The Indiana General Assembly has put forward a slate of hate—an onslaught of bills targeting LGBTQ Hoosiers and singling out trans kids. These bills are based on misinformation about the reality of gender-affirming care and unduly insert state control into difficult medical decisions. What are we talking about when we talk about gender-affirming care? Life-saving medical care that trans youth need to live happy and healthy lives.

Troy Moss, NIA president, said, "As Indiana lawmakers continue their all-out campaign against LGBTQ Hoosiers, we continue to fight back. At this time, the most effective thing we can do is fundraise for the ACLU of Indiana, who is using every tool at their disposal to defend LGBTQ rights in Indiana." Discriminating against LGBTQ Hoosiers is wrong, against the law, and costly. As lawmakers attempt to pass these misguided laws, the ACLU of Indiana is fighting them at every turn. "Thanks in large part to our donors, NIA pledged $2,000 to be used as triple-matching funds. We set the goal of $1,000, and we’re proud to say our community had no problem stepping up and hitting that goal within days," Moss said. NIA is proud to support the ACLU of Indiana and will continue to help in any way we can.

Upon receiving the donation, Neil Hudelson, ACLU of Indiana Director of Philanthropy, said, "It really speaks to the passion and dedication of your members and followers. For context as to how much of an impact your gift will make, our average donation size tends to be around $50—gifts like this from Northern Indiana Atheists are really what fuels our work day in and day out."

Hudelson also wrote the following donation acknowledgement letter:

Thank you for the Northern Indiana Atheists’ gift of $3,000 on May 9 to the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana Foundation, dedicated to fighting the Slate of Hate, and more broadly to the LGBTQ Advocacy Project. We are grateful for the generous commitment of Hoosiers such as you to protecting and advancing the rights of all. Thank you for your support.
Your gift comes at an important time. As I write this, we are preparing lawsuits targeting the Slate of Hate, numerous anti-LGBTQ laws passed by the Indiana General Assembly in early 2023, including a “Don’t Say Gay” classroom censorship law, a ban on essential healthcare for trans youth, laws empowering individuals to ban pro-LGBTQ books, and more. Our advocacy and education teams are preparing to expand vital, statewide efforts empowering Hoosiers to exercise their vote, dispelling dangerous myths about abortion access, and building support for the LGBTQ+ community. The ACLU of Indiana continues to play its vital role in defense of our fundamental rights. With your support, we rise to every challenge.
Here are some of the efforts we are undertaking in the coming months to protect and expand the rights of all:
Protecting the vote: with municipal elections occurring across Indiana this fall, and pivotal nationwide elections just 18 months away, our work protecting the rights of Hoosiers to participate in democracy starts now. We will increase our education efforts targeting traditionally disenfranchised communities through our statewide campaign, “Yes, You Can Vote,” strengthen coalitions dedicated to voting rights, and litigate against any governmental attempt to unconstitutionally deny voting rights.
Protect abortion access: Our multiple lawsuits against last year’s abortion ban have successfully stopped the ban from going into effect for now. We will continue to pursue these lawsuits all the way through the Indiana Supreme Court. We are also spearheading the statewide efforts to reassert the voice of the majority of Hoosiers who oppose abortion bans. Learn more at www.LetsTalkAbortionIndiana.org.
Pursue justice: every week our legal team processes hundreds of requests for assistance from Hoosiers from across the state. We are investing in resources to deliver assistance to more Hoosiers, more quickly, every day.
We know that attacks on our fundamental liberties will always exist. We rely on partners such as you to ensure we have the resources we need to carry on the fight.
From the entire ACLU of Indiana staff and family, we thank you.
With gratitude,
Neil Hudelson

Northern Indiana Atheists is a nonprofit established to fight state/church violations on a local level and defend the rights of atheists and other marginalized communities across Northern Indiana.

Membership is open to atheists and our allies who share our vision for a government that represents all people equally and our passion for serving our community. Your membership and donations amplify our voice and makes our impact even stronger. Become a member today at NorthernIndianaAtheists.com.

NIA Community Comes Together to Stop the Slate of Hate