SENATE RULES COMMITTEE SR 70
Office of Senate Floor Analyses
(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478
THIRD READING
Bill No: SR 70
Author: Atkins (D), et al.
Amended: 3/12/24
Vote: Majority
SUBJECT: Transgender Day of Visibility
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This resolution proclaims March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of
Visibility; and proclaims the week of March 18, 2024 through March 22, 2024, as
Transgender Week of Visibility in the Capitol.
Senate Floor Amendments of 3/12/24 add several principal coauthors, add new
findings, and make other technical and clarifying changes to the resolution.
ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings:
1) Over one million Americans, including over 300,000 Californians are Two-
Spirit, Transgender, Gender Nonconforming or Nonbinary, or Intersex
(2STGNCI) and have overcome significant hardships to build vibrant and
thriving communities, often in the face of systemic and interpersonal prejudice,
discrimination, and violence.
2) 2STGNCI people have existed throughout history, held prominent cultural and
spiritual positions within their communities, and greatly contributed to
societies all across the world.
3) 2STGNCI people throughout history have included the Gala, androgynous and
transgender priests of the Sumerian goddess Inanna from 5,000 to 3,000 B.C.;
Anastasia the Patrician of Alexandria, formerly a lady-in-waiting to an empress
who transitioned to presenting masculinely and living as a monk in the fourth
century; We’wha, a celebrated Two-Spirit Zuni spiritual leader, cultural
ambassador, and Native American advocate in the 1800s.
4) Visibility for 2STGNCI people comes in diverse forms, such as showcasing
2STGNCI stories through art, storytelling, and media; 2STGNCI people
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sharing their affirmed names with their families, loved ones, and colleagues;
pushing back against attempts to erase the 2STGNCI community by organizing
demonstrations and moving throughout the world openly and authentically;
and uplifting the power and beauty of 2STGNCI people by elevating positive
narratives that highlight trans joy, love, and community.
5) As a result of community activism, determined advocacy, resilience, and
undeniable talent, 2STGNCI people continue to reclaim and tear down
systemic barriers set up to exclude them and serve as community and
educational leaders, reach all levels of athletics, star in award-winning film and
television, and hold prominent government positions.
6) In California, across the country and territories, 2STGNCI people have
courageously and powerfully organized in response to increased hate and
violence directed at the 2STGNCI community, especially towards trans women
of color, yet continue to receive a lack of basic needs and services, mainstream
media visibility coverage, recognition, and respect. Celebrating visibility must
also come with a recognition that visibility and representation are not
substitutes for justice and 2STGNCI people, particularly 2STGNCI youth, trans
women of color, individuals with transmasculine identities, and 2STGNCI
refugees, immigrants, and asylees continue to face profound threats to their
safety and well-being.
7) The Senate acknowledges that for many, visibility can mean an increased
likelihood of harm, and for each 2STGNCI person killed and/or lost this year
and in years past we mourn them, we honor them, and we say their names.
The Senate also celebrates the beauty and resilience of 2STGNCI people today
and throughout history, and recognizes that 2STGNCI people have a rich
tradition of contributing in myriad ways to the betterment of our society and
our state, often working at the forefront of social justice activism and human
rights.
8) The 2STGNCI community continues to experience structural and institutional
discrimination in all areas of life, including, but not limited to, in the
workplace, in medical settings, in carseral settings, in housing, and in schools,
and moreover 2STGNCI people continue to face disproportionately high rates
of violence, poverty, homelessness, and negative health outcomes and
premature death, and we furthermore recognize how the intersectional lived
experiences of these issues exacerbate oppressive conditions for 2STGNCI
people of color. Nationally, there were over 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills
introduced in state legislatures across the country during the 2023 legislative
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year, and there are already nearly 400 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced in state
legislatures across the nation during the two months of the 2024 legislative
year.
9) Antitrans legislation, executive actions, local ordinances, school policies
practices, misinformation, and rhetoric endanger the psychological and
physical well-being of 2STGNCI youth, with 86 percent of 2STGNCI youth
reporting these action negatively impacted their mental health, as well as 45
percent reporting they experienced online harassment, 24 percent reporting
they were bullied in school, 27 percent reporting they have been physically
threatened or harmed due to their gender identity, and 64 percent reporting that
they have felt discriminated against due to their gender identity.
10) The latest Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) annual crime report showed
that anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes were up sharply from the prior year, with a
13.8-percent increase in reports based on sexual orientation and a 32.9-percent
increase in reports based on gender identity. From June 2022 to April 2023,
inclusive there were over 350 incidents of reported hate and extremism against
the LGBTQ+ community in the United States, with California having one of
the highest total number of incidents in the country. 2STGNCI people include,
but are not limited to, parents, siblings, children, family, friends, colleagues,
congregants, parishioners, neighbors, and caretakers, all deserving of human
dignity, safety, and support.
11) In California, we believe in and reaffirm the inherent value of each and every
resident of our state, especially our 2STGNCI communities, individuals, and
families, without exception. In California, we believe it is ever more critical to
uplift and support our 2STGNCI residents and reaffirms their right to live
visibly, openly, authentically, and unapologetically, without exception.
This resolution:
1) Proclaims March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility.
2) Proclaims the week of March 18, 2024 through March 22, 2024, as
Transgender Week of Visibility in the Capitol.
3) States that the Senate joins communities across our nation to increase
awareness about the importance of removing all barriers to 2STGNCI
communities, individuals and families and upholding human rights for all.
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Comments
According to the author,
Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex (2STGNCI)
individuals face systemic prejudice, discrimination, and violence, both
nationally and within California. Despite significant contributions to
society, they encounter disproportionate barriers to healthcare,
education, employment, and safety.
Through the proclamation of March 31, 2024 as Transgender Day of
Visibility and the designation of March 18-22, 2024 as Transgender
Week of Visibility in the Capitol, the California State Senate seeks to
raise awareness, foster inclusivity, and advocate for equity for
2STGNCI individuals, while addressing systemic barriers and
ensuring their safety and dignity statewide.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: No Local: No
SUPPORT: (Verified 3/5/24)
California LGBTQ+ Unity Council
OPPOSITION: (Verified 3/5/24)
None received
Prepared by: Jonas Austin / SFA / (916) 651-1520
3/13/24 13:46:10
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