The First Amendment protects our right to speak, assemble, organize, protest and practice – or not practice – religion. These rights and freedoms are the foundation of our democracy.

As the premier guardian of civil liberties in the Commonwealth, the ACLU of Virginia bears a special responsibility to defend our First Amendment rights. Over the last 50 years, we have:

  • Challenged unconstitutional book bans in schools and public libraries.
  • Sued to limit mass surveillance by police through the use of automatic license plate readers.
  • Protected the right to protest by observing police during lawful demonstrations and represented protesters in court when police violated their rights.

Attacks on our basic rights will never cease. We will oppose government censorship, ensure that students are taught an honest and complete account of history, and protect the right to protest.

MAKE A DONATION today or BECOME A MEMBER to defend civil liberties in Virginia.

MARY'S STORY

Book ban attempts have surged in recent years – not just in public schools and libraries, but in private bookstores as well. In 2022, we represented several Virginia-based bookstores, library associations and other organizations to defend their right to sell two challenged books: Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.

Under a Virginia law that hasn’t been used in decades, an individual filed a petition to the court claiming that the books are “obscene.” If the courts had agreed, anyone in Virginia who published, sold, lent or transported these two books may have been held liable.

We fought in court and stopped that from happening. Censorship has no place in America, and Virginians should have access to these books. 

Quick Facts

  • 173% of Virginians oppose removing books from public schools even if some people find them offensive according to a 2023 Roanoke College poll.
  • 2Virginia's marriage code still discriminates against non-religious wedding ceremonies.
  • 3As few as 0.2% of license plates photographed by automated license plate readers are ever linked to criminal activity, according to a 2012 national ACLU study.

Stay informed

When I attend a protest or a demonstration, what are my rights?

A.When I attend a protest or a demonstration, what are my rights?

A.

The government may limit the “time, place and manner” of a protest, but it can’t limit your message or the content of your speech. Before hitting the streets, know your rights as a protester.

I want to get married in Virginia and am not religious. What options do I have for choosing an officiant?

A.I want to get married in Virginia and am not religious. What options do I have for choosing an officiant?

A.

Virginia’s marriage laws are different depending on whether the officiant is religious or not. If an officiant is not a religious minister, they must pay a $500 bond and be authorized by a Virginia judge.

State and federal laws prohibit favoring one religion over another. That includes people who are not religious. We filed an amicus brief against this unfair law and look forward to seeing it overturned.

I am incarcerated. Can I request accommodations from the facility where I am housed to practice my religion?

A.I am incarcerated. Can I request accommodations from the facility where I am housed to practice my religion?

A.

Yes; your constitutional right to practice – or not practice – religion does not end at the prison gates. Due to an ACLU-VA lawsuit against the Virginia Department of Corrections, prison officials are required to provide access to religious services, religious items and holiday meals, even in solitary confinement.

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