Civil Rights and Social Justice
WASHINGTON — On Tuesday morning, Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu of California will introduce a federal bill to ban commercial efforts to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity — often called conversion therapy.
“The public views conversion therapy as quackery, as something that harms people,” Lieu told BuzzFeed News on Monday afternoon, just after landing back in D.C. from California. “Eventually, I believe Congress will catch up to that, but you do need to start somewhere, so that’s why we’re introducing this legislation.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, May 19, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles) will introduce the first federal ban on so-called “conversion therapy”. Conversion therapy, which seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, is a dangerous but often overlooked form of discrimination against LGBT Americans.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 13, 2015
CONTACT: Jack d’Annibale | 202-330-1613
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 6, 2015
CONTACT: Jack d’Annibale | 202-330-1613
Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles) released the following statement calling for a federal ban on gay conversion therapy. While serving in the California State Senate, Lieu was the author of S.B. 1172, S.B. 1172, which prohibited mental health providers from providing conversion therapy to minors. The bill was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in September 2012, making California the first state in the nation to officially ban this dangerous practice.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2015
CONTACT: Jack d'Annibale | 202-330-1613
WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, The Los Angeles Times published a story on the growing influence of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) vote in local, state and national elections.
Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) on Feb. 13 released the following statements to condemn the use of excessive police force against Sureshbhai Patel, an Indian grandfather who was left partially paralyzed after an encounter with Alabama police.
The LGBT Equality Caucus is once again calling on U.S. House members to show solidarity with LGBT people by joining the organization — except this time there’s a price tag.
At the onset of the 114th Congress, the nearly seven-year-old caucus is for the first time charging for regular membership. The cost is $400 per year. The cost for being a co-chair has risen to $7,500 annually and for being a vice-chair to $2,100 a year.
It's still legal for members of Congress to fire their employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. That's because there is no federal law protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees from workplace discrimination, even though many states have their own policies that are more inclusive.