Always the most current information regarding our rights in the State of California.

WORKPLACE:

A bill called ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) continues to work it’s way through Congress. It passed through the House giving gays and lesbians protections but excluding rights for transgendered Americans. We now wait with anticipation too see what the Senate does.

HRC (Human Rights Campaign)’s annual index rating businesses on their treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered employees came out at the end of 2007. 519 companies rated, with an average score of 81. 195 companies got a perfect score. Three companies earned ratings of 0: ExxonMobil, supermarket firm Meijer, and the consultancy Perot Systems.

FREEDOM TO MARRY:

In 2008, it is expected that California will become a battle ground over this issue. A coalition has drafted what they are calling the California Marriage Protection Act which would change our constitution to define marriage between one man and one woman. They currently have over 100,000 signatures of the 694,354 signatures they need to collect by April 15th in order to place an initiative on the ballot in November. It is also expected this year that the California Supreme Court will make a ruling on the legal rights of same-sex coupes to marry.

In the beginning of October of 2007, Governor Schwarzenegger, for the second time vetoed a bill passed through the Legislature in 2005 called the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act AB 43. In the year 2000, California enacted Proposition 22 (now called California Family Code), preventing California from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other any state. The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act would have nullified California Family Code.

California has one of the most comprehensive Domestic Partnership programs in the country. Domestic Partnership in California provides rights for child custody, legal claims, housing protections, bereavement leaves and state benefits. However, Domestic Partners may rights are not the same as those who are married. They may only make health care decisions for each other in certain circumstances, must still file taxes as single (this will soon be changing), and in many cases protections are confusing and benefits second-rate.

Massachusetts is currently the only state were members of the opposite or the same sex may get married. California is however, leading the efforts to achieve the freedom to marry for all people. For more information on the messages that are helping to move the hearts and minds of Californians, visit http://www.letcaliforniaring.org.

CIVIL LIBERTIES:

In October 2007, Governor Schwarzenegger signed three bills that will protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth in school. The bills ensure that schools understand their responsibility to protect these children from discrimination and create a hotline for youth who feel their rights have been compromised.

In October 2007, the governor also signed EQCA’s Civil Rights Act of 2007 which strengthens 51 provisions in state law regarding several minority classifications including sexual orientation.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES:

Hillary Clinton: In favor of civil unions/domestic partnerships with full equality of benefits — not marriage (Clinton has voted both for and against same-sex marriage bills but currently claims it should be decided by the states). In favor of gays in the military. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was drafted by her husband. In favor of sexual orientation being added to definitions of hate crimes.

John McCain: Says Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is working and shouldn’t be tampered with. Says gay marriage should be decided by states and that a ban is “unrepublican” despite his previous voting record in which he voted yes to prohibiting same-sex marriage. Says he would be comfortable with a gay president. Voting record shows he has no qualms with job discrimination based on sexual orientation. Doesn’t believe hate crime protections should include sexual orientation (based on voting record.)

Barack Obama: Obama has kept us guessing with his support of the gay community. On Martin Luther King Day he spoke about how all Americans should be treated equally particularly gays and lesbians. Like his running mates he opposes gay marriage but supports civil unions. Says legal rights for gays should be decided by the state, not the church. Says equality is the issue as opposed to marriage. However, Obama was the first democratic nominee who wished to repeal the entire “Defense of Marriage Act”, a federal legislation that protects marriage between a man and a woman, other candidates wish to only reverse some portions. Then again, he failed to include this in the plan a presented on gay rights to the New York Blade. Ex-gay Donnie McClurkin controversially performed at one of his campaign events — his staff insists they were not aware he was ex-gay.

Ron Paul: Opposes Federal efforts to redefine marriage as something other than between a man and a woman but also strongly opposes efforts to define it as between a man and a woman. He voted against the FMA. “[Gays] can’t make me, personally, accept what they do, but they gay couples can do whatever they want. In fact, I’d like to see all governments out of the marriage question. I don’t think it’s a state function. I think it’s a religious function. There was a time when only churches dealt with marriage, and they determined what it was. But 100 years or so ago for health reasons they claim that the state would protect us if we knew more about our spouses and we did health testing and you had to get a license to get married and I don’t agree with that.” Believes that gays only belong in the military if it doesn’t hurt the military.

Mike Huckabee: Believes homosexuality is sinful and is in favor of defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Please don’t vote for him.