Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill that would have made California the first state in the nation to outlaw discrimination based on caste.

Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill Saturday that would have made California the first U.S. state to outlaw caste-based discrimination.

Caste is a division of people related to birth or descent. Those at the lowest strata of the caste system, known as Dalits, have been pushing for legal protections in California and beyond. They say it is necessary to protect them from bias in housing, education and in the tech sector — where they hold key roles.

Earlier this year, Seattle became the first U.S. city to add caste to its anti-discrimination laws. On Sept. 28, Fresno became the second U.S. city and the first in California to prohibit discrimination based on caste by adding caste and indigeneity to its municipal code.

In his message Newsom called the bill “unnecessary,” explaining that California “already prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other characteristics, and state law specifies that these civil rights protections shall be liberally construed.”

  • Hillock@kbin.social
    53·
    1 year ago

    Caste is a social hierarchy mainly based on the job your ancestors had.

    In India there are 5 major caste categories but in total there are around 25,000 sub castes. Only the “untouchables” might be protected as they are often of different religion or ethnicity.

    But the other 4 major castes are of the same race, ethnicity, national origins, color, gender, and religion. There is a tendency of darker skin colors being more prominent in lower castes but it’s not a defining property of caste and you can find people of any complexion in each caste.

    But maybe you can tell me which current protected class would differentiate between someone of the Kshatriyas and the the Vaishyas caste.

      • dragonflyteaparty@lemmy.world
        2·
        1 year ago

        It does seem like it would fall under “no discrimination based on ancestry”, but I feel like a lawyer could argue otherwise.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
      22·
      1 year ago

      I’m gonna have to stick with my original answer then

      The protections are already there, and making a specific law just for this would only legitimize that caste is a real thing and not some bullshit Indians did to discriminate amongst themselves.

      You think “caste” is a real measurable thing and want us to pass laws that also act like it’s a real difference…