The board of directors of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California recently endorsed the "Stop the Stigma Campaign" of the American Association for Single People (AASP).

The purpose of this campaign is to call to the attention of judges the harmful effects of stigmatizing language sometimes used in their written opinions and orally from the bench when they refer to children born to unmarried parents.

Each year about 33 percent of births in the United States involve children born to unmarried parents. Also, a large segment of the adult population were born at a time when their parents were not married.

The research of AASP has shown that a majority of states continue to stigmatize such children. In 17 states there are statutes on the books which refer to children born outside of wedlock as "bastards" or "illegitimate." Some appellate judges in 37 states continue to refer to these children as "illegitimate" rather than as "children born to unmarried parents."

The ACLU of Southern California agrees with the AASP that it is time to stop the name calling. Statutes are the embodiment of the collective will of the people. Judges pledge to be fair and impartial. We think you would agree that it is not fair to label children in such a derogatory manner.

While legislators in some states may also play a role by revising statutes which use offensive language, in a majority of states the problem is largely one created by judges. AASP’s brochure about the Stop the Stigma Campaign demonstrates this point.

For more information about this campaign, members of your association may wish to visit AASP's website -- unmarriedAmerica.com.  A section of that website contains information specifically about the Stop the Stigma Campaign.

AASP has drafted a sample resolution which your association may wish to consider adopting. A copy of that resolution is enclosed for your review.

I look forward to learning of any action which your organization takes with respect to this issue.  Thank you very much for taking the time to consider this important matter.

Very truly yours,

Steve Rohde
President
ACLU of Southern California