A declaration made on Wednesday by one of the top influential politicians came as a bit of a shock in a state Capitol when Democrats are the majority and advancing LGBTQ rights is a key priority:
Toni Atkins, the leader of the Senate and the very first woman to head across both chambers of the Legislature, a Democrat from San Diego, stated she expects California to abolish its ban on funding for travel to countries with anti-LGBTQ laws.
Atkins has presented legislation to undo the 2016 bill she and her colleagues approved with the support of significant gay-rights organizations, who claimed that a state-wide economic ban might “secure that California tax money does not assist pay injustice outside of our borders.”
Atkins stated that she might prefer California to launch a publicity initiative that would promote Gay awareness in conservative states. Her proposal would set up a fund financed by taxpayers and maybe private donations so that balanced messages against prejudice and encouraging LGBTQ inclusion could be distributed.
In a press conference, Atkins described her beginnings in an increasingly conservative rural Virginia neighborhood and stated, “I learned growing up in a local community that the approach to transform people’s thinking is to have an effect and close communication and to expand hearts and minds.”
