SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang in response to the announcement that long-serving LGBTQ Caucus member and Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins will be succeeded by Senator Mike McGuire with a transition to be announced next year:
“We are beyond grateful to have worked alongside Pro Tem Atkins throughout her career to advance legislative priorities that benefit LGBTQ+ Californians — from protecting transgender youth and their families, to reducing healthcare disparities, to protecting the right to bodily autonomy and currently combating the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ hate and policies across California. Pro Tem Atkins has been a trailblazing LGBTQ+ leaders and an invaluable partner to Equality California in our efforts to achieve full lived equality for all LGBTQ+ Californians. She has carved her name in history as the first woman and first openly LGBTQ+ person to lead the California State Senate, the first lesbian speaker of the California State Assembly, and the first person since 1871 to have held the top leadership position in both chambers of the California legislature. We congratulate Pro Tem Designee McGuire, who has a lifetime 100% score from Equality California, and are committed to continuing to work with him to ensure that all LGBTQ+ Californians are heard from and supported across the state. Equality California looks forward to working with him and his future leadership team to continue the historic advancements that we have secured for LGBTQ+ Californians.”
“We are beyond grateful to have worked alongside Pro Tem Atkins throughout her career to advance legislative priorities that benefit LGBTQ+ Californians — from protecting transgender youth and their families, to reducing healthcare disparities, to protecting the right to bodily autonomy and currently combating the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ hate and policies across California. Pro Tem Atkins has been a trailblazing LGBTQ+ leaders and an invaluable partner to Equality California in our efforts to achieve full lived equality for all LGBTQ+ Californians. She has carved her name in history as the first woman and first openly LGBTQ+ person to lead the California State Senate, the first lesbian speaker of the California State Assembly, and the first person since 1871 to have held the top leadership position in both chambers of the California legislature.
We congratulate Pro Tem Designee McGuire, who has a lifetime 100% score from Equality California, and are committed to continuing to work with him to ensure that all LGBTQ+ Californians are heard from and supported across the state. Equality California looks forward to working with him and his future leadership team to continue the historic advancements that we have secured for LGBTQ+ Californians.”
###
Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
