Indiana Has Nation's First LGBT License Plate

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 6:29 AM

The Indiana Youth Group wants a license

plate of its own offered to Hoosier vehicle

owners.

indianayouthgroup.org

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Indiana is now the only state in the country to offer license plates promoting awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender causes.

The new plates will be available beginning in February throughout the state and feature six hands in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, which is the logo of the Indiana Youth Group.

That organization provides LGBT training for schools and service agencies and works to promote tolerance.

The specialty plate costs an additional $40 with $25 directly benefitting the group which provides training for schools and service agencies and works to promote tolerance.

The Indiana Youth Group had been trying to get the LGBT plate approved since 2010.

Indiana’s American Civil Liberties Union had sued the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles in September after the Indian Youth Group’s request for the plate was twice denied.

BMV officials said the youth group’s application was turned down because the money would have been used to pay the group’s staff salaries. The group also failed to show its services have a statewide impact.

The Indiana Youth Group said after the lawsuit was dismissed in January 2010 that they would apply for the new plate a third time.

LINKS:

Gay Teen License Plate Lawsuit Dismissed