Equality California

Christian Legal Eagles Vow to Fight Enacting of State Law Ending "Pray the Gay Away" Therapy

Governor Jerry Brown over the weekend signed a bill championed by the LGBT community that make California the first state to outlaw therapy to "pray the gay away." "We're grateful to Governor Brown for standing with California's children," reads a statement from Chad Griffin, president of the Human ... More >>

Smile for the 10 Ugliest Police Mugshots of 2011

​On several Fridays this year, we've presented the Ugliest Police Mugshot of the Week.But what about the Ugliest Police Mugshots of the Year?Glad you asked.After the jump are the 10 ugliest of the ugliest, which were mostly culled from our semi-weekly selection, although we also tossed in some oth ... More >>

[UPDATED with Not Enough Signatures:] OC Groups Rally to Overturn Gay History Law

In the children's book King & King, a prince falls in love with a prince. ​UPDATE, OCT. 13, 4:17 PM.: Stop SB 48, the group that aimed to repeal the so-called Gay History Law, was unable to gather enough signatures from voters by this week's deadline.    "Despite the overuse of the ... More >>

OC Groups Rally to Overturn Gay History Law

In the children's book King & King, a prince falls in love with a prince. ​In July, Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 48, also known as the FAIR Education Act, which requires that California public schools incorporate the contributions of gays and lesbians in their lessons.Or, as Anaheim-based Tradi ... More >>

Marten Joseph Brandel, Accused Hanger of Noose at Gay-Rights Office and Ugly Police Mugshot Legend

​This week was an especially fruitful one for ugly police mugshots. There are the skinhead San Clemente home invaders. As previously noted, a suspected student loan bilker is certainly no looker. And by shear weight alone, a 300-pound rape suspect had it locked.But then we took a gander at the mug ... More >>

[UPDATED:] Noose Hung at Gay Rights Group's Office; Demand Made for Police Probe

​UPDATE: Equality California's executive director released a statement tonight in response to Santa Ana Police "mishandling" a potential hate crime (see end of post) . . . A volunteer for a nonprofit that works for legal protections for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered returned to h ... More >>

First a Victory, Now a War

Same-sex marriage supporters and detractors react to Proposition 8 ruling, what happens next

[UPDATED:] Prop 8 Overturned

​UPDATE: More details on tonight's celebratory rally (see end of post) . . .In a landmark case, Proposition 8, the 2008 California voter initiative that outlawed gay marriage, was overturned. Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco ruled that the voter initiative is unconstitution ... More >>

Ex-Rated Criticism of Exodus International

Michael Bussee and other activists denounce the upcoming conference of the 'ex-gay' ministry

What You Missed: The Anti-"Ex-Gay" Conference

Christopher Victorio / OC WeeklyExodus founder and critic Michael Bussee.​A small but impassioned group of gay-rights supporters convened in Irvine on Saturday in response to the upcoming Exodus International Freedom Conference. Exodus' notoriety for "praying the gay away" has effectively prayed ... More >>

Locals Gather to Ixnay the Ex-Gay Conference

OC WeeklyMichael Bussee​Among the many charming events that Orange County attracts year after year--ranging from conferences held by holocaust deniers to 9/11 truthers--none might be more charming than Exodus International's "Freedom Conference" in Irvine, at which panels and workshops are he ... More >>

A Rare Chance to Spot OC Progressives

​Quick, how many Orange County progressives can you fit in a phone booth? OK, that's a totally unfair question. There are no such thing as phone booths anymore.But there are, apparently, people identifying themselves as those Glenn Beck bogeymen. And, these progressives managed to scrape up enough ... More >>

The New Yorker Tags Along With OC Gay-Rights Activists

Jennie Warren / OC Weekly OCEC board members (front) Cas Gregory, Archer Altstaetter and Felicity Figueroa with (back) Equality California's Elizabeth Aversa and Daniel shad​Last week's New Yorker magazine featured "A Risky Proposition," an exhaustive, fascinating look at the prospects for the leg ... More >>

Proposition 8 Is Keeping Same-Sex Couples From Marrying, But It Has United OC's Gay Community

More on OC's Reinvigorated Gay-Rights Movement

Jennie Warren / OC Weekly​A few ideas I couldn't quite fit into this week's cover story on gay-rights activism in Orange County: - LGBT-rights doesn't necessarily mean LGBT: Most of the LGBT activists working in Orange County told me that one of the most remarkable thing about the network that has ... More >>

Time Has Arrived to Send In the Drag Queens

Photo by Christopher VictorioSal Landers, performing at the Aug. 15 OC Pride festival in Irvine, is on the bill for Equality California's Aug. 27 show.​Marines, Teamsters and wildcats have helped pull this country out of some sticky situations, but when it comes to an issue that's divided Californ ... More >>

Resurrected, Boisterous OC Pride Festival "a Smashing Success"

Photo by Christopher VictorioPark rangers talk with OC Pride participants about the noise at Mason Regional Park in Irvine on Saturday.​The crowd was small but boisterous, there was a minor issue with the noise and some participants did not know at first that the showy police presence was for thei ... More >>

Counter-Prop. 8 Gay Marriage Initiative Coming to the Polls ... in 2012

​Two weeks ago, Clockwork linked you to a report by The Liberal OC's Chris Prevatt about a disastrous same-sex marriage confab summit he attended where folks were split between what can loosely be labeled "the gay masses" calling for a new initiative to counter California's Proposition 8 on the ne ... More >>

Groups on Either Side of Prop. 8 Blast 2012 Same-Sex Marriage Initiative

Equality California's decision to hold off on pursuing a same-sex marriage voter initiative at least until 2012 is not being cheered by groups on either side of the Prop. 8 debate.Reports the San Francisco Chronicle:But the organization's decision appears to collide with other progressive groups fig ... More >>