Los Angeles — California ranks among the top U.S. states in terms of laws protecting its LGBT residents, according to an index just published by the Equality Federation and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
The State Equality Index (SEI) reveals that, even with historic progress on marriage equality, there are extraordinary state-to-state disparities in LGBT non-discrimination protections, including in the workplace, and efforts continue by equality opponents to pass state-level legislation that would sanction discrimination and undermine even minimal existing protections.
“While it’s gratifying to see California again ranked among the best of states in terms of LGBT equality, the State Equality Index also highlights a number of gaps that remain in the laws that protect our community,” said Rick Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California. “California is still one of the few states that does not mandate schools to have suicide prevention programs, an important goal to increase LGBT acceptance and reduce high LGBT dropout rates. Although the state of California adopted AB 959, which for the first time required data collection regarding sexual orientation and gender identity by certain California health and social services agencies, there is more work to be done in this area. Equality California is preparing a robust legislative agenda that addresses these deficiencies and that includes new, innovative legislation. One of these will be a bill to modernize HIV criminal laws that stigmatize and discriminate against people living with HIV.”
While more than 111 million people live in states where LGBT people lack clear state-level protections against discrimination in the workplace, the SEI points to a few encouraging signs – particularly in areas related to LGBTQ youth, health, and safety. States like Utah, New York, and Illinois expanded access to equality for LGBT people and their families, while others strengthened existing hate crimes laws, improved access to transgender-inclusive healthcare coverage, and protected LGBT youth from harmful “conversion therapy”.
“Even with marriage equality the law of the land, the battle for LGBT rights at the state level continues to be a story of successes and setbacks,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Though a number of states are expanding access to non-discrimination protections for LGBT people and their families, a majority of states are still struggling to reach even a basic level of equality for LGBT people.”
The SEI assesses statewide LGBT-related legislation and policies, good and bad, in five areas: parenting laws and policies; non-discrimination laws; hate crimes laws; youth-related laws and policies; and health and safety laws and policies. Based on that review, the SEI assigns states to one of four distinct categories.
Along with five other states and the District of Columbia, California falls into the top category, “Working Toward Innovative Equality.” All have robust LGBT non-discrimination laws covering employment, housing and public accommodations, as well as protections in the realm of credit, insurance, and jury selection. Most allow transgender people to change official documents to reflect their gender identity. Almost all bar private insurers from banning transition-related healthcare. LGBT youth are protected by anti-bullying laws, as well as innovative measures in some states that address conversion therapy, inclusive juvenile justice policies, homelessness, and sexual education.
The full report, including detailed scorecards for every state, is available online at www.hrc.org/sei.
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization dedicated to creating a fair and just society. Our mission is to achieve and maintain full and lasting equality, acceptance, and social justice for all people in our diverse LGBT communities, inside and outside of California. Our mission includes advancing the health and well-being of LGBT Californians through direct healthcare service advocacy and education. Through electoral, advocacy, education and mobilization programs, we strive to create a broad and diverse alliance of LGBT people, educators, government officials, communities of color and faith, labor, business, and social justice communities to achieve our goals. www.eqca.org