California
Generation Next
Emerging leaders generate inspiration
What is Pride? The most serviceable answer, of course, is that Pride is a commemorative event in which the LGBTQ community celebrates our triumph over adversity and the leaders who fought to make the world a more inclusive place. Historically, it was a political statement — a show of visibility and a forum for protest against homophobia.
And since the beginning of President Trump’s tenure, Pride feels political once more. This year’s celebration will pull from the civic engagement of the March for Our Lives and #Resist movements, spotlighting LGBTQ leaders while re-engaging in the community’s fight for social, legal, and political equality.
Much of that work did not begin, and it will likely not end, with the Trump administration. New research has found LGBTQ girls of color are disproportionately over-disciplined in schools, where they also face bullying and are ostracized. These challenges often push them out of the classroom and into the criminal justice system. And now that Betsy DeVos helms the U.S. Department of Education, prospects for many of our community’s most vulnerable youth are even grimmer.
At the same time, this year the country has witnessed the power of young people in bringing change. The young LGBT folks from the Los Angeles area profiled in these pages are speakers, students, advocates and artists. They have each made meaningful contributions in areas including climate change policy, battles against homophobia and transphobia, housing equality, and immigration.
As the LGBTQ community has witnessed and experienced a reversal in progress over the last two years, young leaders have offered hope for a better way forward. Another signal of the direction in which the arc of justice is headed: The decision by Boy Scouts of America to welcome girls into their ranks, and, effective next year, change the organization’s name to Scouts of BSA. Since the 1970s, women’s and LGBTQ advocates have lobbied the Scouts to adopt more inclusive policies. And in those battles, waged in and outside the courtroom, they have been ultimately victorious.
May these stories, challenges and history inspire you. Happy Pride.
(Photo courtesy of Twitter)
Casey Hoke, 21, college student, LGBTQ advocate, artist
Casey Hoke is a fine artist, graphic designer, writer, activist, and advocate who was awarded a prestigious POINT Foundation scholarship to fund his education at California State Polytechnic Institute in Pomona, where he is now a junior pursuing a B.A. in Graphic/Communications Design with a minor in Art History. His past and present leadership appointments include a Student Media Ambassadorship for GLSEN, where he also holds membership with the National Executive Board.
Drawing from his experiences as a young trans man, Casey has spoken and written about subjects including education policies that concern transgender students, the representation of transgender people in the media, and the relationship between artistic self-expression and self-acceptance. His work has appeared in MTV News, Teenlife Media, and The Huffington Post, where he has blogged since 2014. Casey has delivered speeches at forums including a TEDx conference and Intel Labs’ LGBT Youth Leadership Forum.
Casey attended high school in Louisville, Kentucky. He came out as trans during his sophomore year. While fellow students, for the most part, were accepting of Casey, he explained the school’s Principal Gerald “Jerry” Mayes was a bully. In March, The Louisville Courier-Journal published a timeline of an ongoing investigation by Jefferson County Public Schools into Mayes’ conduct that was initiated in response to his treatment of trans youth, including Casey, as well as racially insensitive comments he made to two African-American students.
During his junior year, Casey was the subject of an article in the school’s newspaper that chronicled his journey and highlighted his advocacy work. In response, Casey explained, Mayes told members of the student newspaper staff that it was “wrong to profile a misfit going through a phase. He said it would be comparable to writing about someone who wanted to shoot up a school.” The following year, in 2015, as the state’s senate introduced a bill that would require transgender students to use restrooms that match the sex listed on their birth certificates, Casey said Mayes asked a security guard to monitor him in the men’s restroom. The principal then called Casey into his office and began asking invasive questions about his body and genitalia.
“It’s hard to talk about,” Casey said, “but I came out with my story because it needed to be heard, and because his treatment of LGBTQ students in my high school was, and still is, really bad.” Those experiences strengthened Casey’s resolve to advocate for the rights of trans students.
In college, Casey and his trans peers face a variety of administrative challenges. Changing one’s name on student ID cards is a difficult process. Freshmen, who are required to live on campus, must pay more for housing that offers single-stall restrooms (which are safest for transgender students)—a difference in cost that amounts to about $10,000. Administrators outed Casey to other staff and even students, despite his request that they keep information about his gender identity private. Casey has since led petitions that demand equal and affordable housing for trans students, as well as training programs on trans identity for university staff.
“My advocacy did not stop at high school, where I had this mean principal”, he said. “Even though I’ve seen trans folks accepted a bit more, publicly, there are still battles I have to face here in California.”
Casey’s interest in media representation of LGBTQ people and subjects overlaps with his interest in art. A project and educational resource that Casey created and curates, Queer Art History (housed online at queerarthistory.com) showcases a breadth of artwork, from a homoerotic 16th century Roman fresco to a poster produced by ACT UP Los Angeles in 1990. On the project’s website, Casey has written about the cultural and historical significance of each.
This project, he said, allows him to “talk about media representation while educating people of all ages on queer visual history, art, and culture.” Through another program, Art, Identity & YOU, which Casey created and administers in coordination with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, he provides a platform for youth education on identity, art, history, and self-expression.
Must modern queer art be political? Not necessarily, Casey said—it certainly can be, but queer art can also signify something as timeless as self-expression or look as visually diverse as abstract expressionism. Plus, the treatment of queer people as inherently political, Casey said, can be dehumanizing.
At a time in which major American cities have often become canvases for anti-Trump graffiti, contemporary queer art certainly feels political. And much of it borrows from the signage of protest art produced in the 1980s and 90s (A good example: Donald Moffett’s He Kills Me, a 1987 lithograph that features a grid of President Ronald Reagan’s grinning headshot with “THIS GUY KILLS ME.” in bright orange type across his chest.)
Through the POINT Foundation, Casey was connected with a mentor who works for the Walt Disney Company, where he aims to secure a design position post-college. He is optimistic about both his future and the direction in which society is headed, despite the anti-LGBTQ policies of the Trump Administration. “I asked Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, how things are looking for young trans and non-binary folks”, Casey said. Reflecting on the progress that’s been made so far, Keisling responded: “You know what? We’ve gotten here.”
(Photo courtesy of Nunez)
Priscila ‘Pea’ Alegria Nunez, 23, documentarian and cinematographer
“The stories that I’m passionate about sharing and telling are about the Latinx community and LGBTQ community. It’s very important for me to highlight our voices, as immigrants who are fighting back.”
Pea is a documentary filmmaker, an artist whose work reflects their lived experiences as a pansexual non-binary immigrant who, at 15, left Peru with their mother for the professional and educational opportunities available in the United States.
A recent graduate of the acclaimed film program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), this year Pea was awarded a Rising Star Grant from GLAAD to fund their virtual reality (VR) project about the networks that immigrants have built to support and defend their communities. The film is led by a lesbian protagonist who left Honduras for the United States.
“Throughout the US, immigrant families they have this traumatizing event in which they are visited by [Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE)]”, Pea explained. “Our protagonist is going to college, and she’s using her knowledge and her network to bring an emergency community back to her house. We will see how that event develops because of how many people will show up to help fight back.”
As an immigrant who belongs to the LGBTQ community, Pea is inspired most by the stories of people who occupy both of those identities. “I found that the projects that bring me the most fulfillment are those that find that intersection.”
Pea and their mother had green cards when they left Peru. They landed in Sacramento, where Pea says their high school was nationally recognized for the racial and ethnic diversity of its student body. “It was incredible to be surrounded by so many brown people—by so many inspiring, motivational people.”
At UCLA, Pea’s classes in gender studies opened their eyes to the identities that do not fall into the gender binary, which gave them the space to inhabit gender-neutrality, along with the freedom to dress and use pronouns in non-traditional ways. “It was another coming out for me. I’d already come out as bisexual, but then again as pansexual.” (The latter is defined by the absence of limits with regard to sexual choice in gender or activity.) Coming out to their mother—who understands Pea is attracted to both men and women—as non-binary, Pea said, is something of a work-in-progress, an ongoing journey.
Respective to both their personal life and professional work, Pea focused first on their immigrant identity and the stories of other immigrants more broadly before working to explore how sexual orientation and gender identity come into play.
Night of Cultura, a Latinx club of artists at UCLA, was a forum in which Pea found some of their closest friends and most valuable professional networks. The group creates plays, sketches, spoken word poetry, dances, and films—works that often include LGBTQ subject matter. “It was a space where I really felt like I blossomed.” After screening a 5-minute documentary at a Night of Cultura event, Pea met a UCLA alum in the audience who would later become the screenwriter for their VR project.
As a filmmaker, Pea is moved by the audience’s reaction to their work. “You can hear gasps; you can hear sniffles; you can hear laughter. I think that’s so beautiful because you wonder what’s going on in their hearts. There is a chance of really reaching people. There is hope that your project, that your work, will touch people.”
On the challenges brought forth by attacks on LGBTQ and immigrant communities from the Trump administration, Pea is optimistic about the role of the artist. “It’s important that we creators continue making work, regardless of the political climate. It’s important to keep creating, because who is going to do it, if not us?” Immigrants and LGBTQ folks should tell their own stories, Pea said, because that way the diversity within those communities will be reflected in the broader cultural narrative.
In hindsight, Pea feels they should have explored and expressed their sexual orientation and gender identity earlier in life. “I felt like I needed to be compliant to what my mom wanted—to her expectations. I could have been so much happier, if I had not waited and instead just been myself.” Pea’s message to LGBTQ teenagers: “Come out to your friends first, because there is something to be said for finding your family outside the family you grew up with. Find yourself a queer family. When you do, you’ll be amazed how powerful you’ll be.”
(Photo courtesy of Reyes)
Aris Reyes, 16, high school student, LGBTQ advocate
Aris is a 16-year-old high school student who aspires to a career in politics, business, law, or, perhaps all three.
Though only a junior, Aris has emerged as a leader at USC East College Prep, a new high school of which his will be the first graduating class. He founded both the student government and the GSA club, where he now serves as president.
As a young trans Latino man and LGBTQ advocate, Aris has built bridges between his school’s students and staff, as well as between his peers and organizations dedicated to LGBTQ youth education and empowerment.
He helped to spearhead the LGBTQ School Climate Resolution, a comprehensive survey that collects information about a school’s educational atmosphere respective to LGBTQ issues. Aris was not entirely surprised to learn 80 percent of his classmates had either often or occasionally heard homophobic remarks from other students. On the other hand, only 10 percent of student respondents heard their teachers say something objectionable about LGBTQ people, which is consistent with Aris’s perception that educators at his school are more liberal and tolerant.
With data from the survey, Aris approached his teachers about ways they could help improve the school’s record on LGBTQ issues. He cited California’s FAIR Education Act, which, among other requirements, obligates teachers to include LGBTQ historical figures in their lesson plans. The law applies only to the state’s public schools, so teachers who work at Aris’s charter school are free to create their own lesson plans—and there, he said, there is room for substantial improvement.
Aris worked with the Latino Equality Alliance’s (LEA) youth council to coordinate a speaking engagement at his school that featured a representative from the ONE Archives of the University of Southern California (USC). “They talked about LGBT leaders and advocates”, he said, “including some people I’ve never heard of in my life.”
The organization administered 10 workshops throughout the year, including the Unconditional Love Rally, where Aris spoke about transphobia and his personal journey toward self-acceptance. The program required registrants to get prior approval from their parents, but Aris worked with school administrators who agreed to count the rally toward community service hours—which helped to bolster attendance.
Aris opened up to his mother about his gender identity in eighth grade and the following year came out to friends, teachers, and classmates. Like many transgender youth, Aris struggled with body image issues and depression. Not yet out to his father and living in a body that did not reflect his gender identity, while a freshman Aris was placed in a three-day psychiatric hold. There, he was isolated away from other patients—and told by nurses he could not be placed in units segregated by gender because he is neither male nor female. This, in spite of the fact that Aris explained he is a transgender man.
Back at school, Aris is sometimes asked probing questions by other students concerning his anatomy. “My school is in Lincoln Heights in Los Angeles”, he explained, “and Hispanic culture is not always that accepting of LGBTQ people.” Teachers, by contrast, have been more welcoming—he only needs to remind them, occasionally, to not mis-gender him.
Administratively, Aris has met challenges such as the attendance roster and the separation of girls and boys in advisory periods. “It can be isolating”, he said.
Involvement in advocacy programs and social clubs has allowed Aris to build a sense of community and work on behalf of issues that are important to him. “Even within the LGBT community”, he said, “I feel like trans people are left out a lot.” The separation of gender and sexuality in the discussion of LGBTQ issues, as well as the ways in which we introduce these topics to young people, is important to Aris. The conflation of sexual orientation and gender identity, he said, can cause misunderstanding.
Aris also hopes the Hispanic/Latino communities will begin to adopt more progressive attitudes toward LGBTQ people. He feels less tolerant attitudes exist primarily among older generations. “Friends have told me”, he explained “‘My mom doesn’t like you because you’re trans.’ It’s just sad—just because of that, like, [they don’t care] about everything else I do, what a good kid I am, my grades or my education.”
Homophobia and transphobia will always exist, Aris said, and “people are scared of things they don’t now”. Looking to the future, he is more interested in effecting change through policy. “For me, really what matters is the legislation—that’s what changes everything. If you’re a lawyer or a president or lobbyist, you’re in a position to change things.”
Aris expects to continue working on behalf of LGBTQ causes. “After I graduate”, he said, “I hope to go to college. I want to get really involved in my college.”
(Photo courtesy of Medina)
Alex Medina, 18, student journalist, LGBTQ advocate
Alex Medina is a student journalist who has authored more than 20 articles for his local newspaper, the Boyle Heights Beat, which covers news and feature stories in and around the downtown Los Angeles neighborhood.
He will soon graduate from high school and is eager to begin his freshman year at Hamilton College, a selective liberal arts university in update Clinton, New York. Then, Alex hopes to work toward a career in journalism. And he also has designs to start an organization dedicated to youth and the media.
Much of Alex’s work for Boyle Heights Beat is focused on LGBTQ issues, which he considers especially important because, particularly in decades past, LGBTQ people are often portrayed negatively. He said that spotlighting the work of advocates and activists helps to usher in progressive change while also offering role models for young people. Additionally, Alex has written about subjects important to immigrant communities—such as the census and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)—as well as local politics and business.
For two years, Alex has served as president of his school’s GSA club, where he led efforts to curb the use of derogatory language and anti-LGBTQ slurs. In conversations with the student body, Alex and members of the club worked to encourage their peers to be more conscious of the language they use. “I used to get bullied when I was younger. So, it’s important to me that we have these conversations”, he explained, especially for the benefit of young LGBTQ folks.
Beyond the GSA, Alex works on behalf of a variety of causes that reflect the diversity of the subjects he has written about. Through his involvement with the Latino Equality Alliance (LEA), for example, Alex has advocated for policies that would help to curb the school-to-prison pipeline.
Alex credits many of his accomplishments to the unwavering support he’s received at home. His parents, who immigrated to Los Angeles from Mexico, have been involved with organizations like PFLAG—where they engage with other parents, many of them Latino, to facilitate conversations about accepting their children’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
It can be challenging work, he said. LGBTQ identities are often not discussed within Latino communities. “Youth often don’t come out to their parents because they’re afraid how their parents will react,” he explained. “When Latino people [immigrate to the US], there are prejudices—often formed by the things they heard when they were growing up—and they often bring that with them. It’s also generational.”
While young people have overwhelmingly adopted more positive positions on LGBTQ issues, change can also be witnessed in traditionally-conservative milieu, such as the Catholic Church. Just a few weeks ago, Pope Francis told a gay man, “God made you like that.” Alex agreed about the direction in which organized religion seems to be heading, at least concerning Catholicism. “With the Pope being more accepting,” he said, “it’s getting better. At my own church and at the other church I’m involved with, they’re accepting of me and the pastors communicate very positively about it.”
The role played by organizations, like PFLAG, that offer programs and resources for LGBTQ youth and allies is really important, Alex said. “In schools there often isn’t much awareness, even if there is acceptance, so these organizations help to fill in and offer resources—including condoms, and healthcare referrals—that are not available in school. There are a lot of events and opportunities available through those organizations that students wouldn’t otherwise know about. It’s important for parental acceptance as well.”
Alex feels the tremendous progress the LGBTQ community has witnessed over the years would not be possible if advocates and activists were not optimistic about their odds. “We wouldn’t have the movement we have today without people who brought awareness about things like AIDS, DOMA, and [same-sex] marriage”, he said. Beyond the fight for political equality, Alex feels adopting a positive attitude is important for building friendship and community.
Another corollary goal of Alex’s: Increasing the visibility of young people who are working to effect change. “A lot of times”, he said, “youth don’t see themselves represented. It’s important to bring attention to the work young people are doing to build a better future for themselves and for future generations of youth”.
(Photo courtesy of Akbarian)
Rudy Akbarian, 28, trans-Armenian veteran, aspiring barber
Rudy Akbarian is a transgender man, the son of Armenian immigrants, and a veteran who served in the U.S. Army from 2011 to 2016. He has also worked on behalf of LGBTQ youth, specifically homeless youth, and next month will begin studying to become a barber.
Before today, Rudy has spoken out twice about policies concerning the inclusion of openly-trans men and women in the military. In 2016, he praised the historic decision by former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to welcome transgender people into the armed forces. Then, last year, he denounced President Trump’s reversal of that policy but pledged to keep up the fight: “I’ve had too many people supporting me to just give up,” he said. “So, I don’t plan on doing that.”
Today, Rudy responded to reports from Tuesday that 100 members of Congress have submitted a letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis, urging him to reconsider the Administration’s decision to bar openly trans men and women from military service.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “But I don’t know what [Trump’s] reasoning was for not allowing trans people to serve in the military, other than ‘It would cost a lot of money.’” And this, Rudy pointed out, despite the President’s request for a military parade that The New York Times reported could total $30 million (at a time in which those funds could be better allocated to address homelessness among America’s veterans).
Importantly, Rudy added, the projected medical costs associated with treating the estimated 15,000 trans men and women in the armed services—which, according to a RAND study, would add up to $8 million—are likely even less. “Not every trans person wants to surgically or medically transition,” he explained. “That’s a stereotype we need to break.”
Rudy’s position on the capabilities of trans soldiers?
“After I conquered that battle to become my authentic self—and I did it alone—now, God only knows how many other battles and wars I can win with a team. Trans people are some of the strongest people and some of the most mentally capable people to protect and serve this country.”
Rudy said most of the transphobia he has encountered so far has been in civilian life. The men and women who served alongside him were focused on the demands of the mission before them, and close bonds were born from shared experiences and the close quarters in which they worked and lived.
Restroom and shower accommodations, particularly while Rudy was in the process of transitioning, proved challenging. Without an official gender marker that matched his gender identity he was not allowed to access the men’s facilities. Once, during a five-day range training excursion in the desert, Rudy had to use the women’s showers. And by this time, he had grown a full beard. “It was a super traumatizing experience for me, as well as for them. Because, they’re like, ‘Why is there a guy in the shower?’”
However difficult it was, as a trans man, to navigate the administrative hurdles of military life, Rudy had already weathered a lot of heartache. He came out first as a lesbian and was consequently kicked out of his home. “It was a really hard time in my life,” Rudy said. Like many young people in his position, he abused drugs and alcohol to cope. For more than six years now, Rudy has been sober—and his family eventually reconciled with him.
At first, he explained, the subject of his sexual orientation was off the table, but then Rudy journeyed closer to accepting his gender identity. “It was undeniable when the hormones kicked in,” he explained. “Then, I gave my family the choice to be there for my top surgery, and they showed up.” Rudy said they are now 120 percent supportive.
“One time, I discovered that my mom, who has this heavy Armenian accent and types the way she talks, was responding to these negative comments about me on social media. [Imitating her accent] ‘That’s my son and I love him and he’s very handsome!’ She was totally there in support, doing all of this emotional labor. It was so incredible to see that.”
These days, Rudy is incredulous about the policies introduced and supported by the President, especially those concerning transgender men and women in the armed forces. At the same time, he has witnessed tremendous progress in both his family and community—especially among young people—which, he said, signals movement in the direction of justice and equality.
Through social media, Rudy has comforted other LGBTQ folks, including Armenians who are struggling with coming out to their families. It’s just another form of advocacy, he said—a way to build and strengthen community.
Recently, Rudy was invited, by his former art teacher, to speak before a high school group called Students Advocating Gender Equality (SAGE). “When I was [a student] there,” he said, “there were three students in GSA, and I was one of them. At this event, I was talking to, like, 50 kids. They were all embracing and accepting each other—and it’s students in high school who are creating these clubs and programs.”
Los Angeles
Bisexual boss moves
Jurado goes head-to-head against De Leon for LA city council in November
Ysabel Jurado, 34, a lifelong community member of Highland Park, and openly out candidate, is running against current Councilmember Kevin De Leon for Council District 14, the most powerful city council in Los Angeles County.
Her campaign slogan is ‘Ysabel For The Community.’
Earlier this year, Jurado made history in the primary, using her perspective as a historically underrepresented person in the hopes of bringing new leadership to the district after De Leon was called to resign in 2022, following a scandal.
The live voting results earlier this year highlighted Ysabel Jurado at 24.52%, with 8,618 votes, while De Leon fell behind by nearly 400 votes, with 23.39% in the primary.
Jurado is a tenants rights lawyer and housing justice advocate from Highland Park who has built her reputation in the community with support from social activist Dolores Huerta, L.A. City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez and L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis.
“I’m the daughter of undocumented immigrants, a public transit rider, a former teen mom, and a working class Angeleno who has navigated the challenges of poverty. I have held the line on countless strikes and defended truck drivers against the same wage theft my father faced,” said Jurado in her candidate statement.
De Leon secured the second spot and will go head-to-head against Jurado in November. Jurado rose to the top of the polls, while her opponents spent more money on their campaigns, including De Leon. Miguel Santiago raised the most money for his campaign and also spent the most to secure support. De Leon came in second with both money spent and money raised. While Jurado came in fourth in the amount of money spent and raised for her campaign.
Jurado is running to become the first queer, Filipina to represent CD-14. Among the list of issues she aims to tackle while in office are; homelessness, climate action, safer streets and economic justice that uplifts small businesses.
“I will bring the institutional knowledge of a legal housing expert and the lived experience of a queer, immigrant-raised, working class, woman of color – a battle-tested representative for and from the community,” said Jurado.
Though this is her first time running for office, she has already made it as far as political pioneer Gloria Molina in 2015.
De Leon might be facing an uphill climb after he was caught saying homophobic, racist and anti-sematic remarks in a leaked audio recording that rocked his political career. Even President Joe Biden called for his resignation.
The conversation that rocked L.A politics is said to have started because of redistricting plans and gerrymandering. According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, De Leon had his hopes set on running for mayor of Los Angeles. Since the audio was leaked, protests erupted, calling for his resignation. De Leon continued in his position after an apology tour and is now running against Jurado on the November ballot.
The recording of a conversation between De Leon, Ron Herrera, Nury Martinez and Gil Cedillo.
Jurado’s statement on her campaign website calls out the leaders of CD-14 that betrayed the communities in the district.
“Between FBI raids, backroom gerrymandering, racist rants, and corruption charges, our needs have been chronically ignored,” says the statement. “City government has failed us. We deserve better.”
If she wins, she would join a progressive bloc of leaders in city council that include Nithya Raman, Hugo Doto-Martinez and Councilmember Hernandez. The leadership would have a pendulum swing toward city affairs that has not been seen before.
CD-14 covers Eagle Rock, El Sereno, Boyle Heights and parts of Lincoln Heights and downtown L.A., which includes skid row and other points of interest.
Those points of interest make CD-14 seats particularly difficult when it comes to dealing with polarizing issues like homelessness and street safety measures.
According to the latest demographic data by L.A City Council, 61% of the population is Latin American, while the second highest population is white, at 16%, followed by Asian, at 14% and Black at 6%.
If elected, Jurado aims to tackle homelessness in a district that has one of the highest unhoused populations in the city.
Jurado is now gearing up for the November election by continuing to campaign at various events across Los Angeles, including ‘Postcarding with Ysabel,’ at DTLA Arts District Brewing and The Hermosillo.
Orange County
Orange County Program Trains Businesses to Welcome Transgender Workers
More than 400 businesses have used Cultural Competency Training
Pickle jars and pineapple on the right. Breakfast cereal and bagels over there. Riley Williams muttered these words as he ran his hands along the shelves.
Familiarizing himself with his new job at a grocery store in Orange County, he stopped by the break room and noticed the work schedule. His hours were listed next to the name his parents had given him, not the name he had chosen since he had come out as transgender.
“I felt an overwhelming sense of dread and panic,” said Williams. When he asked his bosses to change the name, they refused.
In the next few months, his employers reminded him of an identity he did not associate with every time they placed his work schedule on the wall. When colleagues called Williams by his old name, he felt they were making fun of him.
Williams’ experiences led him to the job of LGBTQ Health & Trans* Services Coordinator at the Orange County LGBTQ Center in Santa Ana. Now, he creates training material for the Cultural Competency Training program, the center’s workforce initiative to educate businesses about the LGBTQ community.
“It’s really about stopping [discrimination] before it happens to the next person,” said Williams.
A survey from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law found that 0.45% of adults 25 or older in the U.S. are transgender, while the percentage is nearly three times as high among those 18 to 24 years old.
As these openly transgender youth enter the workforce in higher numbers, more companies are using training programs to help employees adjust. More than 400 businesses have used the Cultural Competency Training to educate workers on matters such as bathroom use and gender-affirming care. Their lessons include the difference between gender identity and sex, the usage of pronouns, and the importance of hormone therapy. Clients include the city of Irvine, Southland Integrated Services and Jamboree Housing.
Today’s transgender youth are finding a more accepting work environment compared to past generations.
“I’ve had a lot of people in my life who want me to be strong and who’ve encouraged me to be strong, and that strength has led me to have confidence,” said Aspen Strawn, a transgender high school student in Orange County.
Strawn pointed to transgender rights pioneers who have led the way through the creation of workforce training programs. Started by the Human Rights Campaign, the Corporate Equality Index is a nationwide scale that indicates how equitable a business is toward the LGBTQ community. The index (scored from -25 to 100) bases its grades on workforce protections, inclusive benefits and culture and social responsibility. These days, major companies often post their CEI scores on their websites.
Although many large businesses, such as Walt Disney Co. and Apple Inc., have perfect CEI scores and are known to support workforce inclusion, not all corporations go that far.
“I’m just not a big believer that big business has any strong interest in improving conditions,” said Arielle Rebekah, a transgender activist based in Chicago.
Hobby Lobby, for example, has been known for its anti-LGBTQ stances. In 2021, the company fought a legal battle to deny a transgender employee access to the women’s restroom. Businesses such as Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and Twitter attained low scores, 30 and -25, respectively, on the 2023 CEI Index.
However, Assemblymember Chris Ward, D-San Diego, is not deterred by these corporations.
He believes AB 1955 (SAFETY Act), his recently introduced bill, which will prevent forced outings of LGBTQ students, provide resources to their parents and protect educators who support them, is a step in the right direction.
“It’s important that … we don’t cower to the opposition forces that are trying to deny us identity and deny us who we are,” Ward said. “That we stand up, that we affirm and we really recite our pride in who we are.”
Maya Desai is a reporter with JCal, a collaboration between The Asian American Journalists Association and CalMatters to immerse high school students in California’s news industry.
Los Angeles
DTLA Proud Festival 2024 closes out the summer in new “Gayborhood” location
Event features pop-up waterpark dance party
Hundreds of queer community members water-partied, danced, dined, and patronized a variety of local organizations at the 9th annual DTLA Proud Festival in Downtown Los Angeles this past weekend.
The event featured a pop-up waterpark dance party and stage performances from DJ’s and drag queens, Aug 24 and 25, including a mini ball Sunday night when dancers competed for cash prizes. While past festivals were hosted at Pershing Square, this year’s festivities were relocated to the historic DTLA “gayborhood” at the 200 block of Spring Street, according to DTLA Proud Founder and Executive Director Oliver Alpuche.
“The ‘Gayborhood’ offers four queer safe spaces that have their doors open 365 days a year to our community and highlight and create an anchor in this area that is for us and by us,” Alpuche said. “We want to reset roots and carve out an area of DTLA that fosters inclusion, creativity and love. There is so much history that people don’t know about when it comes to Main Street.”
Muralist and graphic designer Coco Nella was live-painting a set of four paintings at the festival, and said each one is dedicated to one of the four queer bars in DTLA: Precinct, Bar Franca, New Jalisco Bar, and Kiso, which opened earlier this year.
“This event is basically in my backyard, and I really just wanted to do something very local with people I know,” Nella said. “Oliver and I talked about donating each painting to each of the bars just to kind of tie them all together.”
Nella was painting near one of two stages at the event, SummerTramp, where attendees swam in an above-ground pool and danced to musical performances throughout the weekend. The second stage, Proud, featured Preciosa night and a mini-ball.
Hosted by the House of Gorgeous Gucci, as featured on season one of HBO’s ball TV show ‘Legendary,’ the ball on Sunday was one of the most popular and activated parts of DTLA Proud Fest. Participants danced for a performance spot in the ball, and joined teams to battle each other for the one thousand dollar cash prize.
Jam, one of the house members walking the ball, was excited for the house to be featured at the festival.
“It’s exciting to see that they’re posted and flagged,” Jam said. “People are out and proud, and I am loving everybody’s outfits.”
Other attendees, Jeremy Dow and Gerardo Cruz, said they were disappointed by the amount of white people in the space, and said that the event attendance had been more inclusive in past years than this year.
“We live in East LA, so we’re pretty aware of the events that happen nearby, including downtown LA. I think based on the attendance, there are a lot of white, cis, gay men that seem to attend,” Cruz said. “So I think [DTLA Proud] can reach out to more, other communities.”
Many of the artists, businesses and organizations who hosted booths at the festival are entities who work to close those gaps within the community, including Bienestar, a local organization offering health services such as HIV management to Latinx and/or LGBT+ clients.
Another vendor was Clitorati, the latest project of Jackie Steele, Alana Roshay and Trish Sweet, who have collectively helped produce a host of visibility and community events such as BiPride, Queer Women’s Visibility Week, Women’s Freedom Festival, Dyke Marches, and Lez Do Brunch.
Sweet said they hope to build more relationships and community through similar networking events and fundraisers, such as a chest cancer awareness event, and partnerships with organizations like the TransLatin@ Coalition, to whom they donated a portion of their proceeds from Clitorati’s Pride sales this year.
“It was important for us to be a business versus a nonprofit, even though we do so much work in the community,” Steele said. “We also wanted to show other women, you don’t always have to belly crawl through fire for free and give everything away. You can develop something for yourself. You can build something a little bit bigger.”
West Hollywood
A subway to WeHo? It might be time to get on board
Metro is holding consultations on extending the K Line
Imagine getting from West Hollywood to Hollywood or LAX in minutes without having to fight through the notorious Los Angeles traffic. That’s the future the City of West Hollywood wants as it fights for an extension of the Metro K Line through the heart of the region’s gay nightlife neighborhood.
Metro is holding consultations on a proposed northern extension of the K Line from its current terminus at Expo/Crenshaw station to meet the A Line at Hollywood/Highland station and wants feedback on three proposed route options, but two of them bypass West Hollywood altogether.
The route that the City of West Hollywood prefers, called the San Vicente alignment, veers west to meet the D Line at the future Wilshire and Fairfax station before veering further west with stops at Beverly/Fairfax, Beverly/San Vicente, Santa Monica/San Vicente, and Santa Monica/La Brea before reaching the A Line.
The cheapest and most direct route would go straight up La Brea Avenue to meet the A Line. A third route would run up Fairfax Avenue before turning back to Hollywood/Highland on the A Line but would also miss most of West Hollywood. All three options also consider a possible further extension to the Hollywood Bowl.
For West Hollywood City Planner David Fenn, the route through West Hollywood makes the most sense.
“The San Vicente route would put three times as many jobs and six times as many residents in walking distance of transit,” he says. “The areas that this is going through aren’t the average part of the county. They’re some of the biggest destinations for locals and tourists.”
Some of the destinations the San Vicente route would service directly include the Grove, the Farmer’s Market, Cedars-Sinai, the Pacific Design Center, the Beverly Center, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and West Hollywood’s Rainbow District. Those destinations would help add more than 59,000 daily riders to the K Line, according to Metro’s draft environmental review, compared to just 47,000 new riders on the La Brea alignment.
“Day one would have the highest ridership of any light rail line in the country,” Fenn says. “When you talk to regular people about this project, they tend to just get it. They say, ‘Of course I would take the subway to Pride, to the Bowl.’”
Fenn says the best way for residents to ensure that the San Vicente alignment gets built is to let Metro know they want it.
Metro is holding public information sessions on Aug 10 at 10 a.m. at Susan Miller Dorsey Senior High on Aug 13 at 6 p.m., at Pan Pacific Park Community Center, and a virtual session on Aug.15 at noon over Zoom.
If you can’t attend one of those meetings, residents can also submit comments to Metro directly by Sept. 5 using comment forms provided by the City of West Hollywood.
Metro is planning to decide a preferred route by the end of the year, but it will still be years before you can take a train from LAX to the Abbey. Metro’s current planned construction schedule for the line, using funds from the Measure R and Measure M referendums, won’t see the line complete until 2047.
West Hollywood is trying to speed that process up by getting stakeholders to agree on a route and then lobbying for additional funding from other sources. The city has also proposed creating an “Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District,” which would see the city dedicate any additional property tax revenue created by new developments and property value uplift near the rail line to paying down debt incurred by its construction.
Dedicating its own revenue to the project could help bring other funding sources on board, like the federal government, which could get shovels in the ground sooner. But Metro’s draft EIR says construction of the entire 10-mile line could take 10-11 years, or longer if construction phases are done separately.
Fenn says that’s why it’s important that Metro doesn’t leave West Hollywood off the K Line.
“The way to look at this is we only get one shot at this,” Fenn says. “The scale of these projects, the amount of time it takes, we’re only going to get one rail line through this area in our lifetime.”
“If we don’t spend that premium to get to the places people actually want to go, we’re going to be kicking ourselves about that missed opportunity.”
The K Line opened in October 2022, and currently runs between Expo/Crenshaw on the E Line to Westchester/Veterans, with an extension to connect to LAX and the C Line expected to open in December 2025. The line will also take over the existing southwestern portion of the C Line to Redondo Beach, with a planned southern extension to Torrence expected to open in 2033.
West Hollywood
West Hollywood Council candidate Larry Block accused of election misconduct
Accusations include ‘deceptive practices by posting fraudulent comments on his website under assumed names’
By PAUL MURILLO | WeHo Times — West Hollywood council member candidate Larry Block, the owner of Block Party retail store and the blog wehoonline.com (formerly wehoville.com), has been accused of election misconduct in an email written anonymously to West Hollywood City Attorney Lauren Langer.
Mr. Block has been accused of using “deceptive practices by posting fraudulent comments on his website under assumed names, presumably to mislead the electorate and gain an undue advantage in the campaign.”
Mr. Block’s ownership and involvement with wehoonline.com is also being questioned in the email, stating: “In addition, the fact that Mr. Block is selling ad space on his website and controls its content raises significant concerns about the fairness and integrity of the electoral process. Such actions may create an unfair advantage for Mr. Block and potentially violate campaign finance laws and regulations. Given that the website appears to be used to promote Mr. Block’s candidacy, it may itself be considered a political advertisement…”
When reached for comment, Mr. Block stated that he has never used a different name other than his own to post comments on wehoville.com or wehoonline.com. He blamed a commenter who he says posed has him and used his IP address. He also alleges that he has zero involvement with wehoonline.com and says he is merely a “contributor.”
The open letter in its entirety is below:
###
Dear City Attorney,
I am writing to formally give notice concerning a serious pattern of potential election misconduct involving Mr. LarryBlock, a candidate in the upcoming local municipal election, and who is registered under FPPC ID 1471208. Mr. Block owns and manages a website WEHOonline.com dba WEHOonline Inc., a California corporation, wherein election-related content is disseminated. The contact on the advertising page (https://wehoonline.com/
It has come to my attention that Mr. Block has allegedly engaged in deceptive practices by posting fraudulent comments on his website under assumed names, presumably to mislead the electorate and gain an undue advantage in the campaign. One example of a pertinent comment, attributed to the pseudonym “hot2trot,” is as follows:
hot2trot
Reply to Kings road resident
same here. the same people who bitch about everything are trying to stop people from exercising their right to vote.
Upon closer scrutiny, it is evident that hovering over the username “hot2trot” reveals the following URL, indicating the true authorship by Mr. Block:
https://wehoonline.com/author/
This conduct appears to violate California Elections Code Section 18351, which prohibits candidate’s use of a false or fictitious name or engaging in any deceitful practice to influence voters in an election. Manufacturing comments to falsely create the appearance of support is a clear example of such deceitful practices. For your convenience and to ensure the preservation of this evidence in case Mr. Block decides to destroy it, the original page has been archived and can be reviewed at this link:
In addition, the fact that Mr. Block is selling ad space on his website and controls its content raises significant concerns about the fairness and integrity of the electoral process. Such actions may create an unfair advantage for Mr. Block and potentially violate campaign finance laws and regulations. Given that the website appears to be used to promote Mr. Block‘s candidacy, it may itself be considered a political advertisement. Under the Political Reform Act, specifically Government Code Section 84501 and Section 84502, all political advertisements must include disclosures identifying the entity responsible for the content. The absence of such disclosures on his website likely constitute a violation of these requirements, undermining transparency and fairness in the election process.
The combination of these issues—the fraudulent comments and the lack of proper disclosures—suggests that Mr. Block has engaged in a pattern of deceptive practices and potential violations of California election laws. Such conduct seriously undermines the integrity and fairness of the electoral process.
Given the gravity of this issue and its potential ramifications on the integrity of our local electoral process, I hereby respectfully request that your office conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into this alleged misconduct. It is imperative that all candidates adhere to the highest standards of legal and ethical conduct to preserve the sanctity of our democratic process.
Should you require any additional information or documentation to facilitate your investigation, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for your prompt and serious attention to this matter.
This article was originally published in the WeHo Times and has been reposted here with permission.
West Hollywood
Fred Segal West Hollywood closed permanently after 6 years
Lifestyle brand defined LA look
By PAUL MURILLO | WeHo Times — Fred Segal West Hollywood at 8500 Sunset Boulevard is one of two remaining Los Angeles County stores that closed on Tuesday. The WeHo location has been in the heart of the Sunset Strip for the past 6 years. It opened near the La Cienega intersection in 2018.
The Fred Segal in West Hollywood celebrated 60 years in June 2021 with the unveiling of a giant peace sign sculpture in front of its store, by Los Angeles artist Nathan Mabry. Jeff Lotman, Owner and CEO of Fred Segal was at the unveiling and seemed optimistic about the future of the Fred Segal brand.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the brand once had nine stores in California and locations in Switzerland and Taipei, succumbed to a challenging retail landscape, never recovering from the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on sales despite being a fixture of Los Angeles fashion since the 1960s, according to Lotman, who bought the company in 2019.
The Times states that Lotman doesn’t blame the company’s downfall on not having enough self-branded products with Fred Segal stores carrying close to 200 outside brands but only few of their own offerings.
FRED SEGAL was known as an iconic lifestyle brand that defined the LA Look and sparked a revolutionary shift in style, changing retail and pop culture forever.
In 1961, Fred Segal, dubbed the original “Curator of Cool” opened his first store, inventing the denim bar and pulling American Style Westward: foretelling that people wanted to be comfortable, casual and sexy. In addition to designing his own collection, Fred pioneered the shop-in-shop concept and experiential retail, resulting in a brand built on heritage, inclusivity and love.
For over 60 years, FRED SEGAL embodied LA cool—to the entire world. Despite the brand’s long-running success, its legacy is sustained by always staying ahead. FRED SEGAL opened its Sunset Boulevard Flagship in 2018, and expanded to Malibu, Asia and Europe.
The Fred Segal website has been shut down as well. There was a 75% off “summer” sale online this month without really announcing its impending closure. It has already been marked as permanently closed on Yelp, however, the Fred Segal Home furnishings store will remain open in Culver City.
This article was originally published in the WeHo Times and has been reposted here with permission.
California
Villaraigosa announces bid for Calif. governor in 2026
Former Los Angeles mayor has long supported LGBTQ rights
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced on Tuesday his candidacy for California governor in the 2026 election, joining an expanding roster of contenders vying to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The former mayor has a long track record in support of the LGBTQ community, even preceding his declaration as chairman of the 2012 Democratic National Convention that he favored a same-sex marriage legalization plank in the party’s platform, support that ultimately led to support from the Vice President Biden and later President Barack Obama.
Villaraigosa, who previously ran for governor in 2018 and finished third in the primary behind Newsom and Republican John Cox, brings a long history in California politics, having served as Assembly speaker, a Los Angeles City Council member, and the city’s mayor.
Villaraigosa, 71, has maintained a presence in state politics despite leaving elected office in 2013.
His campaign is positioning him as a seasoned “problem solver,” with a focus on the state budget, education, and reducing costs for small businesses and middle-class families.
“We have serious problems, and money alone won’t fix them,” Villaraigosa stated. “We need to focus on better outcomes, fixing what’s broken, and investing in what works. I’m a problem solver, and with your support, that’s exactly what I’ll do as governor.”
In his campaign video, Villaraigosa highlighted his achievements as mayor and Assembly speaker, emphasizing his experience in bipartisan legislation and a tough stance on crime, which is anticipated to be a central issue in the 2026 election. His tenure as mayor was marked by significant restructuring of the Los Angeles Police Department and efforts to improve the city’s education system.
Villaraigosa joins a crowded Democratic field that includes Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, former Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and former state Controller Betty Yee. Attorney General Rob Bonta is also considering a run, though he has indicated he will decide after the November election.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has not ruled out a bid but has not provided a definitive answer.
The race remains wide open, although Kounalakis has already amassed significant campaign funds, with her campaign reporting over $9 million on hand. Current Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Congresswoman Katie Porter are among the names rumored to potentially join the race later.
Newsom’s tenure will conclude in early 2027, setting the stage for a competitive race to replace him. Villaraigosa’s entry into the race signals a significant development, given his extensive background in state and local governance and his focus on pragmatic solutions for California’s pressing issues.
The 2026 gubernatorial election will be Villaraigosa’s second attempt at the state’s highest office.
Villaraigosa’s dedication to diverse and inclusive leadership is evident through his ongoing recognition of leaders who champion these values. As recently as Jan. 18, the Antonio Villaraigosa Leadership Award was presented to San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria at the 37th Tribute to Mayors Signature Event.
The award, given annually by the Latino Leaders Network, honors mayors from cities with significant Latino populations who have shown a commitment to uniting diverse communities.
“Getting an award in Mayor Villaraigosa’s name is really meaningful to me,” Gloria stated. “I was the nerdy kid who would watch C-SPAN and read the newspaper when I was young. Seeing a charismatic and energetic leader like Villaraigosa made me believe I could achieve similar goals in public service.”
Villaraigosa, who grew up in East Los Angeles during the 1950s and 1960s when sexism and homophobia pervaded the culture, has a track record fighting for LGBTQ issues.
“I think it’s prevalent in every community but in the Latino community, one could argue, it was even more prevalent, more extreme in terms of sexism and homophobia,” Villaraigosa told Karen Ocamb in a 2018 interview for Los Angeles Blade.
“I grew up with a mom that was very progressive and a victim of domestic violence. I grew up in a home with alcoholism and a father who left three terrorized kids,” explaining his outlook.
“I’m not running for anything else,” said Villaraigosa. “So, a popularity contest is not what I’m looking for. You’re never gonna see Antonio Villaraigosa — candidate for president or vice president. I want to be a damn good governor.”
BY DIANA LAMBERT AND MONICA VELEZ | LAist — A trailblazing state law prohibiting California school boards from passing resolutions that require teachers and school staff to notify parents if they believe a child is transgender isn’t likely to put an end to this polarizing issue.
The Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth, or SAFETY Act, was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on July 15. It will prohibit school districts from requiring staff to disclose to parents’ information related to a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity, and will protect school staff from retaliation if they refuse to notify parents of a child’s gender preference. The legislation, which will go into effect Jan. 1, also provides additional resources and support for LGBTQ students at junior high and high schools.
“California is the first state to pass a law explicitly prohibiting school districts from enacting forced outing policies in the nation,” said Mike Blount, spokesperson for the author of the bill, Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego).
The legislation was passed in response to the more than a dozen California school boards that proposed or passed parental notification policies in just over a year. The policies require school staff to inform parents if a child asks to use a name or pronoun different from the one assigned at birth, or if they engage in activities and use facilities designed for the opposite sex. At least seven California school districts passed the controversial policies, often after heated public debate.
First lawsuit filed
By Tuesday evening, the conservative nonprofit Liberty Justice Center said it had filed a lawsuit challenging the new law on behalf of Chino Valley Unified, which passed a parental notification policy last year.
“School officials do not have the right to keep secrets from parents, but parents do have a constitutional right to know what their minor children are doing at school,” said Emily Rae, senior counsel at the Liberty Justice Center in a press release. “Parents are the legal guardians of their children, not Gov. Newsom, Attorney General (Rob) Bonta, or Supt. (Tony) Thurmond. We will continue to defend parents’ rights and children’s well-being by challenging invasive laws like AB 1955 in court, at no cost to taxpayers.”
Other opponents, including Assemblyman Bill Essayli (R-Riverside) indicated that the issue will be settled in court. He is “committed to challenging the bill in court, and he’s confident he’s on the right side constitutionally,” said Shawn Lewis, Essayli’s chief of staff. Essayli plans to work with a coalition of advocates to challenge the bill, Lewis said.
Election issue
Parental rights is the overarching issue for the Republican Party, but right now it is focused on the parental notification issue, Essayli said in an August interview with EdSource. “This is an issue we want to run on in 2024,” he said.
The newly passed legislation also resulted in a flurry of press releases and social media comments from opponents and supporters. Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk weighed in, calling the new law the “final straw” in his decision to move the headquarters for X, formerly known as Twitter, to Texas.
“I did make it clear to Gov. Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children,” Musk wrote on X.
Proponents of the parental notification policies have said that parents have the right to know what is going on with their children at school and that minors do not have a right to privacy. Opponents say these policies could endanger already vulnerable students who should be able to decide when they want to come out to their parents.
Chino Valley Unified in San Bernardino County, Murrieta Valley Unified, and Temecula Valley Unified in Riverside County, in Orange County, in Anderson Union High School District in Shasta County, and Rocklin Unified and Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District in Placer County are among the districts that have passed parental notification policies.
California’s parental notification board policies have their origin in Assembly Bill 1314, proposed by Essayli, which was denied a committee hearing at the state Capitol last year. After that, Essayli, parents’ rights groups and attorneys wrote a model board policy for school boards.
On Monday, Essayli released a statement about the new law: “Today, Gov. Gavin Newsom defied parents’ constitutional and God-given right to raise their children by signing AB 1955 which codifies the government’s authority to keep secrets from parents,” he said. “AB 1955 endangers children by excluding parents from important matters impacting their child’s health and welfare at school. Governor Newsom signing AB 1955 is both immoral and unconstitutional, and we will challenge it in court to stop the government from keeping secrets from parents.”
Eight states have passed laws requiring school districts to inform parents if their children ask to use names or pronouns associated with another gender, according to the Movement Advancement Project.
LGBTQ rights threatened
School parental notification policies have impacted the mental health of LGBTQ students and can lead to bullying, harassment, and discrimination, according to a press release from Ward’s office.
“Politically motivated attacks on the rights, safety, and dignity of transgender, nonbinary, and other LGBTQ+ youth are on the rise nationwide, including in California,” said Ward, who introduced the legislation along with the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.
“While some school districts have adopted policies to forcibly out students, the SAFETY Act ensures that discussions about gender identity remain a private matter within the family,” he said. “As a parent, I urge all parents to talk to their children, listen to them, and love them unconditionally for who they are.”
The California Teachers Association and its members have been major opponents of parental notification policies, saying that they drive a wedge between educators and students, and endanger already vulnerable students. Teachers working in districts with parental notification policies have worried they could lose their jobs if they do not comply with the district requirement or end up in court if they disobey federal and state laws and policies.
“This historic legislation will strengthen existing protections against forced outing and allow educators to continue to create a safe learning environment where all students feel accepted, nurtured, and encouraged to pursue their dreams,” said California Teachers Association President David Goldberg. “As educators, we are charged with providing a high-quality education to every student. No educator should experience retaliation or have their livelihood jeopardized for following the law and providing safe and supportive learning environments for our students.”
Policies spawn lawsuits
Attorney General Rob Bonta has said parental notification policies break California state law and violate students’ civil rights and their right to privacy. He issued warnings to districts and filed a lawsuit against Chino Valley Unified in San Bernardino County last year.
A lawsuit was also filed against Temecula Valley Unified by a coalition of students, teachers and parents who oppose the district’s parental notification policy, along with a policy that bans “critical race theory.”
California courts have had differing opinions. In San Diego, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez last year ruled that Escondido Union School District violated parents’ rights when it followed California state policy and allowed students to decide whether to tell their parents they identify as transgender.
In Sacramento earlier that year, U.S. District Judge John Mendez dismissed a lawsuit against Chico Unified. The suit claimed that district policies allowed school staff “to socially transition” students and prohibited staff from informing parents of the change. Mendez said students have a right to tell their parents about their gender and sexuality on their own terms.
The new law will also require districts to provide support or affinity groups and safe spaces for LGBTQ students; anti-bullying and harassment policies and complaint procedures; counseling services; anti-bias or other training to support LGBTQ students and their families; suicide prevention policies and procedures; and access to community-based organizations to support LGBTQ students as well as local physical and mental health providers with experience in treating and supporting families of LGBTQ youth.
California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus Chair Susan Eggman said the legislation reaffirms California’s position as a leader and safe haven for LGBTQ youth.
“I am also deeply grateful for all the parents, teachers, youth, LGBTQ+ leaders, and so many other groups who came together to support this bill,” Eggman said. “Their support reaffirmed what this caucus already knew: Safe and supportive schools for all our children should be our top priority. And at the end of the day, that’s what this bill does, ensures our K-12 campuses remain safe and affirming places for our youth no matter how they identify.”
Northern California
Anti-LGBTQ school board members recalled after banning Pride flags
Vote took place in East Bay’s Sunol Glen Unified School District
A parent-led movement succeeded in recalling two school board members who approved a policy to ban schools in the Sunol Glen Unified School District in the East Bay from flying a Pride flag or any flag that was not a U.S. or California state flag, according to reports.
The vote on July 2 came a year after Molleen Barnes, the superintendent and principal of Sunol Glen School, hoisted the Progress Pride flag on her campus, a little more than an hour’s drive southeast of San Francisco.
After that, two members of the Sunol Glen Unified School District — school board president Ryan Jergensen and Linda Hurley — subsequently approved the new, restricted flag policy, with a third member voting in opposition. Ted Romo accused his fellow officials of “censorship.” Romo is now the only one who kept his seat on the three-member school board.
A parent of children attending Sunol Glen, Matt Sylvester, launched the recall effort. On July 2, he and other residents voted to recall Jergensen by a vote of 254 to 218, a difference of fewer than 40 votes. For Hurley, the count was 249 to 223, leaving her just 26 votes shy of keeping her seat.
The results of the election must be certified by the Alameda County Board of Education, which will then appoint temporary replacements for the school board members until a new election can be held. That isn’t likely before November, according to reports.
Sylvester told the San Francisco Chronicle why he took action.
“They pulled a fast one on us with the flag ban resolution,” Sylvester said. “It was sneaky behavior, and then they pushed it through without listening to people. There’s been no compromise. This recall is about making a point that we will not stand for this.”
West Hollywood
Stache closes after three years of serving WeHo
The popular bar and eatery will close its doors on July 13
The popular WeHo bar Stache will be closing its doors for good July 13, its owners announced via social media Monday afternoon.
“Thank you so much for all of your support since day one. Over the last three years, we’ve been a WeHo destination where everyone was welcomed and memories were made. We’ve truly cherished serving you, our community, and appreciate everyone who has been with us for this unforgettable ride,” the owners said in a post on Instagram.
“We have given Stache our best effort, however our operations no longer make sense. It is with great sadness that we must announce that Stache’s last day of operations will be this coming Saturday, July 13th, 2024.”
“We are forever grateful to our amazing team for their dedication and hard work. We hope you’ll join us in supporting them and celebrating Stache’s last week – we’ll forever hold dear the community, friendships, and memories we’ve made.”
Stache’s owners and PR team declined to comment further when contacted by the Los Angeles Blade. A search of Stache’s liquor license shows a clean record that would be good through July 2025.
Stache’s owners signed onto their lease in December 2019, taking over and merging the locations previously occupied by Café d’Étoile and Bumsan Organic Milk Bar. But the COVID pandemic that began three months later put all of their preparation for the bar on hold. It eventually opened in September 2021.
The restaurant originally served only vegan food, but quickly expanded its menu options.
Over the past three years, Stache has evolved into a neighborhood hub that hosted events every night of the week, including classic gay movie screenings, a weekly drink and draw, drag shows, and dance parties.
DJ Jon Klaft, a regular fixture at Stache since he played at its friends and family preview night back in September 2021, says the bar was an important part of the Weho scene.
“Stache has held a very special place in my heart since it opened,” Klaft says. “I’ll continue to DJ at the other bars in Weho, but really hope that whoever takes over the space keeps it a queer venue. I feel like we are losing too many spaces in the neighborhood. I’m so bummed to see stache go.”
Tributes to the bar poured in on social media.
“This wasn’t just a bar to me, this was the space within which I reclaimed a passion and a talent that I hadn’t accessed in over 20 years,” said James Farrell, an artist who was a regular attendee at Stache’s drink and draw events.
“Thank you @stacheweho for giving me my first weekly on the Boulevard! I’ll cherish the moments I had with you and the people I met in your loving walls forever!” wrote drag artist Xoana.
“Always a vibe. Always sexy. Always the most amazing staff!” wrote DJ Ivan Mariscal.
Queer Here Cinema, a monthly networking and screening event for queer filmmakers, has had to cancel its July event, and announced on Instagram that it was looking for a new venue.
Several WeHo venues have changed hands recently, with Roosterfish announcing it would open in the former Pump location, the Abbey relaunching with a new owner, and Heart closing to reopen as Beaches Tropicana.
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