equality california
After Republican Caitlyn Jenner Says "I'm In" for Governor, Equality California Says: "We're Out"
"Make no mistake: we can't wait to elect a trans governor of California," said the advocacy group. "But Jenner spent years telling the LGBTQ+ community to trust Donald Trump. We saw how that turned out."
California's largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group shared its immediate reaction to the news that Republican reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner announced her bid for governor on Friday.
After Jenner declared, "I'm in" on Friday in a statement, the group shot back on social media: "We're out."
Jenner said she had filed initial paperwork to run against Gov. Gavin Newsom, who may face a recall election this year after GOP forces criticized his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Equality California made clear on social media that it "can't wait to elect a trans governor of California," but that the group isn't willing to back a candidate who has supported former President Donald Trump, who pushed a blatantly anti-trans agenda.
\u201cMake no mistake: we can\u2019t wait to elect a #trans governor of California. \n\nBut @Caitlyn_Jenner spent years telling the #LGBTQ+ community to trust Donald Trump. We saw how that turned out. Now she wants us to trust her?\n\nHard pass. @StopRepRecall\u201d— Equality California (@Equality California) 1619189563
While Jenner criticized Trump for his attacks on the rights of transgender students and adults who want to serve in the military, she maintains ties to the former president, Equality California said.
\u201cAfter Trump banned transgender troops from serving in the military, attacked transgender students and even tried to allow homeless shelters to turn away trans women, @Caitlyn_Jenner STILL hired his former inner circle to run her campaign.\u201d— Equality California (@Equality California) 1619189563
"Californians--and trans Californians, in particular--understand all too well the risk of electing another reality TV star who cares more about fame and money than civil rights, healthcare, and the safety of our communities," the group said, signaling its support for Newsom.
\u201cWe can\u2019t let that happen. Governor @GavinNewsom is a pro-equality champion who has spent his career fighting for #LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice.\n\nHe\u2019s been there for us, time and time again. Now it\u2019s our turn to be there for him. @StopRepRecall\u201d— Equality California (@Equality California) 1619189563
Last year, Newsom signed two bills co-sponsored by Equality California, requiring healthcare providers to collect LGBTQ+ health data for communicable diseases and requiring that incarcerated transgender people be housed according to their gender identity, not their sex assigned at birth.
Protections for Transgender Foster Youth Signed into Law
Governor Jerry Brown today signed legislation authored by Senator Mark Leno and sponsored by Equality California that provides new protections for transgender foster youth. Senate Bill 731 ensures that all foster youth, including those who identify as transgender, are placed in appropriate homes where they feel safe and accepted. It requires caregivers tasked with placing foster youth in homes to take a young person's gender identity into consideration when making this critical decision.
Governor Jerry Brown today signed legislation authored by Senator Mark Leno and sponsored by Equality California that provides new protections for transgender foster youth. Senate Bill 731 ensures that all foster youth, including those who identify as transgender, are placed in appropriate homes where they feel safe and accepted. It requires caregivers tasked with placing foster youth in homes to take a young person's gender identity into consideration when making this critical decision.
"Young people have a better opportunity to thrive in situations where they are fully accepted and supported for who they are," said Senator Leno, D-San Francisco. "Entering the foster care system is challenging for all youth, but it can actually be damaging for young people whose identities are not affirmed by their caregivers and peers."
When a child enters California's foster care system, welfare workers and caregivers consider a host of factors when choosing an appropriate placement. The Foster Care Bill of Rights gives all foster youth the right to fair and equal access to services and the right to be free from discrimination based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. State law, however, does not provide specific guidance on foster placements for youth who are transgender. SB 731 provides that needed direction.
The bill is co-sponsored by Equality California, the National Center for Lesbian Rights and Transgender Law Center.
"Children are placed in foster homes to remove them from dangerous situations and protect them from harm," said Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California. "Too often, transgender kids are placed into home situations that are more hostile than the ones they left. This law is simple common sense and will help ensure that vulnerable children are kept safe."
Studies show that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth are at higher risk for homelessness, abuse, depression and suicide. Transgender youth in particular are at high risk for poor health outcomes due to the rejection and harassment they face. These risks are magnified for young people in foster care, many of whom have already experienced significant trauma.
SB 731 takes effect on January 1, 2016.
Coalition Prepared to Fight Ballot Initiative Targeting Transgender Californians
A coalition of leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and allied organizations has formed to battle a proposed ballot initiative targeting California's transgender community.
A coalition of leading lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and allied organizations has formed to battle a proposed ballot initiative targeting California's transgender community.
The coalition consists of the American Civil Liberties Union of California, Equality California, the Human Rights Campaign, Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), and Transgender Law Center, as well as a steering committee of organizations representing diverse communities throughout California. Attorney General Kamala Harris today issued a title and ballot summary for the bathroom policing initiative, named "Limits on Use of Facilities in Government Buildings and Businesses," which would prohibit transgender people from using facilities in government buildings and require the government to monitor bathroom use. The law would also allow anyone offended by the presence of an individual in a restroom to sue that person for a $4,000 in damages, as well as attorney's fees.
"All Californians should have the same freedom to go about their lives and access government buildings without having their privacy invaded or being forced to undergo invasive examination simply to use a public restroom," said Kris Hayashi, Executive Director of Transgender Law Center. "The bathroom policing initiative would unfairly single out transgender people and people who don't meet stereotypes of what it looks like to be male or female for interrogation and exclusion."
"Privacy for All" is the same group that previously unsuccessfully attempted to overturn AB 1266. The group is backed by the Sacramento-based Pacific Justice Institute, a right-wing legal organization.
"Our opponents clearly have a taste for irony," said Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California. "Why else would they include 'privacy' in the name of their organization that seeks to invade the most basic dignity of the transgender community - or really, of anyone who doesn't match subjective standards of masculinity or femininity? This initiative has no safeguards about who does the interrogating or how an individual would prove their identity. It's a recipe for harassment."
Right-wing activists have increasingly targeted the transgender community for discrimination, proposing a spate of bills and initiatives across the country that would prohibit transgender people from using public bathrooms and otherwise participating in public life.
We Interrupt This Article with an Urgent Message! Common Dreams is a not-for-profit news service. All of our content is free to you - no subscriptions; no ads. We are funded by donations from our readers. Our critical Mid-Year fundraiser is going very slowly - only 1,024 readers have contributed so far. We must meet our goal before we can end this fundraising campaign and get back to focusing on what we do best. |
The bathroom policing initiative goes even farther than efforts in other states or previous California ballot proposals, potentially allowing anyone to sue an individual whose gender expression they found offensive in a restroom. Government analysts say the measure could cost California millions of dollars every year in legal expenses and lost federal funding.
The initiative also includes language authorizing businesses to exclude individuals from facilities for not looking masculine or feminine enough, and preventing individuals from bringing legal action to enforce discrimination laws. The provision in effect could lead to exclusion based on gender altogether from facilities in those establishments with no legal recourse.
Backers of the initiative now may begin collecting the 365,880 signatures needed to place the proposal on the 2016 ballot.