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Alliance Defending Freedom vs. transgender people

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is a conservative Christian legal organization that supports and defends many opponents of transgender rights. ADF is an SPLC-designated anti-trans hate group.

Background

Alliance Defending Freedom was founded in 1993 as the Alliance Defense Fund. It has since grown into one of the most influential anti-trans organizations. ADF is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona and has several offices, including in Washington, DC and New York City.

Several influential political figures have been affiliated with ADF, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senator Josh Hawley, former Vice President Mike Pence, Vernadette Broyles former Attorneys General Jeff Sessions and William Bar, and Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Anti-transgender activism

Trans athletes

  • ADF has worked with the American College of Pediatricians (ACP) to use ACP’s medical misinformation as evidence in legal procedings and in public policy.
  • ADF collaborated with ACP on drafting state legislation to ban transgender athletes. ADF’s lawsuit in Connecticut failed.
  • The child of ADF’s general counsel made filings against Arizona transgender athletes.

Sex segregation

  • ADF authored model legislation for bathroom bills in the United States.

Employment law

  • ADF lost 2020 Supreme Court case R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. ADF defended a funeral home that fired a trans employee.

Misgendering/deadnaming cases

  • Represented a teacher who refused to use accurate pronouns and names of transgender students.
  • Represented a college professor who refused to use students’ accurate pronouns, against policies supporting student rights to a discrimination-free learning environment.

Youth healthcare

  • Misinformed the Ohio legislature about gender affirming care for youth

Founders

  • Bill Bright
  • Larry Burkett
  • James C. Dobson
  • D. James Kennedy
  • Marlin Maddoux
  • William Pew
  • Alan Sears

Leadership

  • Ryan Bangert Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Special Counsel to the President
  • Lance Bauslaugh Senior Vice President of Development
  • Jim Campbell Chief Legal Counsel
  • Paul Coleman Executive Director, ADF International
  • Ali Kilmartin Senior Counsel, Chief of Staff to CEO, President and General Counsel
  • Jeremy Tedesco Senior Counsel, Senior Vice President of Corporate Engagement
  • Mark Tjernagel Executive Vice President
  • Kristen Waggoner CEO, President, and General Counsel
  • Don Ziel Senior Vice President of Church & Ministry Alliance and Assistant General Counsel

Attorneys

Senior Leadership

  • Kristen Waggoner CEO, President, and General Counsel
  • Jim Campbell Chief Legal Counsel
  • Ryan Bangert Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Special Counsel to the President
  • Don Ziel Senior Vice President of Church & Ministry Alliance and Assistant General Counsel

Senior Counsel +

  • Ali Kilmartin Senior Counsel, Chief of Staff to CEO, President and General Counsel
  • Jeremy Tedesco Senior Counsel, Senior Vice President of Corporate Engagement
  • Paul Coleman Executive Director, ADF International
  • Nathaniel Bruno Senior Counsel, Vice President of Blackstone Strategic Engagement
  • John Bursch Senior Counsel, Vice President of Appellate Advocacy
  • Timothy D. Chandler Senior Counsel, Vice President of Church & Ministry Alliance Engagement & Strategic Projects
  • David A. Cortman Senior Counsel, Vice President of U.S. Litigation
  • Andrew D. Graham Senior Counsel, Vice President of Academic Affairs & Strategic Affairs
  • Brett Harvey Senior Counsel, Vice President of Client and Alliance Engagement
  • Erin Morrow Hawley Senior Counsel, Vice President of the Center for Life & Regulatory Practice
  • Emilie Kao Senior Counsel, Vice President of Advocacy Strategy
  • Jonathan Scruggs Senior Counsel, Vice President of Litigation Strategy
  • Kate Anderson Senior Counsel, Director of the Center for Parental Rights
  • Erik Baptist Senior Counsel, Director of the Center for Life
  • Gregory S. Baylor Senior Counsel, Director of the Center for Religious Schools
  • Matt Bowman Senior Counsel, Director of Regulatory Practice
  • Kellie Fiedorek Senior Counsel, Government Affairs Director
  • Hal Frampton Senior Counsel, Director of the Center for Conscience Initiatives
  • Tyson Langhofer Senior Counsel, Director of the Center for Academic Freedom
  • Jordan Lorence Blackstone, Of Counsel
  • Zack Pruitt Senior Counsel, Director of U.S. Government Relations
  • Phil Sechler Senior Counsel, Director of the Center for Free Speech
  • Matt Sharp Senior Counsel, Director of the Center for Public Policy
  • Andrew Spangenberg Director of Allied Legal Affairs
  • Ryan Tucker Senior Counsel, Director of the Center for Christian Ministries
  • Katie Vizzerra Senior Counsel, Director of Blackstone Alumni
  • Valerie Londono Senior Counsel, Church and Ministry Alliance Deputy Director

Senior Counsel

  • Bradley Abramson
  • Travis Barham
  • Julie Marie Blake
  • Roger G. Brooks
  • Denise Burke
  • Greg Chafuen
  • Caleb Dalton
  • Alexandra Gaiser
  • Jeremiah Galus
  • Tim Garrison
  • Rory Gray
  • Brian Knight
  • Caroline C. Lindsay
  • Mark Lippelmann
  • Bryan Neihart
  • Chris Schandevel
  • Noel Sterett
  • Kevin Theriot
  • Natalie Thompson
  • Vincent Wagner
  • Jake Warner Senior
  • Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse
  • Lincoln Wilson

Legal Counsel

  • Kathleen Barceleau
  • Suzanne Beecher
  • Abigail Bongiorno
  • Sierra Brown
  • Jordan Carpenter
  • Rosemary Cochrane
  • David Demirbilek
  • Andrea Dill
  • Jared Dobbs
  • Daniel Grabowski
  • Mathew Hoffmann
  • Kristi Kisley
  • Julia Payne Koon
  • Mercer Martin
  • Gabriella McIntyre
  • Noah Nash
  • Sara Beth Nolan
  • Erica O’Connell
  • Patrick Piccolo (also Church and Ministry Alliance Deputy Director)
  • Allison Pope
  • Matthew Ray
  • Jacob Reed
  • Ralph Rodriguez
  • Michael Ross
  • Rachel Rouleau
  • Mallory Sleight
  • Logan Spena
  • Sharon Supp
  • Laurence Wilkinson

References

Reed, Erin (May 21, 2025). Alliance Defending Freedom Sues Minnesota To Mandate Trans Discrimination. Erin in the Morning https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/alliance-defending-freedom-sues-minnesota

Scarcella, Mike (July 26, 2024). Web designer wants legal fees for Supreme Court win in free speech, LGBT rights case”. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/web-designer-wants-legal-fees-supreme-court-win-free-speech-lgbt-rights-case-2024-07-25/

Cole, David (January 29, 2024). “We Do No Such Thing”: 303 Creative v. Elenis and the Future of First Amendment Challenges to Public Accommodations Laws. The Yale Law Journal. 133 https://www.yalelawjournal.org/forum/we-do-no-such-thing-303-creative-v-elenis-and-the-future-of-first-amendment-challenges-to-public-accommodations-laws

Re, Richard M. (November 29, 2023). Does the Discourse on 303 Creative Portend a Standing Realignment? Notre Dame Law Review Reflection. 99 (67) https://www.law.virginia.edu/node/2171631

Baude, William; Bray, Samuel (November 13, 2023). Proper Parties, Proper Relief. Harvard Law Review. 137 (1) https://harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-137/proper-parties-proper-relief/

Swaine, Jon; Reinhard, Beth (September 27, 2023). Inside the tactics that won Christian vendors the right to reject gay weddings. Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/09/24/alliance-defending-freedom-wedding-lawsuit/

Morrison, Alan B. (September 15, 2023). Standing When You Want It. American Constitution Society https://www.acslaw.org/expertforum/standing-when-you-want-it/

Whelan, Ed (July 10, 2023). More on Standing in 303 Creative. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/more-on-standing-in-303-creative/

Barkoukis, Leah (July 7, 2023). ADF Sets the Record Straight After the Left Attempts to Discredit 303 Creative Case. Townhall https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2023/07/07/adf-sets-the-record-straight-on-303-creative-case-n2625413

Sheth, Darpana (July 7, 2023). Myth-busting reactions to the Supreme Court’s decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis | The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE https://www.thefire.org/news/myth-busting-reactions-supreme-courts-decision-303-creative-v-elenis

Richer, Alanna Durkin; Slevin, Colleen (July 3, 2023). Legitimacy of ‘customer’ in Supreme Court gay rights case raises ethical and legal flags. AP News https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-gay-rights-lgbtq-website-9c058addfdd581ce0ead81eb59660130

Kruzel, John (July 3, 2023). LGBT rights yield to religious interests at US Supreme Court. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/legal/lgbt-rights-yield-religious-interests-us-supreme-court-2023-07-01/

Whelan, Ed (July 3, 2023). Foolish Arguments Against Standing in 303 Creative—Part 1. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/foolish-arguments-against-standing-in-303-creative-part-1/

Whelan, Ed (July 3, 2023). Foolish Arguments Against Standing in 303 Creative—Part 2. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/foolish-arguments-against-standing-in-303-creative-part-2/

Whelan, Ed (July 3, 2023). Foolish Arguments Against Standing in 303 Creative—Part 3. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/foolish-arguments-against-standing-in-303-creative-part-3/

Lavietes, Matt; Yurcaba, Jo (June 30, 2023). What the Supreme Court’s gay wedding website ruling means for LGBTQ rights. NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/supreme-courts-gay-wedding-website-ruling-means-lgbtq-rights-rcna92022

Gresko, Jessica (June 30, 2023). The Supreme Court rules for a designer who doesn’t want to make wedding websites for gay couples. AP News https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-gay-rights-website-designer-aa529361bc939c837ec2ece216b296d5

Downey, Caroline (June 30, 2023). Correcting the Record on the ‘Fake’ Same-Sex Couple in the 303 Creative Case. National Review. https://www.nationalreview.com/news/correcting-the-record-on-the-fake-same-sex-couple-in-the-303-creative-case/

Lavietes, Matt (April 19, 2022). Professor who wouldn’t use trans student’s pronouns wins $400K settlement. NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/professor-wouldnt-use-trans-students-pronouns-wins-400k-settlement-rcna24989

Smith, Casey (February 10, 2022). Indiana transgender athlete ban draws increasing pushback. IndyStar https://www.thestar.com/news/world/us/2022/02/10/clarification-us-indiana-legislature-schools-story.html

Staff report (April 25, 2021). Judge tosses suit that sought to block transgender athletes. AP https://apnews.com/article/sports-e881f5a74c82b931650142dee0e59fd3

Sosin, Kate (October 15, 2020). Amy Coney Barrett Has Ties To an Anti-LGBTQ Hate Group. Ms. Magazine https://msmagazine.com/2020/10/15/amy-coney-barrett-alliance-defending-freedom-adf-lgbtq-hate-group/

Hurley, Lawrence (June 15, 2020). In landmark ruling, Supreme Court bars discrimination against LGBT workers. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-lgbt-idUSKBN23M20N

Ennis, Dawn (February 12, 2020). ADF sues Connecticut for letting trans girls compete in high school sports. Outsports https://www.outsports.com/2020/2/12/21135174/adf-connecticut-federal-lawsuit-transgender-girls-sports-high-school

Chiam, Zhan; Duffy, Sandra; González Gil, Matilda; Goodwin, Lara; Mpemba Patel, Nigel Timothy (2020). Trans Legal Mapping Report 2019: Recognition before the law. ILGA World https://ilga.org/downloads/ILGA_World_Trans_Legal_Mapping_Report_2019_EN.pdf

Selected publications by ADF

Atkinson, Grant (May 14, 2025). HHS Report on Gender Dysphoria Exposes Dangers of Ideological Interventions https://adflegal.org/article/hhs-report-on-gender-dysphoria-exposes-dangers-of-ideological-interventions/

Staff (January 21, 2025). 7th Circuit to hear case of Indiana music teacher forced to resign over religious beliefs https://adflegal.org/press-release/7th-circuit-to-hear-case-of-indiana-music-teacher-forced-to-resign-over-religious-beliefs/

Imparato, Liana (December 18, 2024). ‘No One Protected Me’: Laura Becker Shares Her De-Transition Story https://adflegal.org/article/no-one-protected-me-laura-becker-shares-her-de-transition-story/

Hobbs, Dustin (December 5, 2024). Major Medical Association Casts Doubt on ‘Gender Transition’ Research https://adflegal.org/article/major-medical-association-casts-doubt-on-gender-transition-research/

Staff (December 3, 2024). Legal Brief Highlights ‘Medical, Legal, and Political Scandal’ of Activist Health Care https://adflegal.org/article/legal-brief-highlights-medical-legal-and-political-scandal-of-activist-health-care/

Fiedorek. Kellie (November 26, 2024). Supreme Court Weighs Tennessee’s Ability to Protect Children from Harmful Transition Procedures https://adflegal.org/article/supreme-court-weighs-tennessees-ability-to-protect-children-from-harmful-transition-procedures/

Atkinson, Grant (November 25, 2024). San Jose State Women’s Volleyball Coach Fired for Speaking Out https://adflegal.org/article/san-jose-state-womens-volleyball-coach-fired-for-speaking-out/

Atkinson, Grant (November 19, 2024). Is Protecting Women’s Sports Becoming a Bipartisan Issue? https://adflegal.org/article/is-protecting-womens-sports-becoming-a-bipartisan-issue/

Atkinson, Grant (November 5, 2024). Radical Minnesota Policy Allows Men Into Women’s Prisons https://adflegal.org/article/radical-minnesota-policy-allows-men-into-womens-prisons/

Staff (). Liam Morrison / L.M. v. Town of Middleborough https://adflegal.org/client/liam-morrison/

Atkinson, Grant (October 14, 2024). Preventable Tragedies: Why De-transitioners Are Suing Doctors https://adflegal.org/article/preventable-tragedies-why-de-transitioners-are-suing-doctors/

Staff (October 8, 2024). Pennsylvania court rules to protect parents’ fundamental rights / Tatel v. Mt. Lebanon School District https://adflegal.org/press-release/pennsylvania-court-rules-protect-parents-fundamental-rights/

Staff (October 1, 2024). ADF asks CO court to halt school district policy that violates parents’ rights Wailes v. Jefferson County Public Schools https://adflegal.org/press-release/adf-asks-co-court-halt-school-district-policy-violates-parents-rights/

Staff (September 29, 2020). Doe v. Madison Metropolitan School District https://adflegal.org/case/doe-v-madison-metropolitan-school-district/

Alliance Defending Freedom (January 15, 2020). Statement of Faith. https://adflegal.org/about-us/careers/statement-of-faith

Staff (October 3, 2018). Thomas v. City Schools of Decatur https://adflegal.org/case/thomas-v-city-schools-decatur/

Staff (January 13, 2017). ADF to Supreme Court: Uphold policy to protect privacy in restrooms G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board https://adflegal.org/press-release/adf-supreme-court-uphold-policy-protect-privacy-restrooms/

Staff (June 28, 2010). Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender Pride/Twin Cities v. Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board https://adflegal.org/case/gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender-pride-twin-cities-v-minneapolis-park-and-recreation-board/

(June 28, 2010) Court rejects MN activist group’s attempt to ban free speech at public park https://adflegal.org/press-release/court-rejects-mn-activist-groups-attempt-ban-free-speech-public-park/

Resources

GLAAD Accountability Project (glaad.org/gap)

Southern Poverty Law Center (splcenter.org)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Alliance Defending Freedom (adflegal.org)

ADF Media (adfmedia.org)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Twitter (twitter.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

YouTube (youtube.com)