The Queer Capital
I know firsthand how important supportive services can be to LGBTQ+ San Franciscans. The Castro Country Club was an important part of my own recovery from addiction. I have also lived with HIV for over 20 years. I understand just how important it is that queer San Franciscans have access to adequate healthcare and recovery pathways.
San Francisco is one of the queerest cities in the nation, and we’re proud of it. Right now, queer communities are under attack at the federal level, and we see the effects of the Trump administration’s funding cuts right here in District 8. Helping LGBTQ+ communities within District 8 thrive is crucial for the District’s culture and success, and for San Francisco more broadly.
Our queer communities need support in facing federal attacks. The city can and should help find bridge funding for organizations facing funding cuts, like the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the San Francisco Community Health Center, but supporting our queer community goes beyond stop-gap funding. It also includes protecting the Office of Transgender Initiatives, passing local non-discrimination protections where federal ones are rolled back, and ensuring San Francisco’s sanctuary protections are extended to LGBTQ+ people, especially those accessing lifesaving gender-affirming care in the city.
San Francisco’s queer community was here before the Trump Administration and will be here after it. We also need to think long-term when looking at supporting LGBTQ+ people in our city, from preserving and honoring queer history to ensuring every queer person in San Francisco has what they need to thrive today. This means supporting the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District, in both their preservation and programming, extending last call to 4am in nightlife districts and improving late night transit options to encourage LGBTQ+ nightlife, and investing in LGBTQ+ small businesses.
LGBTQ+ people also face many of the same challenges as other San Franciscans: homelessness, substance use, mental health issues, safety concerns, and an aging community. Our community needs specific, tailored solutions on each of these issues. LGBTQ+ San Franciscans, especially seniors, need affirming, affordable housing. Openhouse’s 1939 Market Street development is an exciting example of the type of housing queer people need more of in San Francisco. They also provide crucial programming for LGBTQ+ seniors, who face high rates of isolation. Supporting and expanding this type of work within District 8 is an important part of providing for our queer community members.
As your District 8 Supervisor, I will fight for our queer and LGBTQ+ community. From nightlife to senior housing and from healthcare to history, I will protect our community and help it flourish. You can check out my LGBTQ+ policies here.
