State

Citing escalating hate crimes by both organized hate groups and individuals, Equality California joined eight other major civil rights organizations to call on the California Legislature to order a comprehensive evaluation of law enforcement agencies’ efforts to protect Californians from hate crimes. The civil rights groups support a request by Assemblymember Kansen Chu (D-San José), the chair of the new Assembly Select Committee on Hate Crimes. “Hate crimes against LGBTQ people were already rising even before the hostile rhetoric of the 2016 election campaign and Trump’s presidency,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. “It’s more important now than […]

The Senate Appropriations Committee Friday passed a bill authored by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by Alameda District Attorney Nancy O’Malley that would help reduce the number of untested sexual assault evidence kits throughout California. AB 41 will for first time require law enforcement agencies to report to the California Department of Justice annual data on sexual assault evidence kit collection and testing, providing greater transparency for survivors, policy makers and the criminal justice system. “Survivors of sexual assault deserve to know what happened to the sexual assault evidence kits they submitted,” said Assemblymember Chiu. “To get at […]

Equality California has sent a letter to Rocklin Academy officials applauding the school for its support of a transgender kindergarten student following the reading of a book geared toward that age group by transgender teen and reality TV star Jazz Jennings. As a result of activities by right-wing advocacy groups, a number of parents complained after a transgender student brought the book “I am Jazz” to share with students in her kindergarten class. The book discusses Jennings’ childhood, what it is to be transgender and a message of respect and inclusion for everyone. “’I am Jazz’ above all teaches children […]

After 30 years of discussions, proposals and two AIDS Memorial Task Forces, San Diego will join other cities across the country and all over the world and finally have an AIDS Memorial to remember the over 8,000 men, women and children who have died of AIDS in San Diego County. A public meeting was held Monday night at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral to discuss the process of selecting a design, which is open for anyone to submit. About 60 San Diegans attended the meeting and approximately 10 people spoke during the public comment section. City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez (the […]

 The mayor of Piedmont in the San Francisco Bay Area has resigned after causing an uproar with what he calls “inflammatory or insulting” postings on Facebook.Jeff Wieler stepped down as mayor of the tiny city on Sunday, although he’ll remain on the City Council member. Wieler apologized in a letter to fellow council members. At a council meeting last week, resident Conna McCarthy read what she claimed were Wieler postings that said: “Black Lives Matter encourages cop killing,” ”Democrats are the plantation slave masters of today” and “Transgenders are mentally ill.” Those remarks weren’t on Wieler’s Facebook page Sunday.

California’s leading LGBTQ rights organizations and community leaders sent a unified message to former California Democratic Party (CDP) chair candidate Kimberly Ellis, urging her to put the fight for civil rights ahead of her personal agenda. Equality California, the Stonewall Democratic Club, and the chair of the CDP’s LGBT caucus were among the organizations and individuals calling for Ellis to concede the chair race. Their action comes amid reports that Ellis is raising money for a legal battle that would drain the Party’s resources away from fighting the Trump Administration’s attacks on the LGBTQ community and expanding civil rights. More […]

On behalf of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus, Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley), introduced Assembly Joint Resolution 22 today condemning President Trump’s announcement that he will ban transgender individuals from serving in the military and directing the California military to not discriminate against transgender service members. “Trump’s decision to ban transgender people from serving in the U.S. military is offensive, misguided, and contrary to our American values,” said Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley), Chair of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus. “The thousands of transgender military service members who have put their lives on the line for our country deserve better. […]

Brooke Ashjian Equality California have responded to statements made last week by Fresno Unified School Board of Trustees President Brook Ashjian in which he suggested that a law requiring schools to include information about LGBTQ people in middle and high school health classes might “sway” students to become LGBTQ themselves. Aug. 4, the Fresno Bee quoted Ashjian as saying “My biggest fear in teaching this – which we’re going to do it because it’s the law – but you have kids who are extremely moldable at this stage, and if you start telling them that LGBT is OK and that […]