Thom Senzee, author of this article, is a West Coast-based freelance journalist, and a regular contributor to San Diego LGBT Weekly. SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The San Diego City Council fell short of actions many hoped it would take Monday regarding a San Diego State University report about racially biased traffic stops executed by the…
The San Diego City Council voted 5-1 Monday to join with other cities in a legal brief on behalf of a Virginia transgender student who is suing a school board for his right to use restroom facilities with the gender he identifies with. Dozens of speakers spoke out about the issue Monday before the Council…
The San Diego City Council voted 8-1 Tuesday to join the lawsuit filed by the state of Washington against President Donald Trump in challenging his executive order that bans non-citizens from seven countries from entering the U.S. The Council heard from almost 50 speakers who urged them to join the litigation as amicus curiae, which…
Fourth District Councilmember Myrtle Cole made history Monday as she became the first African American woman to become city council president. Cole was elected in a 6-3 vote edging out Eighth District Councilmember David Alvarez. The vote came after numerous speakers sought to persuade councilmembers to vote for Cole or Alvarez, who are both Democrats….
Last week, the City Council promised voters a chance to change the way elections are run and won in San Diego. By a 5-4 party line vote, Democrats advanced a ballot measure that would require a November run-off between the top candidates. Conservatives have argued that the measure is simply a Democratic attempt to consolidate…
Earlier this month, Democrat Joe LaCava ended his City Council bid. It’s a bigger deal than you may think. LaCava was running to replace Democrat Sherri Lightner, who is termed out in District 1. Before Lightner, the District was represented by former Councilmember and now U.S. Representative Scott Peters. If that makes District 1 sound…
In presidential election years, the five odd-numbered City Council districts are up for election. As with the California legislative elections, they can be dull because the incumbent wins easily or the general election features two candidates from the same party. 2016 looks to be a bit more interesting than most, with three open seats and…
This week, Houston Unites launched its first radio ad in support of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), a measure to protect Houston residents and visitors from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, reports Hayley Miller on the HRC Blog. “As Christians, my wife and I believe in treating others the way we want…
HOUSTON – The Houston City Council continued to support the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) today, rejecting a move to repeal the nondiscrimination protections and instead sending it to the ballot for a vote this Nov. 3. Reacting to the news, the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, Equality Texas, Texas Freedom Network, Freedom for All…
If you use a single stall public restroom in Washington, D.C. it’s going to be gender neutral. It’s a city ordinance that mandates all of its restaurants, businesses and other public places with single occupancy restrooms to designate these as gender neutral. In June of last year, the City of West Hollywood passed a similar…
