prohibited by law for someone to fire you, not hire you or otherwise treat you in a discriminatory way, including asking you questions about your sexual orientation during an interview because of your actual or perceived sexual orientation or HIV status.
In Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont, it is also explicitly prohibited by law for someone to fire you, not hire you or otherwise treat you in a discriminatory way at work based on your actual or perceived gender identity or expression.
In New Hampshire, there is not (yet) a gender identity-specific law, but some transgender workers have been successfully protected against discrimination under disability as the protected characteristic.
How Employment Protections Work
Most workers are “employees at will” and can be fired, or not hired, by an employer for nearly any reason, or no reason at all.
However, the federal government and individual states have identified “protected characteristics” and made it illegal to fire, not hire or discriminate against an employee solely because they possess – or are perceived to possess – one or more of those characteristics.
Federal Law
Federal law protects characteristics such as race, sex, religion and disability, which includes HIV status (for a full list of federally-protected characteristics, see the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).
While federal law currently does not explicitly protect sexual orientation or gender identity, some federal courts and agencies have found that sex discrimination protections cover discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
The EEOC has issued an official ruling that discrimination against transgender employees is a form of sex discrimination.
There are also continuing efforts to pass laws at the federal level that would add sexual orientation and gender identity and expression as protected categories under federal law.
State Law
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and 15 other states currently include sexual orientation among protected characteristics.
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and 11 other states also include gender identity.
What to Do If You Experience Discrimination
If you feel you have been discriminated against at work or when applying for a job because you are or are perceived to be LGBTQ or HIV positive, you should start by trying to work out a satisfactory resolution with the employer. If you belong to a union, you may also want to try to get help from them.
If your attempt to resolve the issue informally fails, you can file a complaint with your state’s anti-discrimination commission—each New England state has one:
Your complaint must be filed within a certain time from the last instance of discrimination. This is called the statute of limitations, and it varies by state:
Connecticut: 180 days
Maine: 300 days
Massachusetts: 300 days
New Hampshire: 180 days
Rhode Island: 1 year
Vermont: 1 year
You need to document in your complaint that the discrimination you faced is based on your being – or being perceived to be – LGBTQ or HIV+.
Employment discrimination can be difficult to prove, so the more complete and detailed your documentation, the better.
Filing a Federal Complaint
If you experience discrimination based on your gender identity, you can file a complaint with the EEOC, as well as with your state anti-discrimination commission.
Because disability is a federally protected characteristic, if you have been discriminated against on the basis of your HIV status, you can file both a state and federal discrimination complaint.
查看 EEOC website for more information about filing a federal claim.
You have the right to safe and appropriate placements, free from discrimination or harassment based on your actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
This means you have the right:
To be open about your sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.
To be identified by your chosen name and pronouns and to wear clothing consistent with your gender identity.
To be free from harassment and abuse based on your actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in foster care placements or state custody. This includes:
Protection from both physical and emotional harm in placements; and
Placement with caretakers who will ensure your safety and well-being both inside and outside the home.
To be free from religious indoctrination that condemns or disparages your sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Equal Treatment and Services
You have the right to equal treatment and to access appropriate services while in the child welfare system.
This means:
You must have access to appropriate medical or mental health care.
Medical care should not be conditioned on good behavior or withheld as a punishment.
You should not be forced to undergo improper or disreputable services damaging to your well-being, such as reparative or conversion therapy.
You should be treated equally to heterosexual and gender conforming youth, including with regard to age appropriate displays of affection.
You should have access to supportive materials and resources.
You are entitled to protection from physical, emotional or sexual abuse by other youth or facility staff.
You cannot be moved to a more restrictive facility or isolated as a response to harassment or violence against you.
You cannot be segregated or classified as a sex offender based on myths that LGBTQ youth will prey on other youth.
Wherever you go to school, you have a right to be safe.
If you experience harassment or bullying by other students, teachers or school staff, you can get help to get it to stop.
You also have the right to report to the police anyone – in or outside of school – who physically harms you, threatens you or vandalizes your property.
What Can You Do if You’re Experiencing Bullying?
Tell somebody.
If you have understanding friends, parents, or counselors, use them as a support system.
Keep notes on what is happening.
Record who, when, where, and how. For example:
On August 27, 2013, my friend Mandy and I were walking to our second class and John shoved me into the locker and called me a homophobic slur.
On August 27, 2013, I opened my locker to retrieve books for my English class and I found an anonymous letter threatening to kill me because I’m transgender.
Keep your notes; do not give the originals to anyone else.
Consider keeping your notes in a journal.
Get a copy of your school’s policies on student conduct and discipline.
It should be in your student handbook or on the school website.
You can also talk with your guidance counselor or school administrator.
Report bullying or harassment to a teacher or school administrator.
Make your report in writing – email will create a good record, or make a copy of a handwritten complaint – so that you can prove you made it.
Follow up.
If you do not hear back from your school or do not think it took your report seriously, ask in writing (again, email is great) for follow up.
If staff at your school see bullying, they must report it.
When bullying is reported, your school must investigate it.
If the investigation determines that bullying did happen, your school must take appropriate action to keep the target of bullying safe and to prevent future incidences of bullying.
Schools are required to make sure that both students and parents are aware of your school’s anti-bullying policies and that you have access to copies of those policies.
Cyberbullying
Each New England state has a legal definition of cyberbullying as part of its anti-bullying law
If you experience cyberbullying, you can report it and get help!
If you’re a parent or ally, remember: if it’s mean, intervene!
The complex system of rules and laws relating to United States immigration can be frightening and difficult for anyone to navigate—even more so for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender immigrants and people with HIV.
The following is only intended to provide legal information, not legal advice, and you should consult with an immigration expert to discuss your specific situation. Immigration law is an area of law that may change rapidly. It is important to seek up-to-date information.
This page was last updated in January 2025.
You can contact GLAD 法律问答 for a referral to an immigration attorney sensitive to the needs of LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive people. In addition, please see the list of resources at the end of this page for a listing of legal services, and local, national, and international advocacy groups.
There are a variety of ways individuals may be able to obtain immigration relief or a path to lawful immigration status in the United States. Some of those include:
Family-based sponsorship—which allows U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor certain family members for permanent residence (“a green card”) in the United States
Asylum—which can in some cases be available to individuals who have been persecuted or fear persecution in their home country. There are specific deadlines involved in applying for asylum. Some people who have not applied for asylum within one year of entering the United States, including some LGBTQ people, may qualify for an exception to this “one year filing deadline.” You can reach out to an immigration attorney about your specific circumstances to learn more.
U Visas—for individuals who have survived certain types of crimes took place in the U.S. or that violated certain U.S. laws
T Visas—for individuals present in the U.S. as a result of human trafficking
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) – for survivors of domestic violence perpetrated by certain relatives who are U.S. citizens or green card holders
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status – which may in some cases be available for young people who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned by a parent
Other pathways may be available in some circumstances.
Please note that there may be multiple requirements associated with each of these avenues. The pros and cons of pursuing one will depend on an individual’s specific circumstances. To learn more about any of these options or decide whether they are right for you, you should consult with an immigration attorney.
了解您的权利
You have legal rights regardless of your legal status. You have the right to remain silent, the right to see an arrest warrant, the right to speak to a lawyer, and the right to make a phone call.
If ICE knocks on your door, you do not have to let ICE or the police into your home just because they are knocking. They only have the right to enter your home if they have a search warrant signed by a judge. You can obtain Know Your Rights cards, which state in multiple languages, “I am exercising my rights under the U.S. Constitution and I am choosing to remain silent.” If ICE knocks on your door or stops your vehicle, you can slide these cards under the door or show them in your car window.
There are a number of resources that can help you understand what your rights are if ICE shows up to your home or work:
Like all families, immigrant families with children should have a plan about who would care for their children in an emergency. Plans could include ensuring that all information and emergency contacts are up to date at your children’s school(s), including who can and cannot pick up your children.
There are different temporary custody forms which you may want to consider filling out now in case you are detained in the future. In Massachusetts, a Caregiver Affidavit Authorization gives the person you choose the right to make decisions about your child’s health and education for up to two years. A Temporary Agent Authorization gives the person you choose many of the powers that a parent has, for up to sixty days.
You may also want to meet with an attorney to designate and document someone you trust with Power of Attorney to make financial, legal, or childcare decisions in your absence.
More information on how to create a plan for your family is available through:
GLAD Law has resources for general questions (not specific to immigration) related to LGBTQ families, including marriage 和 parent-child relationships. This information is not legal advice, and you should consult with an immigration attorney if you have questions about how your immigration status impacts the protections available for your family.
Immigration Detention
If you are detained, you will not have access to your cell phone. You may want to memorize important phone numbers (such as those of your family, friends, and attorney). You should consider where to keep important documents such as your passport, driver’s license, and national identification card. If you have evidence supporting an asylum case or other helpful information that could be relevant to your immigration case, consider keeping a copy with your friends or family. You should make sure that all information and emergency contacts are up to date.
More information on what to do if you or your loved one is detained is available through:
In Massachusetts, if you or someone you know is experiencing problems related to conditions in immigration detention, you can reach out to Prisoner Legal Services at 617-482-4124 (detained individuals) and 617-482-2773 (family and friends).
Immigration and Legal Organizations
Avoiding Scams
Legal services organizations may have specific criteria for the clients they work with, based on income, type of issue, location, or other factors. You can call the organization or look at their website to learn more. Additionally, many immigration lawyers may be able to offer advice or representation for a fee. Always make sure you are working with a reputable immigration attorney or Department of Justice accredited representative. Avoid using a notary or “notario público.” These individuals are not attorneys and are not authorized to provide legal advice. Learn more about avoiding fraud at the National Immigrant Justice Center 和 Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (Massachusetts only).
简体中文 
Español de México 
Português 
香港中文 
Français 
Tiếng Việt 
العربية 
Polski 
Русский 
Deutsch 
Kreyòl Ayisyen