The LGBT community in Los Angeles County, California has seen a number of legal reforms over the years, with people with lived experience in the criminal justice system joining the Ad Hoc to develop information on the topic. In addition, sections of marriage not annulled by Proposition 8 cases have established sexual orientation as a protected class under California law, requiring greater scrutiny in discrimination disputes. This law also requires that the political, economic and social contributions of people with disabilities and LGBT people be included in educational textbooks and social curricula in California public schools by amending the California Education Code. Organ donation and transplantation among HIV-positive people is also safeguarded by law in the state of California.
Social workers have been at the forefront of social justice reforms, including the promotion of equal rights for LGBTQ people. In 1909, California passed a law that provided for the possible sterilization of moral or sexual perverts. In 1992, Governor Pete Wilson signed a law that reformed existing anti-discrimination laws in California to include sexual orientation in employment. Following the approval of Proposition 8, California Supreme Court justices affirmed that all same-sex marriages performed in California before the approval of Proposition 8 were still valid and recognized as marriage.
Support for LGBT rights is strongest in larger cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, as well as many cities on the Pacific coast. The section of the Welfare and Institutions Code that is being amended provides for training and instruction on cultural competence and sensitivity for the adequate care of LGBT young people receiving care outside the home. In 1850, shortly after joining the United States, California passed a penal code that prohibited sodomy, both heterosexual and homosexual, with a penalty of 1 to 14 years in prison. The LGBT community in Los Angeles County has seen a number of legal reforms over time that have helped to protect their rights.
From marriage equality to organ donation among HIV-positive individuals, social workers have been instrumental in advocating for these changes. The state has also amended its education code to include information about LGBT contributions to society. Additionally, Proposition 8 cases have established sexual orientation as a protected class under California law. The Welfare and Institutions Code has also been amended to provide training and instruction on cultural competence and sensitivity for LGBT young people receiving care outside the home.
This is especially important given that California passed a penal code back in 1850 that prohibited sodomy with a penalty of 1 to 14 years in prison. Overall, support for LGBT rights is strongest in larger cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, as well as many cities on the Pacific coast.
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