The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Capital Gains and Losses: A State By State Review of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and HIV/AIDS Related Legislation in 1999 suggests a positive shift in attitudes in state legislatures toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. NGLTF Executive Director Kerry Lobel celebrates this change as an indication of future victories for civil rights, but notes that such advances increase the risk of a powerful backlash.
Favorable bills outnumbered unfavorable ones by a margin of almost three-to-one. Additionally, many states passed pro-GBLT legislation, including New Hampshire, which abolished its 11-year ban on gay and lesbian adoptions. California established a ban on discrimination against GBLT students.
The report also highlighted likely targets from the religious right in the new year, including anti-gay-adoption measures, repeal of nondiscrimination ordinances, and so-called religious protection laws that hinder the enforcement of civil rights legislation.
