SF Castro's LGBT community disappointed over gay rights backlash

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - The governor of Mississippi signed a law that would allow businesses and government workers to refuse service to same-sex couples.

Members of the LGBT community in San Francisco say they're disappointed, but not surprised by the new discriminatory laws passed in other states.

In the Castro, acceptance of people of various sexual orientations is a given. Signs of strides made in the gay rights movement are evident.

The Human Rights Campaign store and action center is a place for members of the LGBT community to find out which states are supportive and which are not including Mississippi.

"It's definitely heartbreaking especially being someone of this community," said Sabrina Hall, who lives and works in San Francisco.

Supporters of the Mississippi law say it protects people of faith.

"It protects religious freedom, people with deeply held religious beliefs so does the legislature and so does the majority of the people in the state of Mississippi so we signed it into law," said Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant.

"It's not surprising we're in the middle of a backlash," said Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights says with every civil rights struggle, there is often hosstile reaction from people who disagree.

Kendell's group is co-sponsor of AB 1887, a bill making its way through the California legislature that would ban state-sponsored travel to states that have anti-gay laws.

"We are seeing a full on assault against civil rights protections  and we need to be vigilant. We can't take anything for granted," said Kendell.

She and other community leaders are urging supporters to campaign other states via social media to implement a travel ban to states with discriminatory laws.

They say the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last June legalizing same sex marriage did not end the struggle for equal rights.

"There was a temptation when we won marriage equality in the supreme court to think, ‘Oh boy this is over .’ It's not over. There is a big push in the extreme right to strip us of the community of our humanity," says San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener.

Companies including PayPal have come out in support of the LGBT community.

The San Jose-based company cancelled an expansion plan that would have created 400 jobs in North Carolina after lawmakers there passed a law that restricts protections for LGBT people.

The company said in a written statement, "This decision reflects PayPal's deepest values and our strong belief that every person has the right to be treated equally and with dignity and respect."

"Discrimination has no place in this country. Not in this century anymore. We're not back to Jim Crow laws where people have to go to different places because of their sexual orientation, race or retaliation. It's silly," said Raul Rodriguez who lives in San Francisco.

The new law in Mississippi is already raising concerns among major employers in that state. They include Tyson, MGM Resorts, Nissan, and Toyota.