Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right, enshrined in Articles 10 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We each have a right to hold our own opinions and to express them freely and out loud. It also protects our freedom to receive information from other people.
Free speech allows us to advocate for all of our other civil liberties and human rights. The freedom of the press, and our freedom of association and assembly are woven together with our freedom of speech.
Without the right to free speech, the government would be able to control how we express ourselves, including what we write and say politically, artistically or personally. It is a cornerstone of all liberation struggles, including that of the sexual freedom movement.
Allies
Blog Posts
- Sexual Freedom & Freedom of Speech 2025
- “Don’t Say Gay” 2025
- Age Verification and the Censorship LGBTQ+ Content Online 2025
- The Reinstated Global Gag Rule 2025
- What Meta’s Content Moderation Changes Mean for Censoring Sexual Freedom Online 2025
- The Pornhub Ban Across the U.S. South 2025
- Banning Book Bans in New Jersey 2024
- 2024 US General Election Analysis: Impacts, Challenges, and Opportunities for Advancing Sex Worker Rights 2024
- New(ish) KOSA, Same Old Problems 2024
- LGBTQIA+ Death Penalty 2024
- The Looming Danger of the Kids Online Safety Act 2024
- Keeping Ourselves (and Our Data) Safe 2024
- California’s A.B. 3080 and Threats to Our Rights to Free Speech and Privacy 2024
- Good Riddance to New Hampshire’s “Banned Concepts” Law 2024
- Digital Surveillance In the Wake of Dobbs 2024
- Online Censorship & Sex Ed 2024
- De Facto Censorship in West Virginia 2024
- Escambia County School District versus Our Human Rights 2024
- A New Tennessee Ordinance Threatens to Erase the LGBTQIA+ Community 2023
- What PA SB 22 Really Means for Pennsylvanians 2023
- Porn as a Human Right 2023
- Censorship in Mason City 2023
- Think about the KOSAquences 2023
- Sex & Censorship 2023
- Free Speech and Apple Pie 2023
- Sanctuary Libraries 2023
- Censorship in Iowa 2023
- Banning Book Bans in Illinois 2023
- FOSTA Five Years Later 2023
- Banning Drag in Tennessee 2023
- Banning Books in North Dakota 2023
- Censorship in Schools 2022
- Don’t Say Trans 2022
- Censoring Nudity 2022
- Parental Rights 2022
- Tech’s Censorship of Porn & the Difficulty of Getting Paid 2022
- Censorship: It’s Not Just About Books! 2021
- FOSTA – Woodhull’s Fight against a Miserable Failure 2021
- The Dangers of the SAFE Tech Act 2021
- Section 230, the “Internet’s First Amendment” 2021
- What’s Happening with Woodhull Freedom Foundation vs. the United States? 2019
- Centering Sexual Freedom on Human Rights Day 2017
- Trump Signs ‘Religious Freedom’ Executive Order, Ending Democracy As We Know It 2017
- Unresolved Feelings Don’t Go Away 2017
- 20 Things You Can Do to Resist Trump (and counting…) 2017
- Time to play chess, not checkers, with Bannon/Trump 2017
- We will not go back!! 2016
- The War on Sex 2016
- Victory! In Milward v. Shaheen, The Eleventh Circuit Upholds First Amendment Rights Of Students Who Objected To Forced Transvaginal Ultrasounds 2016
- Close Up the Internet and Repeal the First Amendment – Election Season is Here 2016
- Preventing Reactionary Activism from Being Extra Press for the Other Side 2015
- The Pope’s Speech to Congress 2015
- Rentboy.com Latest Victim in the Ongoing War Against Sex 2015
- The War on Porn Rebranded as the War on Sex Trafficking 2015
- Private Censorship – Fighting Suppression of Speech by Non-Governmental Actors 2014
- Human Rights & Anti-Censorship Groups Tell Senate to Stop the ‘Stop Advertising Victims of Exploitation’ Act 2014
- Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you… 2014
- Viewing Rights – The Constitutional Right to View Erotic Material 2014
- Censored by Google: What’s Next? 2014
- Human Rights Cup: Corporations=1, Human Beings=0 2014
- DMCA Evolution: Forum Solicits Input on Possible Changes to Notice and Takedown Procedures 2014
- Chased Out By Chase? 2014
- Censorship by Money: Snuffing Out Adult Entertainment by Denial of Banking Services 2014
- Isaacs Obscenity Case & Life Without Miller 2014
- Keeping Your Records Clean: Segregating 2257 Records under Federal Law 2014
- The Great Firewall of Britain 2013
- Human Rights Day, 2013 2013
- Unspoken Words: The Chilling Effect of NSA Surveillance Abuses 2013
- Free Speech, the First Amendment and Woodhull 2013
- Criminalizing Online Innovation: State Attorneys General Seek to Amend Section 230 2013
- Florida Sheriff Continues ‘War on Porn’ and Sets Sights on Backpage 2013
- The ‘Naked Truth’ on adult entertainment Theocrats eager to legislate morality 2013
- Feminism or Fascism: Iceland’s Stunning Ban on Pornography May Be Spreading 2013
- 2012 in Review: Internet Censorship & the Acronyms We Love to Hate 2013
- What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You 2012
- Canada’s Copyright Modernization Act: A Law With Global Impacts 2012
- The Sex Issue, National Coalition Against Censorship 2012
- Caged Pussy Riot: Protecting the Peace or Putin’s Political Revenge? 2012
- What Terrorizes Americans Most: Guns or Sexual Freedom? 2012
- George Lakoff: How Right-Wingers Scam People Into Buying Their Toxic Philosophy 2012
- How Conservative Religion Makes the Right Politically Stronger 2012
- The Ends of the Earth – How Far Can U.S. IP Rights Holders Pursue Foreign Infringers? 2012
- The Sunshine State: A Ray of Hope for Adult Content Producers 2012
- Politics of Porn – 2012 2012
- Killing the Messenger: The Campaign Against Online Escort Advertising Sites Part II – Operational Policies & Legal Issues 2011
- Killing the Messenger: The Campaign Against Online Escort Advertising Sites 2011
- United We Stand; Divided We Fall – If Only It Were That Simple 2011
- Where Angels Fear to Tread – The Dangers of Asserting Unfair Competition Claims Involving 2257 Compliance 2011
- YES WE CAN! NO, ACTUALLY YOU SORT OF DIDN’T… 2011
- Reading the Tea Leaves? Discerning the Ultimate Fate of Section 2257 2011
- No One Expects the Polk County Inquisition! 2011
- Back to the Future – Hatch Calls for More Obscenity Prosecutions Just in Time for the Presidential Bids 2011
- Turn Anti-Porn Day into a Day for Sexual Freedom 2011
- State Budgets, Higher Education, and Sexual Freedom 2011
- Instant Censorship, Google Style 2010
- Limiting inventory in adult stores 2010
Summit Programs
Press Releases
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation Urges FTC to Address Online Censorship of Sex Workers in Tech Inquiry 2025
- Woodhull Reacts to President Trump’s Promise to Protect Free Speech in Executive Order 2025
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation to SCOTUS: Texas’s Age Verification Law is Unconstitutional! 2024
- Woodhull Files Amicus Brief in Doe v. Grindr 2024
- Woodhull Urges the Supreme Court to Find TX Age Verification Legislation Unconstitutional 2024
- Woodhull Tells Florida Legislators to Vote NO! on Age Verification Bill 2024
- Woodhull Joins Allies in Moody v. NetCoice Amicus Brief 2023
- Woodhull Celebrates Banned Books Week 2023
- Coalition of Human Rights Groups Organize Week of Action to Stop “Bad Internet Bills” 2023
- DC Circuit Upholds FOSTA 2023
- Statement on Lindke v. Freed Amicus Brief 2023
- Woodhull Defends Free Speech In Latest Court Battle Over FOSTA Censorship 2023
- The Tsunami of Sexual Repression 2022
- Stop the Sexualization of Children Act is Bad News for Sexual Expression 2022
- Woodhull Launches Petition to Block EARN IT Act 2022
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation Joins Human Rights Orgs, Files Amicus Brief Opposing Texas Social Media Law 2022
- Woodhull Files Appeal Challenging the Constitutionality of FOSTA 2022
- Woodhull Announces Human Rights Commissions 2021
- OnlyFans Statement 2021
- The Sex Workers Human Rights Commission 2021
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation Files Motion to Declare FOSTA Unconstitutional 2020
- Woodhull Wins FOSTA Appeal 2020
- FOSTA Appeal Moves Forward With Woodhull’s Statement 2018
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation Appeals FOSTA Ruling 2018
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation Files Lawsuit Challenging FOSTA 2018
- We will stand firm! Woodhull joins 200 organizations nation-wide to uphold civil and human rights under Trump 2017
- Woodhull Files Amicus Brief at U.S. Supreme Court in Sexual Discrimination Case 2016
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation Issues Statement on Censorship at Utah Pride 2016
- Woodhull Joins Amicus Brief to Protect College Student Whistleblowers’ First Amendment rights 2016
- Washington, DC Passes Bill to Repeal Discredited “Prostitution Free Zones” 2014
- Senate Hearing on Obscenity: Woodhull Calls for “Fair and Open Debate” 2005
Media Mentions
- New GOP Bill Would Basically Ban Porn, Experts Warn 2025
- Republicans Want To Redefine Obscenity 2025
- Texas Sex Toy Law Could Lead to More Civil Rights Restrictions, Advocates Warn 2025
- Snap, Roblox Break Silence on Anti-Deepfake Take It Down Act 2025
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation featured on the SINagogue BDSM Podcast 2025
- How Will Meta’s New Content Policy Affect Artists? 2025
- Letter to the Editor re: Teens, Parents and Pornography: We Need to Talk 2024
- Using the Bill of Rights to Win in Court and Beyond – Beat the Prosecution 2024
- Dirty Laundry Piles up at Utah’s Anti-Porn and Anti-Trafficking Charities 2024
- Porn Is Protected Speech. Trump’s New Presidency Will Test That Sentiment. The Courts Can Uphold It. 2024
- EFF, Woodhull, TechFreedom File SCOTUS Amicus Supporting FSC in Texas AV Case 2024
- California Will Allow Parents to Curb ‘Addictive’ Social Media Content for Kids 2024
- Unpacking Sexual Freedom with Mandy Salley 2024
- Deplatforming Puts Sex Workers at Risk, Study Says 2024
- Rights Groups Warn Senate-Passed Online Safety Bill ‘Makes Kids Less Safe’ 2024
- Senate Passes Child Online Safety Bills That Could Hurt LGBTQ+ Kids & Allies 2024
- How the American War on Porn Could Change the Way You Use the internet 2024
- Adult Site Broker Talk Episode 214 with Ricci Levy of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation 2024
- Tech Lobby Follows NY Playbook on California Social Media Bill 2024
- Inside Kids’ Online Safety Prospects Pre- Election 2024
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation Debuts ‘Fact Checked by Woodhull’ Program 2024
- Freedom of Choice – Bound by the Cloak Podcast 2024
- Your Right to Sexual Expression Can Get You Fired 2024
- How Much Can States Regulate Social Media? The Supreme Court Hears Cases For and Against 2024
- Texas and Florida Want the Supreme Court To Bless Their Unconstitutional Social Media Laws 2024
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation Urges Florida Senators to Reject ‘Unconstitutional’ Age Verification Bill 2024
- The Kids Online Safety Act Could Ruin the Internet for LGBTQ+ Youth. Or Will it Protect Them? 2024
- Planned Parenthood Action Fund of NJ and Garden State Equality Call On State Legislature To Reject Restrictions on Internet Access 2024
- A Bad Year for Drag Queen Foes 2023
- Woodhull’s Mandy Salley Returns to ‘#SexTalkTuesday’ 2023
- Proposed Porn Age Verification Bill in Ohio Raises Serious Civil Liberties Concerns 2023
- Artists Call on Congress to Stop “Bad Internet Bills” 2023
- Leading Digital Rights, Privacy Orgs Urge Immediate Action Against ‘Bad Internet Bills’ 2023
- Court Rules Against Woodhull in FOSTA Appeal 2023
- Online Sex Trafficking Law is Constitutional, D.C. Cir. Says 2023
- Know Your Rights – The Censorship of Sexual Freedom 2023
- 132 Rights Groups Warn EARN IT Act Threatens Online Privacy and Free Speech 2023
- Sugar Daddy Appreciation Day with Mandy Salley – DTF: Darryl & Timaree Fun Hour 2023
- Motion to Dismiss Calls Out DOJ Duplicity in Backpage/Woodhull Cases 2023
- Free Speech Organizations Team Up to Push Back on Potential TikTok Ban 2023
- Breaking The Stigma with Ricci and Mandy from Woodhull 2023
- Interview with Ricci Levy & Mandy Salley of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation 2023
- Woodhull Defends Free Speech in Latest Court Battle Over FOSTA Censorship 2023
- Appeals Court Panel Seems Skeptical That FOSTA Doesn’t Violate the First Amendment 2023
- Woodhull’s FOSTA Challenge Lays Bare DOJ’s Lies in Lacey/Larkin Case 2023
- Appeals Court Seems Poised to Void Part of Sex Trafficking Law 2023
- How a War on Porn is Endangering US Sex Workers 2023
- BREAKING: Woodhull Defends Free Speech In Latest Court Battle Over FOSTA Censorship 2023
- Woodhull Files New Reply Brief Challenging FOSTA 2022
- The Sexual Freedom Episode – Part Two 2022
- Petition To Stop Law Silencing Legal Sexual Expression 2022
- Woodhull Warns Against GOP’s New Anti-LGBTQ Censorship Bill 2022
- Woodhull Launches Petition to Block EARN IT Act 2022
- Woodhull Launches Petition to Block EARN IT Act 2022
- There’s No Way FOSTA Isn’t a First Amendment Violation, Says Lawsuit 2022
- SPLC Sends Letter Urging District to Withdraw Disciplinary Action Against CA Adviser 2022
- Woodhull Files New Brief Challenging Constitutionality of FOSTA-SESTA 2022
- Sexual Freedom Summit: It’s about Males, Females, and X Controlling Their Bodies 2022
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation to Host ‘Censorship of Sexual Freedom’ Webinar 2022
- Virginia Judge Restricts Booksellers From Selling Two YA Books Accused of Being “Obscene” 2022
- OnlyFans Is Finally Showing Some Political Support for Sex Work 2022
- CCIA Welcomes Support From Diverse Group of 38 Organizations and Experts in Continued Effort to Halt Unconstitutional Texas Social Media Law 2022
- Plaintiffs Press Appeals Court to Rule That FOSTA Violates the First Amendment 2022
- Woodhull Appeals Case Challenging FOSTA Constitutionality 2022
- Woodhull Files Appeal in FOSTA-SESTA Challenge Suit 2022
- Woodhull Freedom Foundation Files Motion to Declare FOSTA Unconstitutional 2022
- New Woodhull Report Examines ‘Super Bowl Sex Trafficking’ Myth 2022
- Top Digital Rights Organization Highlights Woodhull’s Anti-FOSTA Litigation 2020
- Federal Court Hears Woodhull’s Appeal Challenging FOSTA 2019
Coalition Sign-Ons
- Harvard Solidarity Statement Letter
Center for American Progress
- Letter to FL Legislators about Protecting our Free Expression Rights
PEN America
- 90 civil rights and privacy organizations condemn ID-checking bills, citing effectiveness, censorship, and privacy concerns.
Fight for the Future
- Letter to US Attorney for DC on Prosecution Threats Against DOGE Critics
Freedom of the Press Foundation
- Submission to the Consolidated Industry Codes of Practice for the Online Industry, Class 1C and Class 2 Material – Australia
Scarlett Alliance
- 40+ Rights Organizations Urge Lawmakers to Denounce Mask Bans, Citing Free Expression, Privacy, Discrimination Concerns
Fight for the Future
- Coalition Letter to the Senate Opposing the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA)
Software & Information Industry Association
- Opposition Letter – CA SB 976 – “Protecting our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act”
Chamber of Progress
- Opposing South Carolina’s New Education Standards that Promote Censorship Sponsoring Org: PEN America
PEN America
- PRESS Act Markup (S.2074)
Freedom of the Press Foundation
- Letter to the House House Energly and Commerce Committee Opposing the Proposal to Sunset Section 230 of the Communications Act
Chamber of Progress
- Coalition Letter to Oppose Adding KOSA to the FAA Reauthorization Act
Chamber of Progress
- Letter Opposing HR 7521 – The TikTok Ban
- National Organizations Sound The Alarm: Suppressing Art Because it Relates to Political Conflict is a Violation of Artistic Freedom
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- Coalition of Over 20 Send Letter Opposing Florida’s SB 1372/HB 1291
PEN America
- Maryland HB 603 Coalition Opposition Letter
Chamber of Progress
- Letter to AG Chris Carr
Freedom of the Press Foundation
- Opposition Letter to NJ’s A5750/S4215 Age Verification Bill
- 25+ Human Rights Organizations Call on 2024 Congress to Investigate Big Tech and Publishing’s Stranglehold over Digital Books
- Pennsylvania SB 22 Coalition Letter
Chamber of Progress
- Rights orgs, Broadcasters Demand Info on FBI Raid of Journalist’s Home
Freedom of the Press Foundation
- Coalition Letter to Leader Schumer on Opposition to STOP CSAM Act
ACLU Human Rights Program
- Coalition Letter Opposing CA S.B. 680
Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Don’t Turn School Libraries Into Detention Centers
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- Opposition to S.1207 EARN IT Act & S.1199 STOP CSAM Act
- Over 200 LGBTQ+ and Allied Organizations Call on Target, Business Community to Speak Out Against Extremist Anti-LGBTQ+ Attacks
Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
- Opposition to the Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act of 2023 (EARN IT Act)
Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT)
- Open Letter on Fighting “Anti-Woke” Censorship of Intersectionality and Black Feminsim
Freedom to Learn Network
- More Than 200 Civil Rights and Education Organizations Call on Congress to Reject Book Bans and Bigotry, Support Inclusion and Respect
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
- TikTok Ban Free Expression Coalition Letter March 2023
PEN America
- Joint Statement with National Coalition Against Censorship Statement on Florida Attack on Drag Performances
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- Letter in Opposition to Oklahoma’s Proposed Rules 210:10-2-1 & 210:35-3-121
Amplify
- AHA Statement Opposing Florida House Bill 999 (March 2023)
American Historical Association
- Letter: Imposing Fees to Access the Twitter API Threatens Public-Interest Research
- Coalition Letter to Susan Rice on Establishment of Domestic Human Rights Institution
ACLU Human Rights Program
- Oppose Judicial Ethics Internet Censorship Provision of NDAA, Section 5934
Demand Progress
- Senate Floor Consideration of the Open App Markets Act (S.2710)
Tech Freedom
- Opposition to S. 3663’s Threats to Minors’ Privacy and Safety Online
Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT)
- Group Letter Urging Congress To Pass AICO & OAMA, Bipartisan Antitrust Bills To Rein in Big Tech
Public Knowledge
- Wood Hull Signs on to Letter on Sex Worker Pride Day to Human Rights Organizations Urging US Congress to Pass SAFE SEX Workers Study Act
Sex Workers Project
- Woodhull Joins SPLC in Sending Letter Urging District to Withdraw Disciplinary Action Against CA Adviser
Student Press Law Center
- Virginia Legal Action Threatens the Freedom to Read: Coalition Statement
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- Civil Liberties Groups Urge Social Media Platforms to Better Protect Free Flow of Information in Crisis Zones
Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Letter to the Texas Legislature re: Their Statement on Obscene Materials in School Libraries
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- CDT Leads Broad Human Rights Coalition Urging Senate to Drop EARN IT Act
Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT)
- Protected: Coalition Statement on the Attack on Books in Schools
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- Artists, Curators and Advocates Condemn Censorship of Coral Gables Public Art Show
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- The Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act
Free Press
- In Opposition to “Divisive Concepts” Legislation
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- Zoom, Facebook AND YouTube Threaten Academic Freedom
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- In Opposition to The Online Content Policy Modernization Act
Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT)
- Eliminate EARN IT Act
Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT)
- Concerns Over North Paulding High School During Pandemic
- The Free Press in a Time of Crisis
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- Expansion of Protections for Whistleblowers
Athena
- Against Attempts to Block Youth from Accessing LGBTQ Stories
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- The Right to Protest During a Pandemic
National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
- Legal Requirements Regarding the Equal Opportunity Clause’s Religious Exemption
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights