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Axios
4 days ago
- Health
- Axios
How SF became the heart of the trans rights movement
San Francisco kicked off Transgender History Month this week with a flag-raising ceremony that emphasized the urgency of protecting trans rights while serving as a reminder that the city has played a crucial role in advancing the movement. The big picture: SF is believed to be the first U.S. city to officially observe the commemorative month. It began doing so in 2021 after activist Jupiter Peraza led an effort to celebrate the city's rich history of trans pioneers. Between the lines: While trans people in the U.S. continue to face disproportionately high rates of violence, suicidal ideation and homelessness, advocates say these realities do not define the community. Catch up quick: August was designated Transgender History Month to honor the legacy of the Compton's Cafeteria Riot in August 1966, when a trans woman resisted police harassment by throwing a cup of coffee at an officer at Gene Compton's Cafeteria in the Tenderloin. The move sparked a revolt, marking "the first known instance of collective militant queer resistance to police harassment" in the country — years before the Stonewall Riots, historian Susan Stryker said in a 2015 episode of the "Code Switch" podcast. Flashback: SF has also been the heart of several other pivotal moments in American trans history: In 1965, the San Francisco Department of Public Health established the Center for Special Problems. Led by doctor Joel Fort and trans activist Wendy Kohler, the center provided mental health counseling and hormone prescriptions. It also issued ID cards, signed by a public health doctor, that matched trans people's gender instead of their sex assigned at birth, allowing them to open bank accounts and seek employment in alignment with their identity, per Stryker's book"Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution." Trans activists Jamison Green and Kiki Whitlock, among others, worked with San Francisco's Human Rights Commission to publish a landmark report in 1994 documenting human rights abuses against the trans community. The investigation found that trans people faced significant barriers to obtaining medical and social services, securing stable employment and accessing rape crisis resources and homeless shelters. The document served as the basis for a 1995 city ordinance banning discrimination against trans people. Theresa Sparks made history in 2007 when she was elected president of the San Francisco Police Commission, becoming the first openly trans city department head as well as the highest-ranking trans official. In 2017, three Black trans women — Honey Mahogany, Janetta Johnson and Aria Sa'id — founded Compton's Transgender Cultural District, now known as The Transgender District, the first of its kind in the world, KQED reports.
The Guardian
26-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘It's time for us to be louder': Germany's Pride parades face up to rise in attacks
The organisers of the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin have urged participants to be vigilant amid a rise in attacks on LGBTQ+ events across Germany. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of the German capital this weekend for a loud and colourful celebration held in memory of the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, Christopher Street being the location of the Stonewall Inn. But behind the party atmosphere there is a more sombre mood than usual as LGBTQ+ organisations warn that attacks have become more frequent. 'It has been said in recent years that Christopher Street Day had become too big, too commercialised, too apolitical,' said one of the organisers, Thomas Hoffmann. 'But now it's time for us to be louder than ever and for people to come out in large numbers when we're losing rights for which we have fought for decades.' At stake, he said, was nothing less than societal tolerance across the board, which was being tested 'first and foremost on us as we're most visible'. Campaigners say a rise in hostility has accompanied the increase in support for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party, which came second in February's elections and is now the biggest opposition party in the German parliament. Lorenz Blumenthaler, a spokesperson for the Antonio Amadeu Foundation which campaigns against rightwing extremism, racism and antisemitism, said there had been 55 rightwing extremist attacks at Pride parades across Germany last year. The organisation had already recorded 30 attacks 'with a rightwing extremist background' on Christopher Street Day parades in Germany so far this year, he said. There are about 120 parades due to take place this year. 'It was last year we noticed that rightwing extremist mobilisation against Pride celebrations was increasing massively,' he said. The attacks on Christopher Street Day celebrations, he said, ranged from 'traditional verbal insults to physical assaults, including people being doused with boiling water for walking under buildings as part of the Pride parade'. With the campaign platform Campact, a German NGO, the foundation has established a €100,000 (£87,000) fund to support Christopher Street Day parades, particularly those in eastern Germany. The AfD is high in the polls there and there was an increasingly aggressive opposition to gay rights, Blumenthaler said. Bastian Finke, the head of Maneo, a Berlin project that documents cases of homophobic violence, said the parades had increasingly become targets in the last year. While the events in cities such as Cologne and Berlin had not been specifically threatened, it was those in smaller towns and rural areas that were most at risk and harder to police, he said. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion Danjel Zarte, who owns the Das Hoven cafe, a popular meeting point for the LGBTQ+ community in the Neukölln district of southern Berlin, said the hatred had become a daily challenge. He has filed 45 police complaints in the last 18 months, all connected to homophobic attacks. On top of the psychological burden, it was also threatening the existence of his cafe as guests were staying away out of fear, he said. 'We are constantly verbally abused. People spit at the windows, or throw dog shit at them. A fire extinguisher was thrown through the window of our office, staff have been physically attacked or had the windscreen wipers torn off their cars. I constantly ask myself how long I can continue.' Blumenthaler said analysis of the increased hostility often focused on the influence of Donald Trump in emboldening conservatives and rightwingers globally, but 'the fact is homophobia has always been central to [German] rightwing extremist mobilisation'. He added: 'It's not an import; it's in our midst.' Finke of Maneo said there were almost no Pride celebrations in Germany any more that didn't trigger some kind of rightwing extremist demonstration, whether by small or large groups. At the same time, he said, the organisation had also seen an increase in Islamist-inspired attacks by 'people who, out of a misunderstood interpretation of their religion, feel compelled to punish people for who they are'. This weekend's parade has adopted the slogan 'Never be silent again!' in a clear reminder of the Nazi era when hundreds of thousands of gay people were rounded up. The numbers were particularly high in Berlin, where a nascent gay rights movement in the 1920s was crushed by the Nazis. Christopher Street Day organisers say Friedrich Merz's new government is contributing to the atmosphere of fear by engaging in dog-whistle politics to win voters back from the AfD. Julia Klöckner, the parliamentary president from Merz's centre-right CDU, drew criticism when she said that, unlike in recent years, the rainbow flag would not be hoisted on the parliament building for the Berlin parade. 'We are the German parliament, and we fly one flag: black, red and gold,' she said, alluding to the German flag. 'It represents everything our basic law stands for: freedom, human dignity and also the right to sexual self-determination. No flag flies above it.' Merz said he agreed with her decision, stating: 'The Bundestag is not a circus tent.'
New York Post
30-06-2025
- New York Post
Innocent teen wounded in shooting near Stonewall after NYC Pride — while girl who shot her then accidentally takes bullet, too: sources
An innocent 17-year-old girl was shot in Sunday night's chaos outside Manhattan's historic Stonewall Inn after the Pride parade — while the 16-year-old who nailed her ended up accidently shot herself by a pal, cops and sources said. The mayhem erupted around 10:15 p.m. when the 16-year-old, who was with some people, opened fire at another group during a street beef on Sheridan Square, just around the corner from the LGBTQ+ landmarked bar in Greenwich Village, law-enforcement sources said. The young shooter struck the 17-year-old girl – a bystander who was not involved in the clash – in the leg, sources said. 4 Two teenage girls were hurt when gunfire erupted near the Stonewall Inn after Sunday's Pride parade. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Another person in the shooter's group then opened fire at their rivals a second time – but mistakenly hit her pal who fired the first shot, striking her in the head, sources said. The 16-year-old girl was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition, and the 17-year-old bystander to Northwell Greenwich Village Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, cops said. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. The violence is not considered hate-crime-related, according to the sources. 4 A 16-year-old girl was shot in the head and is listed in critical condition, cops said. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Greenwich Village and specifically the Stonewall Inn, where the 1969 Stonewall Riots effectively marked the start of the country's gay-rights movement, has traditionally been at the heart of city's annual Pride celebration. Mayor Eric Adams said he was briefed on the shooting after the parade in a statement he shared on social media. 'Saddened to learn about the shooting by the Stonewall Inn tonight as Pride celebrations were winding down,' Adams said on X. 'During a time when our city should be rejoicing and celebrating members of our diverse LGBTQ+ community, incidents like this are devastating.' 4 No arrests have been made in the late-night burst of violence, cops said. Diego Luzuriaga/FNTV 4 The mayhem appeared to stem from a street beef, sources said. Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto/Shutterstock The shooting occurred several hours after a false report of gunfire during Pride celebrations at Washington Square Park sparked a stampede as thousands fled the packed greenspace. A shirtless man had unleashed bear spray during or before the mad dash in the park and was taken into custody, police said. More than 50 people were injured during the chaos — either by the stampede or the potent chemical spray, according to law-enforcement sources.
Forbes
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Pride Month: How Inclusive Leaders Can Support The LGBTQ+ Workforce
Happy Pride Month 2025 - These Colors Don't Run Pride Month, observed in June, focuses on acknowledging, celebrating, and supporting the progress and challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. 2025 launches without the usual presidential proclamation but instead with a theme of courage and resilience, dubbed "These Colors Don't Run" by the Human Rights Campaign. The slogan pays homage to the courage shown during the Stonewall Riots in 1969, a pivotal milestone in the recognition of gay rights. This article will highlight some of the challenges facing the community that impact the workplace and the role of the inclusive leader. Additionally, I will outline available resources that inclusive leaders can leverage to bolster and weather the ongoing diversity and inclusion Challenges For LGBTQ+ CommunitiesGallup research cites that in 2025, 9.3% of adults in the United States identify as LGBTQ+. Additionally, Generation Z and Millennials have a higher concentration of those who identify as LGBTQ+. These are important facts for inclusive leaders to keep in mind as they continue their commitments to lead inclusively in the Donald Trump's leadership, there are increased actions (i.e., firing prominent transgender leaders, modification of healthcare support for transgender people, etc.) impacting the LGBTQ+ community. Executive Order 14168, 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government issued in January 2025, focused on restricting gender identification to male/female is a contradiction to the expansion of the LGBTQ+ community to create more inclusion in this area. It took some time to build awareness around pronoun usage, for example. These times may adjust the education offerings available to build cultural is a focus on removing traces of the community's history and impact. These challenges carry over to the workplace, which, in itself, is ebbing and flowing around the issue of inclusion. We saw an uptick in inclusion in 2020, with an increased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Now, we are experiencing a setback that undoubtedly impacts how the workplace community supports the LGBTQ+ community. Participants and allies note these challenges and have expectations around leadership handling in these areas. As an inclusive leader, it's worth noting the intentional actions necessary to support these communities during these challenging Month Support for Inclusive LeadersTap Into Available Resources: Stay informed about the latest developments and key issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Credible facts are available through various Support: Inclusive Leaders Must Determine What Support Looks Like in 2025. Is it enrolling in continuing education, showing up to advocate for legislation and funding, and allyship to support the community? Inclusive Leaders can get creative with education consumption. Remember, education comes in various forms. Recently, on an American Airlines flight, I noticed content integrated to make it easy to learn more about LGBTQ+ Pride Month comes to a close, let's remember how much can change in a year. More than June is needed to support LGBTQ+ communities. Our leadership is critical to maintaining an inclusive workplace in the long term.
Hans India
29-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
Survey on to help implement policy on transgenders
Bengaluru: A survey of transgenders across Karnataka is being done to help the government implement Karnataka State Policy on Transgenders, formulated in 2017, said Mahesh Babu, Managing Director of the Karnataka State Women's Development Corporation (KSWDC) on Saturday. According to Babu, the survey aims to gather information about the community's demographics, socio-economic conditions, and needs to help the government allocate resources for their welfare. He was speaking at an event, Rainbow Habba 2025, organised by Sangama, an LGBTQ rights group based in Bengalurui in connection with the Stonewall Riots Day on June 28. Stonewall Riots is a series of spontaneous riots and demonstrations that took place on June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighbourhood of New York City. Stonewall riots marked a new beginning for the gay rights movement in the United States and around the world. 'Once we get the data of transgender community from across Karnataka, we will do what it takes to tackle the larger issues that the community faces, so that the development is not served in piecemeal,' said Babu, while delivering his keynote address, emphasising the importance of developing public policies for the holistic development of gender and sexual minorities. The survey was piloted in Vijayapura and Mysuru districts between March 10 and April 24, he added. According to him, it will cover all categories of transgenders, including Jogappas, Jogtas, Hijras, Kothis, Shivshakthis, and Aravanis, as well as intersex people, and those transitioning from female to male or male to female. Manohar Elavarthi, founder and executive director of Sangama, said, 'At a time when our communities in the United States, the birthplace of the Stonewall Riots, are losing hard-won rights, we must stay vigilant. We must continue to fight for our rights both in the streets and in the courts.' Around 200 people, including gender and sexual minority community members and their supporters, celebrated with music and dance, marking the 56th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. The event was held at the Students' Christian Movement of India (SCMI) auditorium here. Sonu Niranjan, a transgender man who attended the event, said, 'Society and politicians are slowly beginning to acknowledge transgender women, but transgender men are still not receiving the freedom and opportunities they deserve. If this needs to change, the government must recognise and understand our community.' The day also saw felicitation of mothers who accepted their transgender children or adopted them.
