California’s State Assembly made history when it declared August their official Transgender History Month.
House Resolution 57 reads: “Supporting the transgender community by designating August as Transgender History Month will create a culture led by research, education, and scholarly recognition of the contributions of transgender Californians to our great state’s history, and will educate future generations of Californians on the importance of this history.”
The resolution was announced on Wednesday, Sept. 6, outside the California State Capitol by Assembly member Matt Haney and activists Honey Mahogany and Jupiter Peraza who according to Them, are the co-founder and program associate of San Francisco’s Transgender District.
California is the first and only state to introduce this type of resolution, however earlier this month, Lake Worth Beach became Florida’s first LGBTQ+ sanctuary city. As legislation nationwide is being proposed or passed to obstruct the rights of queer people, there are also an increasing number of trans politicians, community members, and legislative bodies seeking to support and uplift the trans and queer communities.
Before it was recognized at the state level, Transgender History Month was observed by the city of San Francisco starting in 2021. The month of August was chosen in remembrance of the 1966 riot against police harassment led by Black and brown trans women and drag queens in San Fran’s Tenderloin district.
In October of last year, California became a sanctuary state for transgender youth seeking gender-affirming care, with a bill signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.
The official celebration of Transgender History Month will commence in August of 2024.
