First Openly LGBTQ+ Judge Appointed to California Supreme Court

Associate Justice Martin Jenkins made history on Oct. 5 by becoming the first LGBTQ+ individual appointed to the California Supreme Court. Appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom, Jenkins, a Democrat, previously served as a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California for 11 years and worked as Newsom’s judicial appointments secretary for the past year.

As Jenkins has been promoted to California’s Supreme Court, many hope the appointment will help to increase LGBTQ+ rights. According to USA Today, most U.S. states did not have laws to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination until last summer, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, specifically 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1), protects LGBTQ+ workers from job discrimination. Principal Brent Kuykendall hopes Jenkins’ appointment will lead to more progressive actions.

“[The LGBTQ+ community] is a community that is often overlooked or [misunderstood], so to have someone in a role that can make decisions at the state level is a big deal,” Kuykendall said. “My hope is that [the appointment] increases [LGBTQ+] acceptance not only in our state, but across the country.”

Having Jenkins in a high position of influence in turn gives the LGBTQ+ community a voice. Junior Mikey Abrams, a transgender male, hopes this will lead to better treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals in the future and feels that society and schools should be more educated on LGBTQ+ topics.

“[The LGBTQ+ community] is expecting you to show us respect,” Abrams said. “We do not have to agree as long as you are polite. Be educated. Have an open mind.”

For LGBTQ+ students to feel more welcomed, Abrams proposes assemblies be held to educate students about LGBTQ+ topics, including the social discrimination they face. He hopes Jenkins’ appointment will positively influence the community in California. Peninsula students have started various clubs in support of the LGBTQ+ community, but many believe that there is more work to be done towards creating an inclusive school environment. Junior KC Menninger is co-president of the Gender Sexuality Alliance, a club that seeks to bring awareness on LGBTQ+ issues. She believes Jenkins’ appointment could set a precedent for future legislation and give the LGBTQ+ community a stronger representation and voice in society.

“Not only at Peninsula, but also the rest of the community, I would love [to see] more education about LGBTQ+ topics,” Menninger said. “Individuals in the [LGBTQ+] community need all the support they can get in both validating their identities and being told from people who are respected [that] their identity is not something to be ashamed of or hide.”