Know Your Rights

Everyone has basic rights under the U.S. Constitution and civil rights laws.

The Constitution protects your right to protest, but it isn’t without risk. Stay safe and know your rights when interacting with police.

The legal landscape for LGBTQ people is constantly evolving. If you think you have been discriminated against, contact the ACLU LGBT Project and we can help you figure out whether you are protected under federal or state laws.

Being stopped by police is a stressful experience that can go bad quickly. Here we describe what the law requires and also offer strategies for handling police encounters.

Learn more here about your right to be free from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or national origin, and how the law protects you.

Sex discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favorably because of that person’s sex, which includes sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition (including lactation), or a sex stereotype.

Learn more here about your right to be protected against discrimination and abuse in prison and what to do if your rights are violated.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1969 that students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." This is true for other fundamental rights, as well.