Other Gay and Lesbian Issues

Since that time Hawaii has paid minimal attention to gay and lesbian issues. In 2000 the State Board of Education struggled with initiatives to outline protected categories (that is, race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, disability, or sexual orientation) for Chapter 19, the student code of conduct. After heated debate and inflammatory accusations that gay activists were trying to infiltrate the public school system and poison children's minds, protected categories were eventually added by a narrow vote by board members. Likewise, in 2001, the Hawaii State Legislature joined 25 other states in adding sexual orientation to a hate crimes law; unfortunately, it chose not to include gender identity.

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The year 2002 was an important year in glbtq history in Hawaii. That year the Board of Education, taking a step back, voted to remove all of the protected categories in their code of conduct. In the same year, the first high school club to mention sexual orientation by name was established at Kalaheo High School. Also in 2002, the state received a visit from the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church, pastored by notorious Fred Phelps, in response to a middle school teacher's distribution of a nationally certified pamphlet on sex education that discussed homosexuality. Near the end of the year, the ACLU fought for, and won, a student's right to wear a gown at her graduation.

Over time Hawaii is slowly catching up to the rest of the nation. The political scene in the islands has been tense with regard to gay issues, but glbtq people continue to struggle to secure recognition and rights.

Anti-discrimination statutes and ordinances have made a real difference in the lives of millions of glbtq individuals.

Relatively little beyond the anecdotal is known of the unique problems and attitudes of glbtq Asia/Pacific Islander Americans since no comprehensive, representative studies of them have been undertaken.

Hate Crimes are crimes towards persons or groups motivated by the victim's race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Homophobia was originally defined as a "dread of being in close quarters with homosexuals," but it is now sometimes used to describe any form of anti-gay bias.

Both parades and marches have served to render the glbtq community visible; whereas marches typically attempt to effect political change, parades and pride events affirm identity and community.

Lesbian and gay couples have been fighting for the freedom to marry since the dawn of the modern glbtq struggle for equality; despite some success abroad, progress toward same-sex marriage in the United States has been slow.

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), an American organization of some 460 affiliated chapters and 80,000 members, works to support glbtq people and their loved ones.