Barbara Sue Boxer is an American politician,lobbyist,and former reporter who served in the United States Senate,representing California from 1993 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party,she served as the U.S. representative for California's 6th congressional district from 1983 until 1993.
Roberta Achtenberg is an American attorney and civil rights advocate who served as a commissioner on the United States Commission on Civil Rights. She was previously assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,becoming the first openly lesbian or gay public official in the United States whose appointment to a federal position was confirmed by the United States Senate. This confirmation hearing garnered a lot of publicity,opposition,and support.
Fiona Ma is an American politician and accountant. She has been serving as the California state treasurer since January 7,2019. She previously was a member of the California Board of Equalization (2015–2019),the California State Assembly (2006–2012),and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (2002–2006).
A California domestic partnership is a legal relationship,analogous to marriage,created in 1999 to extend the rights and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. It was extended to all opposite-sex couples as of January 1,2016 and by January 1,2020 to include new votes that updated SB-30 with more benefits and rights to California couples choosing domestic partnership before their wedding. California Governor Newsom signed into law on July 30,2019.
Joseph Edward Nation is an American politician and academic. He graduated from the University of Colorado with a B.A. in Economics,German and French. While he was a Pan Am flight attendant,he studied at Georgetown University under Madeleine Albright as a James T. Webb Fellow in Science,Technology,and Diplomacy while earning a Masters in Foreign Service. He subsequently earned a Ph.D. in Public Policy Analysis from the RAND Graduate School and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University,where he conducted research on defense conversion and wrote a book,The De-Escalation of Nuclear Crises.
Toni Gayle Atkins is an American politician who served as the 51st President pro tempore of the California State Senate from 2018 to 2024. A member of the Democratic Party,she previously served as the 69th Speaker of the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2016 and the California State Assembly Majority Leader from 2012-2014. She has represented the 39th State Senate district since 2016,encompassing most of San Diego.
Mark Leno is an American politician who served consecutively in both houses of the California State Legislature from 2002 to 2016. A Democrat,he represented the 11th Senate district,which includes San Francisco and portions of San Mateo County,from 2012 to 2016. Until the 2010 redistricting came into effect,he represented the 3rd Senate district (2008–2012). Prior to being elected to the State Senate in 2008,Leno served in the California State Assembly,representing the 13th district.
California Safe Cosmetics Act of 2005 is a state law that requires cosmetics manufacturers that sell products in the U.S. state of California to label any ingredient that is on state or federal lists of chemicals that cause cancer or birth defects. The law also demands manufacturers to supply any health-related information about cosmetic ingredients,and it authorized the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CalOSHA) to regulate the products used in salons. Senate Bill 484 was authored by Senator Carole Migden,was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on October 7,2005,and took effect on January 1,2007. The Legislation was the first of its kind in the nation.
Joel Anderson is an American politician serving as a member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. A Republican,he is a former California state senator,assemblyperson,and board member of a municipal water district. During his time in the Legislature,Anderson served on the board of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) as California state chair.
The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus is an American political organization formed in June 2002 and composed of openly lesbian,gay,bisexual and transgender members of the California State Legislature. The caucus currently has 12 members,a record.
Betty T. Yee is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as California State Controller from 2015 to 2023. She previously served as a member of the California Board of Equalization from 2004 to 2015. She won the open seat for Controller in the 2014 election,with 54% of the vote. Yee won reelection in 2018,defeating Republican Konstantinos Roditis in a landslide,and she served as Controller until January 2,2023.
Philip Yu-Li Ting is an American politician currently serving in the California State Assembly. He is a Democrat representing the 19th Assembly District,which encompasses western San Francisco and northwestern San Mateo County. Prior to being elected to the Assembly in 2012,he was the Assessor-Recorder of San Francisco.
Shannon Lee Grove is an American politician,who represents California's 12th State Senatorial district,encompassing the southern Central Valley and parts of the High Desert. A Republican,she served as the minority leader of the California State Senate from 2019 to 2021.
Scott Wiener is an American politician who has served in the California State Senate since 2016. A Democrat,he represents the 11th district,encompassing San Francisco and parts of San Mateo County.
Jean Harris,born Kathie Jean Shafer,was an American Democratic and LGBT rights activist.
Robert Andres Bonta is an American lawyer and politician serving as the attorney general of California since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party,he previously served as a member of the California State Assembly for the 18th district from 2012 to 2021 and as a member of the Alameda City Council from 2010 to 2012.
Patricia "Pat" Carmody Bates is an American Republican politician who served in the California State Senate,representing the 36th Senate district,which encompasses parts of Orange and San Diego counties. She left office on December 5,2022. She served as the Senate's minority leader from 2017 to 2019. She previously served as a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors from 2007 to 2014,and the California State Assembly from 1998 to 2004. She also served as the first mayor of Laguna Niguel,California following its incorporation in 1989,and continued to serve on the city council until 1998. Before serving as mayor,she had been employed as a social worker in Los Angeles County.
Catharine Bailey Baker is an American attorney and politician from California. Baker was a Republican member of the California State Assembly from 2014 to 2018. She has served on the California Fair Political Practices Commission since 2021.
Barbara May Cameron was a Native American photographer,poet,writer,and human rights activist in the fields of lesbian/gay rights,women's rights,and Native American rights.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was an early opponent of same-sex marriage in the United States,including during his Governorship of California. As an elected official he opposed legal recognition of same-sex marriage but otherwise he supported LGBT rights legislation,including civil unions.
