California LGBT groups roll out campaign to head off future anti-LGBT efforts

Following the announcement by “Privacy For All” that their anti-LGBT petition drive to put a measure on the 2016 ballot requiring transgender persons to use restrooms aligned with their biological gender, rather than their gender identity, had failed, California LGBT groups unveiled an education campaign to forestall similar future efforts.

Equality California said in a web post, “’Privacy for All,’ the group behind the failed measure, needed to submit 365,880 valid signatures to the California Secretary of State’s office to qualify for the ballot. ‘Privacy for All’ is backed by the right-wing, Sacramento-based Pacific Justice Institute and other supporters of Proposition 8.

“’All Californians – no matter their race, age, gender, or sexual orientation – should have the same freedom to support their families and go about their lives without fear of discrimination,’ said Kris Hayashi, executive director of Transgender Law Center. ‘This initiative was a poorly veiled attack on transgender people that sought to undermine that freedom and single out for harassment anyone who doesn’t meet stereotypes of what it looks like to be male or female. Today Californians have made clear these types of discriminatory attacks on transgender people and our families, communities, and neighborhoods have no place in our state.’”

“’Opponents of LGBT equality use ignorance and fear as a weapon against the transgender community,’” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. ‘We know from our research that many people don’t really even know what ‘transgender’ means. While our opponents failed to gather enough support this time, we know they will be back. Through our public education campaign, we will educate the public about transgender people, the challenges they face and the contributions they make.’”

Equality California and the Transgender Law Center, along with other LGBT advocacy groups in California, are rolling out an education campaign to head off future similar efforts by anti-gay activists and organizations.

Equality California’s web post says, “To educate California voters about their transgender neighbors and to forestall similar, future efforts to target them at the ballot box, Equality California and the Transgender Law Center are leading a separate statewide public education campaign to combat widespread public misunderstanding about transgender and gender nonconforming people and the issues they face. The separate campaign includes other LGBT and civil rights organizations as well as groups serving communities of color and the faith community. The effort is independent of work on any political or legislative campaign and is aimed at creating understanding and acceptance of transgender Californians through research and education.”

Privacy For All, the group that had organized the anti-LGBT campaign, admitted their failure in a web post. “Today is the day that Privacy For All should be submitting the signatures required to qualify the Personal Privacy Protection Act for the November 2016 ballot. Unfortunately we fell short of the signatures needed.”

According to their press release, the organization said, “According to privacy advocate Karen England, ‘There is no singular cause for the shortage of signatures. Certainly the holiday season is not the best time to make a final push with petitions, but we just did not find the same urgency to enact a new law today as there was two years ago to overturn a law scheduled to be enacted in a matter of weeks.’"

The organization vowed to continue its efforts. “Apparently PFA also had difficulty differentiating between the 2013 and the 2015 petition drives as many declined to sign current petitions because they mistakenly believed they had already signed.

“’We are disappointed that this measure will not be on the 2016 ballot, but our efforts to protect privacy in bathrooms, locker rooms and showers will continue,’ said Gina Gleason. ‘The legal action to count all ballot signatures submitted in 2013 continues, we expect to see lawsuits by those who have had their privacy violated, and we assume that a measure like the Personal Privacy Protection Act will qualify for the ballot in the future.’"

With a lot of effort, and some luck, the education campaign organized by LGBT advocates in California will succeed in heading off similar hateful anti-LGBT and anti-transgender initiative petition efforts.

The Gayly – December 22, 2015 @ 11:50 a.m.