May 23, 2025 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

California Transphobic ballot initiative again fails to qualify

BY MATTHEW BAJKO  |   For the second year in a row an effort to place a transphobic ballot measure before California voters has failed.

Late Monday afternoon the group that had been circulating a proposed initiative that would require people to use facilities in government buildings and public schools based on the gender they were assigned at birth announced it had failed to gather the signatures needed in order to place it on the November 2016 ballot.

Calling itself Privacy For All, the group had until December 21 to submit 365,880 valid signatures to qualify its Personal Privacy Protection Act for next year’s general election. But in a message posted on Facebook at approximately 4:30 p.m. Monday, the group announced it had fallen short.

“While we are extremely disappointed, we know that we gave this effort our best and ‘left it all on the field,’” stated the message.

There had been growing concern that anti-gay groups would transport the successful messaging they used last month in Houston to repeal that city’s equal rights ordinance to California. That campaign played off fears that the local law would allow male sexual predators into women’s restrooms.

LGBT advocates therefore were elated to see the transphobic bathroom measure fail in the Golden State.

“It is a good day and we are just ecstatic at the fact we have more time to make the advances we need to for the transgender community,” Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur told the Bay Area Reporter in a brief phone interview late Monday.

Last year a similar coalition of anti-gay groups failed to gather enough signatures to repeal Assembly Bill 1266, a groundbreaking law that grants transgender students access to school activities like sports teams and the use of school facilities like bathrooms based on their gender identity.

The back-to-back defeats make it increasingly unlikely going forward that anti-gay groups will be able to utilize California’s initiative process to strip away LGBT rights.

Nonetheless, EQCA plans to move forward with a public education campaign it is developing to bring greater awareness to the issues transgender people confront. It should debut sometime in February.

“In any case as long as the public doesn’t know and appreciate the gifts and talents transgender people contribute to our community that community is at risk of being used as a wedge issue by right-wing extremists,” said Zbur

in NEWS
Related Posts

Nikó Sando and Malou Coffee & Kitchen Are the Newest Additions to Brentwood’s Food Scene

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

The Duo of New Eateries Offers Refined Japanese Sandōs and Globally Influenced Coffee Brentwood has welcomed two exciting new additions...

Dawn Richard Testifies Diddy Assaulted Cassie Ventura at a WeHo Restaurant in 2010

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

Combs Hit Cassie “Hard” in Front of Usher and Ne-Yo, Says Danity Kane Star Singer and former Danity Kane member...

Exclusive Interview with Cardinale du Vin’s New Chef-in-Residence Paul Chuanchaisit

May 22, 2025

May 22, 2025

The Westside Wine Bar Expands Its Culinary Horizons With a Bold New Menu By Dolores Quintana Cardinale du Vin is...

Memorial Day Weekend in L.A.: Rosé, Beach BBQs, and Brunches Ring in the Summer

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

The Westside Is Packed With Culinary Events, Pop-Ups, and Parties This Weekend Angelenos looking to kick off the summer season...

(Video) Interview with Chef Roy Choi for his new book The Choi of Cooking

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

We speak with the world-famous Socal Chef in Manhattan Beach at the Los Angeles Public Library.

FDA Probes Salmonella Outbreak Tied to Recalled Cucumbers Distributed in California

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

At Least 26 People Sickened and 9 Hospitalized in Multiple States  Federal health officials are investigating a multistate outbreak of...

Thieves Use Cars to Smash Into Fairfax Stores in String of High-End Burglaries

May 21, 2025

May 21, 2025

LAPD Investigates String of Vehicle-Driven Break-Ins at Specialty Boutiques Storeowners in the Fairfax District are grappling with concerns about safety...

State Farm Seeks New Insurance Rate Hikes for California Homeowners and Renters

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Insurer Aims to Raise Premiums by up to 52% for Some Policyholders by 2026 Just one week after receiving approval...

Mayor Bass Launches Major Initiative to Boost Film Production in Los Angeles After Years of Neglect

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Facing Industry Setbacks, L.A. Rolls Out Plan to Attract On-Location Shoots In a renewed effort to preserve Los Angeles’ status...

Lisa Vanderpump, Ken Todd Settle Labor Lawsuit with Former Pump Employees for $490K

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Judge Approves Final Class-Action Settlement in Long-Running Wage Dispute Lisa Vanderpump and her husband, Ken Todd, have reached a final...

Michelin Three Star Institution Brings 20th Anniversary Culinary Experience to Beverly Hills

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Grant Achatz’s Alinea Heads to Beverly Hills for Summer Residency Renowned chef Grant Achatz and his team at Alinea, Chicago’s...

Deadline Approaches to Apply for GLAAD’s 2025 Black Queer Creative Summit

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Program Returns in September to Support Emerging Black LGBTQ Creatives The deadline to apply to the 2025 Black Queer Creative...

West Hollywood City Manager David Wilson to Retire After 26 Years of Public Service

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

Wilson to Retire After Guiding West Hollywood Through COVID and Beyond David Wilson, West Hollywood’s City Manager and a longtime...

L.A. County DA Files Over 1,000 Felony Theft Charges Under Prop 36 in Retail Crime Crackdown

May 19, 2025

May 19, 2025

DA Nathan Hochman Unveils Major Enforcement Effort Targeting Organized Retail Theft Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced...

LGBTQ+ Advocates Condemn Newsom Administration Over $17 Million Health Equity Cut

May 19, 2025

May 19, 2025

LGBT Center Calls State Funding Rollback a ‘Betrayal’ of Queer and Trans Communities LGBTQ+ advocates are sharply criticizing Governor Gavin...