The LGBTQ community in Los Angeles County, California is safeguarded by a number of anti-discrimination laws. These laws are designed to ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity to pursue health and happiness, earn a living, care for their loved ones, be safe in their communities, and participate in civic life. The term “sexual orientation” is used to describe the pattern of a person's romantic or sexual attraction to people of the opposite sex or gender, of the same sex or gender, or more than one sex or gender. Laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation primarily protect or harm lesbian, gay, and bisexual people.
Transgender people who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual can also be affected by these laws. The Equality Act would modify the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other existing federal civil rights laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination in public spaces and services and federally funded programs on the basis of sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity. This bill would also modify federal education laws to explicitly include students against discrimination against trans people, codify Bostock (the Supreme Court ruled that it is illegal to discriminate against trans and non-binary people in employment, housing, and credit), strengthen community services for survivors of violence against women transgender people, ban conversion therapy and invest in mental health services for trans and non-binary people. The Five-Pillar Resolution is a model for public education based on evidence-based practices that support teaching, learning, and family participation.
This resolution asks the federal government to modify the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include gender identity and sexual characteristics as protected characteristics. The EACH Act would reinstate abortion coverage for those receiving medical care or insurance through the federal government by repealing the Hyde Amendment. It would also prohibit state or local governments from restricting abortion coverage by private health insurance plans. The Do No Harm Act would clarify that the original intent of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) of 1993 protects religious exercise, but it cannot be used to violate civil rights.
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill would provide a much-needed path to citizenship, address the root causes of migration, and reform the visa system and prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals and families. It would make it easier for US graduates with advanced STEM degrees to remain in the US and improve access to green cards for low-wage workers. The Gun Violence Prevention Bill would expand background checks to make them mandatory on all firearms sales, closing loopholes at gun shows and online sales. It would also codify the position of Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons in the State Department; require the Department to develop a global strategy to respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ people internationally; and codify information about the human rights of LGBTQI+ people in the State Department's national reports.
The Credit Reporting Bill would prohibit credit agencies from disclosing previous names on credit reports used by lenders, landlords, or hiring managers. This bill would help many transgender and non-binary consumers who face serious problems with their credit reports after a legal name change. The Inclusive Bill for LGBTQ People would provide funding for high-quality, culturally competent sex education and improve access to care. It also eliminates the harmful Title V state grant program of “abstinence only until marriage” and redirects those funds to pay for new grants.
This bill would facilitate the collection of voluntary, self-revealed demographic data on sexual orientation, gender, and variations in sexual characteristics (intersex traits) in all federal surveys. Finally, The GLOBE Act would protect and promote the rights of LGBTQI people around the world by using existing sanctions to punish countries that abuse LGBTQI people. It would also ensure that foreign assistance and global health programs include LGBTQI people; decriminalize LGBTQI status in rule of law programs; guarantee fair access to asylum and shelter programs for LGBTQI people who suffer persecution; order...
