How can civil rights testing advance LGBTQ+ rights?
By: Nick Adjami
June 26, 2026
June is Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and recognition of the ongoing struggle for equal rights. Throughout the month, ERC will share current issues facing the LGBTQ+ community, relevant insights from our fair housing work, and actions you can take to protect LGBTQ+ rights.
June 28, 2026, marks 57 years since LGBTQ+ people at the Stonewall Inn in New York City fought back against a police raid. That act of resistance is recognized today as a turning point in the LGBTQ+ liberation movement.
Since then, Supreme Court rulings and state and local laws have created a patchwork of protections for LGBTQ+ rights. These protections have increased LGBTQ+ individuals’ access to housing and employment, among other opportunities, but have not eliminated discrimination entirely. For example, a KFF/Washington Post survey published in 2023 found that one in eight transgender adults had been evicted or denied housing because of their gender identity.
The effectiveness of legal protections depends on vigorous enforcement. Civil rights testing, ERC’s core strategy for advancing its mission, is one tool that can facilitate effective enforcement of civil rights and consumer protection laws. Results from testing can be used to educate the public, support policy advocacy, train businesses, and, if necessary, enforce the law.
ERC civil rights testing both confirms the importance of non-discrimination laws for LGBTQ+ people and reveals the shortcomings of such laws. For instance, in 2013, ERC investigated same-sex couples’ access to senior living facilities. In 96 of the 200 tests conducted, the LGB tester experienced at least one type of adverse differential treatment, such as being told about fewer available units or quoted higher fees. Cases of adverse differential treatment were less common in states with sexual orientation non-discrimination protections, but no state had zero.
ERC has also used civil rights testing to investigate discrimination against gay jobseekers in Virginia and trans individuals’ access to homeless shelters in alignment with their gender identity. These investigations have provided vital data about the prevalence of anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and the efficacy of non-discrimination protections.
Finally, ERC has used testing as the basis for lawsuits against housing providers and worked with local jurisdictions in the Greater Washington, D.C. region to identify and address fair housing violations. The work ERC does to enforce fair housing laws is increasingly important as the federal government continues to shirk its responsibilities, leaving millions more vulnerable to discrimination.
As Pride Month comes to a close, we encourage you to consider your role in protecting LGBTQ+ rights. If you experience housing discrimination based on your sexual orientation or gender identity (or any other protected class) in D.C., Maryland, or Northern Virginia, report it to ERC by calling 202-234-3062 or emailing info@equalrightscenter.org. You can also support our work with a donation. Finally, you have until Monday, June 29, to submit a comment opposing the Trump administration’s rollback of crucial protections for transgender people experiencing homelessness.
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If you believe you may have experienced discrimination in housing, you can contact the Equal Rights Center. To report your experience, please call 202-234-3062 or email info@equalrightscenter.org.
