San Francisco, California, passed a resolution to become a sanctuary city for people identifying as transgender, non-binary, and two-spirited.
“Two-Spirit” is a pan-Indian term describing those who identify as neither male nor female.
The city’s Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to pass the sanctuary status last week.
Supervisor Rafael Mandelman told the San Francisco Chronicle that the resolution is a response to laws targeting “transgender people, including youth.”
“As other cities and states turn up the hate, places like San Francisco need to turn up the love,” Mandelman said, adding, “With this resolution, we are reaffirming that our City has been and will continue to be a sanctuary and a beacon for our transgender and gender non-conforming siblings.”
Honey Mahogany, San Francisco’s head of the Office of Transgender Initiatives, stated that the city has seen an “influx of refugees, not just from other countries, but from other states who are seeking care and seeking sanctuary,” Los Angeles’ FOX 11 reported.
Mahogany, a drag queen, became the head of the Office of Transgender Initiatives in May.
According to a press release, Mahogany is a “founding queen of Drag Story Hour and, recently, played a critical role in saving The Stud, an iconic gay bar in San Francisco.”
At the time of the appointment, Mayor London Breed said that LGBTQ culture was “under attack” and declared that the city of San Francisco would “continue to embrace and celebrate the amazing individuals and organizations who through their advocacy and art have contributed to our history around social justice and equity.”
