California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus And Equality California Condemn The Capitol Morning Report Platforming Hate Group

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman and Assemblymember Chris Ward, Chair and Vice-Chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, and Equality California Director Tony Hoang condemn the platforming of an openly transphobic group in the Capitol Morning Report. The publication, a daily listing of upcoming events and other news for members of California's Capitol community, included a registration and link to a transphobic webinar from the Pacific Justice Institute, which is designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group. The description of the webinar included insensitive language meant to direct hate toward the transgender community. Founder Brad Dacus has a history of being openly homophobic. In 2008, he compared failing to pass Proposition 8 banning gay marriage in California akin to a failure to stop Adolf Hitler and the Nazis during World War II. In 2012, he pushed to overturn a ban on conversion therapy, despite numerous studies concluding the practice causes serious emotional harm to LGBTQ people. Dacus has also previously stated that legalizing gay marriage would open to the door to “adult incest.” May 17th was International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, which seeks to raise awareness of violence, discrimination and repression of LGBTQ+ communities worldwide. Yet, one of the first things likely read by Capitol LGBTQ+ community members and staff was blatant transphobia in the Capitol Morning Report. The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus denounces the decision to publish the listing for this webinar and its harmful language and rhetoric targeting the transgender community. While it was in part relieving to see the publisher’s note of reflection and interest in tempering language, the edited item remains in its publication today. Varied political perspectives from all walks of life should be welcomed into the public discourse, but hateful ideologies that spread misinformation and endanger others have no place in the Capitol community. The Capitol is a place where everyone should feel safe regardlessof their politics.

Link to Press Release Here