Former Oregon State Senator Jeanette Hamby says the meaning of equality is simple: "Everyone, regardless, is treated equally."

Hamby knows about discrimination first-hand. "I was born of immigrant parents," she says. Her parents immigrated from Finland to Astoria, Oregon when Hamby was a child. "When we moved to Oregon, my mother was concerned because Finns had been persecuted in Astoria. She told me not to let anyone know I was a Finn and not to speak Finnish in public."

Hamby's childhood experiences informed her longstanding belief in equality for everyone, including lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people. "My own basic principle is that all people should be treated equally and with respect."

"If I'm ever offended by someone who does not believe in equal rights, I let them know!"