Attorney General Bonta Issues Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order Targeting the LGBTQ+ Community
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OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the followed statement regarding President Trump’s recent executive order that targets the LGBTQ+ community:
“All individuals, regardless of who they are or who they love, deserve to be recognized and treated equally. Here in California, the LGBTQ+ community is and will continue to be protected under a myriad of state laws and California’s constitution.
The United States Constitution also provides for equal protection under the law and federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, have recognized that discrimination against LGBTQ+ people is unlawful.
We are keeping a close eye on how this Executive Order is implemented and related actions by the Trump Administration. The President cannot eliminate fundamental rights by Executive Order, nor can he order federal agencies to violate the law.
Agencies and entities receiving state funding are reminded that members of the LGBTQ+ community are protected against discrimination and harassment and that our office will be monitoring to ensure the law is followed.
I am committed to defending California’s people and values.”
BACKGROUND AND RESOURCES
Among other things, California law:
- Prohibits gender identity discrimination and harassment and protects LGBTQ+ people and students from discrimination, harassment, hate crimes, and mistreatment, ensures safe and inclusive educational environments, and the right to workplaces that are free from discrimination and harassment.
- Protects the right of Californians to access gender-affirming healthcare services and permits proactive efforts to overcome the health effects of discrimination.
- Provides that people have the right to participate in sex-specific spaces – restrooms and locker-rooms – consistent with their gender identity.
- Provides that people have the right to self-select a gender identity of male (M), female (F), or nonbinary (X) to appear on their driver’s license or identification (DL/ID), birth certificate, and death certificate, and to update the designation on their marriage certificate to bride, groom, or neither.
- Provides that transgender people have the right to essential health care in state prison facilities.
Complaints asserting any violations related to enforcement of the Executive Order can be filed with the California Attorney General’s Office here or the California Civil Rights Department here. In addition, California has a number of resources for the LGBTQ+ community:
- California Department of Justice’s Health Equity and Civil Rights webpage
- California Department of Justice’s LGBTQ+ Discrimination Rights webpage
- Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Intersex (TGI) Inclusive Care Act
- California Department of Health Care Services’ Medi-Cal State Inmate Program and Medi-Cal County Inmate Program webpage
- California Courts Self Help Guide Update your gender marker or sex identifier on your identity documents webpage
- California Department of Motor Vehicles’ Update Information on Your Driver’s License or ID Card webpage
- California Civil Rights Department’s The Rights of Employees Who Are Transgender or Gender Nonconforming fact sheet
- California Department of Insurance’s Equal Access to Health Insurance: Coverage for Transgender Californians webpage
- California Department of Managed Health Care’s TGI Care webpage