Dear John,

While we are all waiting for every vote to be counted in the Election, this morning the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case that could decide whether taxpayer-funded child welfare services agencies have a right to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

Help us support state equality groups who have been working tirelessly for decades to win state and local protections against discrimination.

The Fulton case came about because the City of Philadelphia ended one of its contracts with Catholic Social Services to provide foster care services. The agency had refused to certify same-sex couples as foster parents, which violated both the city’s nondiscrimination law and the city’s contract for foster care services. Catholic Social Services sued, arguing that the agency’s religious beliefs give it the right to refuse to certify same-sex couples as foster parents.

Religion should not be used to discriminate against LGBTQ people. Donate today if you believe the Court should rule that discrimination is wrong.

If the Supreme Court rules against the City of Philadelphia, the negative impact could reach far beyond LGBTQ people:

• It could give all sorts of religious agencies the right to demand taxpayer-funded government contracts while refusing to follow the terms of those contracts.
• A child services agency could decide to keep a child in a government group home rather than place them with loving, qualified foster parents who don’t share the agency’s religious beliefs.

With state legislative sessions starting early next year, we will continue to see attempts to discriminate against LGBTQ people under the guise of religious freedom across the country. Contribute to help support our work with state groups as they fight to stop attempts to pass 'religious license to discriminate bills' that seek to deny our community rights.

We won’t stop fighting until all LGBTQ Americans are treated with dignity and respect.

In solidarity,


Ian Palmquist
Senior Director of Programs
Equality Federation