During the past several years, the LGBTQ community has witnessed an incredible expansion of our civil rights and civil liberties. Courts are striking down prohibitions against marriage and LGBTQ people are enjoying the rights and privileges enjoyed by all married couples. At LGBTQ Center OC we celebrate these advances, but we also know there remain significant battles before us; battles that must be fought and victory assured before we have full equality under the law. LGBTQ Center OC is committed to garnering full equality for all LGBTQ people, as well as fighting against specific incidents of discrimination, and working to create policy and support legislation that moves the LGBTQ agenda forward.
At LGBTQ Center OC, we recognize ourselves as part of a national family of LGBTQ centers; we know many of our family members live in states where one can still be fired based solely on one’s sexual orientation. The federal government has yet to pass legislation protecting LGBTQ people from all types of job place discrimination. In twenty nine states, it is still legal to fire someone because of their orientation and 32 states do not offer gender protection. Imagine someone telling you, “I don’t like lesbians/gays so you’re fired.” That’s still legal in most of the country. The Center is committed to fighting these laws until they no longer exist. We do this through national and state level collaborations and partnerships. We also work locally to fight discrimination.
It probably won’t surprise anyone to hear our community is the #2 target of hate crimes in Orange County. If you believe you have been the victim of a hate crime or a hate incident, please call us immediately. We have experts on staff who can work with you to report an incident, and help you navigate all the resources available to hate crimes victims. We are also here to help the many LGBTQ people who face workplace discrimination in conservative Orange County. If you feel you have been a victim of discrimination, please call us; you do not have to face the discrimination alone. LGBTQ Center OC can advocate and fight on your behalf.
LGBTQ Center OC Youth Program has strong presence in K-12 schools around the county and our “Safe Zone” program has been adopted by many schools. Still, there are schools that won’t protect the rights of LGBTQ students. Again, we have experts who can work with you to advocate for LGBTQ rights on your school campuses.
We do not do this work in isolation. LGBTQ Center OC works with social justice groups locally and across the state in an ongoing effort to expand the civil rights of those groups who are natural partners to the LGBTQ community: women’s groups, pro-choice groups, other civil rights groups, many organizations representing minority communities, and those who advocate for the rights of undocumented LGBTQ people.
Advocating for civil rights and the end to discrimination and bigotry is at the heart of our mission. It is work we will continue until all LGBTQ people are treated with dignity and equality under the law.
