Bay Area LGBTQ+ community bans together to protect trans youth in wake of Trump re-election
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Bay Area's LGBTQ+ community is preparing to help vulnerable people from other states in wake of Donald Trump being elected president, again.
"We have a responsibility to make sure that we are doing everything we can to protect our people no matter where they live," said Suzanne Ford, Executive Director of SF Pride. "We know during his campaign, the red meat that he threw out was denying trans people medical treatment and our rights."
And she says when more than 50% of the country votes for someone running on that kind of platform, trans people are rightly frightened.
SF Pride is using their platform to act.
"We've got to find a way to develop a fund that will allow us to bring people out of red states to states like California. We absolutely have to," said Ford.
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San Francisco's Office of Transgender Initiatives is doubling down on its commitment to provide a safe haven.
"A lot of us are really fighting for our lives and are we're going to be able to form really strong bonds around that, and I think do some really great organizing work," said Honey Mahogany, Director of SF Office of Transgender Initiatives.
Gael Isaiah Lala-Chávez, Executive Director of LYRIC, agrees. LYRIC is a local nonprofit that has been providing services to transgender youth for decades -- to those who have fled states with laws targeting the transgender community.
"LYRIC will continue to open our doors and keep our doors open for every young person that needs it," said Lala-Chavez, noting conversations with other LGBTQ+ organizations and beyond are already underway. "If we are at capacity, do you have space? And just, you know, when we talk about safety is not just safety for LYRIC, it is safety for everyone."
Multiple trans-serving organizations in the Bay Area will coming together Thursday for a healing circle in support of one another.
