ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA – Today, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, Fifth District, and Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, Second District held a round table discussion with LGBTQ+ leaders which culminated in the unfurling of the Pride Flag at the Old Orange County Courthouse. This follows the Board majority voted to ban the LGBTQ+ Pride Flag from all County Property and the Chair denied a request to present a proclamation.
“The Pride flag stands for inclusivity and diversity to represent different gender identities, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. To say that this flag is divisive caters to the hateful rhetoric of a vocal minority at city, school board, and county meetings not just in Orange County, but across the nation,” said Supervisor Foley, Fifth District. “Unfurling the Pride flag at the county administration buildings signals to our employees and all residents that this is a safe, inclusive place for everyone. Love wins – if we can lead with love, our community will be better off. I will continue to stand strong with our LGBTQ+ community and ensure their civil rights remain protected.”
"Pride Month symbolizes acceptance, hope, and the continued struggle for equal justice,” said Supervisor Sarmiento, Second District. “During Pride month, we should all think about the challenges, victories, and journeys of the LGBTQ+ community. That's why I will keep working to create a safe space for our community to support Pride in Orange County.”
The Orange County Human Relations Commission reported an increase of 83 percent in hate incidents towards LGBTQ+ individuals in 2021, highlighting the importance for representatives to support the LGBTQ+ community.
Key data points in the California DOJ State of Pride Report depict the reality of hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals:
- About 2.7 million or 9.1% of California adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender — the largest share of any highly populated state and one that is “considerably higher” than the national figure of 7.9%.
- Unfortunately, in California between 2021 and 2022, there were over 391 reported hate crime events motivated by sexual orientation bias, and 45 hate crimes motivated by anti-transgender or anti-gender non-conforming bias.
- LGBTQ+ children have been victimized and bullied at rates four times higher than their non-LGBTQ+ peer groups. This hate has a compounding impact on their physical and mental well-being: Nearly half of all LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered suicide in 2022.
- Across the United States, 2022 was a record-breaking year for state-level, anti-LGBTQ+ bills, with more than 200 pieces of legislation introduced in over 40 state legislatures that aimed to codify discrimination in classrooms, sports, healthcare, and public spaces.
This data underscores the pressing need for sustained, vigorous efforts to combat hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTQ+ communities in California and across the nation. The State of Pride Report can be accessed at https://oag.ca.gov/lgbtq. For additional information on hate crimes and LGBTQ+ discrimination, please visit https://oag.ca.gov/hatecrimes.
Click here to access b-roll from the unfurling.
About Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley, Fifth District:
Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.
Supervisor Foley’s Board appointments include the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), OCFA Legislation & Public Affairs Committee Chair, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), TCA Joint Environmental Committee, Coastal Greenbelt Authority, Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees, Ocean Institute, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel, Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition Co-Chair, Law Library Board of Trustees, Orange County Housing Finance Trust, Local Agency Formation Commission (alt), Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council, and OC Public Libraries Advisory Board.
About Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, Second District:
Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento represents the Second District, which includes the City of Santa Ana, portions of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Tustin, Orange, and unincorporated communities.
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