Sexual minority youth are not safe in the schools of Alabama. Not only does Alabama not have any laws or policies to protect people from discrimination or harm based on sexual orientation or gender identity, Alabama actually has a law that mandates that sex education programs in public schools include the statement that “homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under the laws of the state.”

A national survey of safe school policies found that Alabama ranked 49th out of 50 states and the District of Columbia in failing to adopt safe school policies that include sexual orientation and gender identity (GLSEN, 2004). Not even one Alabama municipality has a nondiscrimination law that includes sexual orientation or gender identity, and there is no such statewide law. In fact, Alabama's sodomy law is still in the Code of Alabama four years after the Lawrence v. Texas decision, and it is still cited as a rationale for discriminatory practices against GLBT people.

Therefore, the ultimate goals of Equality Alabama with regard to safe schools are specific and threefold:

1. Equality Alabama advocates the expansion of anti-harassment, anti-bullying, and non-discrimination policies at both the state and local school board level to include sexual orientation and gender identity;

2. Equality Alabama advocates the repeal of Section 16-40A-2(c)(8) of the Alabama Code which mandates that public school sex education curricula include the statements that "homosexuality is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public" and that "homosexual conduct is a criminal offense under the laws of the state"; and

3. Equality Alabama advocates the repeal of Section 16-1-28 of the Alabama Code which denies equal access to public facilities for any group that "fosters or promotes a lifestyle or actions prohibited by the sodomy or sexual misconduct laws."

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I believe that all Alabama students deserve a safe place to learn free from harassment, discrimination, bullying, and fear. I therefore call upon Alabama's public school officials to add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing anti-bullying, anti-harassment, and non-discrimination policies.

Signed by:

Campaign Launched:
January 28, 2008