| Sexual Orientation Discrimination in Housing |
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| The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits intentional discrimination in the rental, sale, and financing of housing due to a prospective renter or buyer's race, color, national origin, sex, religion, disability, or family status. The term "sexual orientation" is not among those traits protected by the Fair Housing Act. As a result, the Fair Housing Act does not offer protection against sexual orientation discrimination.
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| The Use of Drug Detection Dogs |
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| In 2004, the United States Supreme Court surprised some court watchers when it agreed to hear a case involving a question of whether the Fourth Amendment requires reasonable, articulable suspicion to justify the use of a drug detection dog to sniff an automobile during a legitimate traffic stop.
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| What is "racial profiling?" |
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| Racial profiling is defined as the targeting of individuals or groups by law enforcement officials on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, or religion, except where there is trustworthy information that links the person or the group to an identified crime or scheme. The Department of Justice's (DOJ's) racial profiling guidance permits the use of race and ethnicity in the identification of terrorists, but only to the extent permitted by federal law and the United States Constitution. The DOJ's guidance prohibits law enforcement officers from using race or ethnicity in making routine or spontaneous enforcement decisions.
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| Gay Men and Lesbians as Foster Parents |
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| Civil rights advocates say that sexual orientation discrimination occurs when a state refuses to place a foster child with a single man because he is gay or when a lesbian couple is not permitted to provide emergency foster care because of their sexual orientation. At least two states have laws or regulations prohibiting gay men or lesbians from serving as foster parents. Those opposed to such laws and policies cite reports indicating that children raised by lesbian or gay parents--either as single parents or as same sex partners--seem to receive the same level of care and concern as do children raised by heterosexual parents. Proponents of permitting gay men and lesbians to provide foster care also point to the critical shortage of foster care providers.
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| Proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act |
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| Civil rights organizations, as well as many major corporations, have sought the passage of the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) since 1996. So far, these efforts have been unsuccessful. The legislators who have sponsored ENDA say they have done so because sexual orientation in the workplace is commonplace and unacceptable. The purpose of ENDA is to prohibit intentional sexual orientation discrimination in the workplace. ENDA would accomplish this goal by adding sexual orientation to the list of protected traits or characteristics that presently includes race, national origin, gender, religion, age, and disability.
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