Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization. HRC advocates on behalf of LGBT Americans both inside the Beltway and on Main Street, educating the public on LGBT issues, mobilizing grass roots support in communities across the country, and strategically investing in political candidates with progressive approaches toward LGBT issues.

While the 2008 elections in the United States were a historic milestone for racial issues, the results of ballot initiatives outlawing gay marriages in Arizona, Florida and California demonstrated that LGBT citizens still have a long way to go before attaining true equality in our society. The breakdown of demographics in California’s Proposition 8 voting specifically showed a disturbing pattern regarding LGBT rights. While White Californians narrowly voted against the measure banning gay marriage, Latino Californians voted narrowly for it and African-American Californians votes for it by a 70%-30% margin. Bearing in mind that with divisive racial issues quickly becoming a strategy of the past for conservative politicians to distract the electorate with, LGBT issues unfortunately remain hot button distractions, with appeal across racial lines. The need for education, advocacy and outreach on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights is more important now than ever.

You can takepart in advancing the equality of LGBT citizens by logging on to the Human Rights Campaign website.

LINKS:

San Diego Union Tribune: Thousands protest gay marriage ban

The Scotsman: Star Trek actor “disappointed” by vote to ban gay marriage

AlterNet: Why the Prop 8 Gay Marriage Ban Won