Politics

Political Notebook: SF Japantown site with LGBTQ ties earns city landmark status

Political Notebook: SF Japantown site with LGBTQ ties earns city landmark status

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Apr 13, 2021

A Japantown site has become only the second local historic property related to San Francisco's Japanese community and the fifth having to do with the LGBTQ community to be recognized as a city landmark.

Facing likely rejection by the supervisors, straight San Francisco historic preservation body nominee withdraws

Facing likely rejection by the supervisors, straight San Francisco historic preservation body nominee withdraws

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Apr 13, 2021

Hours prior to her likely being rejected by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors at its meeting Tuesday, Historic Preservation Commission mayoral appointee Christina Dikas withdrew her nomination.

Political Notes: Massive Harvey Milk exhibit to fly again at SFO

Political Notes: Massive Harvey Milk exhibit to fly again at SFO

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Apr 9, 2021

A massive photographic exhibit detailing the life and political career of the late gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk that for two years has adorned the San Francisco International Airport terminal named in his honor is being disassembled.

Political Notebook: As intersex bill stalls, trans rights advance in CA statehouse

Political Notebook: As intersex bill stalls, trans rights advance in CA statehouse

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Apr 7, 2021

As legislation banning unnecessary medical procedures on intersex youth again stalls in the California Legislature, state lawmakers are advancing a number of bills strengthening protections for transgender and nonbinary individuals.

LGBTQ Agenda: Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, striving for trans equality in recent announcements

LGBTQ Agenda: Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, striving for trans equality in recent announcements

In a memorandum coinciding with the trans visibility day March 31, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced new departmental policies "governing open service of transgender individuals in the military."

California bill to ban unnecessary surgeries on intersex children stalls

California bill to ban unnecessary surgeries on intersex children stalls

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Apr 5, 2021

A California bill to ban medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children has once again stalled in a state Senate committee. Its backers will now assess whether to try and pass the legislation in 2022.

Political Notes: With out candidates announcing Assembly bids, race is on to bolster CA LGBTQ caucus

Political Notes: With out candidates announcing Assembly bids, race is on to bolster CA LGBTQ caucus

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Apr 5, 2021

With the one-year mark until California's June 2022 primary election quickly approaching, focus is already turning to which contests for state Assembly and Senate seats will draw LGBTQ candidates.

Political Notebook: Programs aim to assist DACA applicants

Political Notebook: Programs aim to assist DACA applicants

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Mar 31, 2021

Several programs are providing free services to undocumented immigrants who wish to remain in the U.S. and obtain work permits.

With passage of anti-trans bill, Arkansas to land on California travel ban list

With passage of anti-trans bill, Arkansas to land on California travel ban list

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Mar 25, 2021

Nearly a year after Idaho adopted anti-transgender legislation, landing the Gem State on both San Francisco's and California's banned travel lists for their employees, Arkansas now faces the same ignominious fate.

Political Notes: Out East Bay leaders seek Bonta's Assembly seat

Political Notes: Out East Bay leaders seek Bonta's Assembly seat

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Mar 25, 2021

A trio of out leaders have announced plans to run for the East Bay Assembly seat that Rob Bonta will vacate once he's confirmed as state attorney general.

Levine becomes first out transgender person to win Senate confirmation

Levine becomes first out transgender person to win Senate confirmation

  • POLITICS
  • by Chris Johnson, Washington Blade
  • Mar 24, 2021

Dr. Rachel Levine made history on Wednesday by becoming the first openly transgender person to obtain Senate confirmation as a presidential appointee.

Political Notebook: San Francisco supervisors seat gay asylee to city panel

Political Notebook: San Francisco supervisors seat gay asylee to city panel

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Mar 24, 2021

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has seated a gay Malaysian-Chinese asylee to a city oversight committee.

Newsom nominates Bonta for CA AG

Newsom nominates Bonta for CA AG

Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday nominated Oakland Assemblyman Rob Bonta to fill the vacant state attorney general position.

Lawmakers push to renew CA End of Life law indefinitely

Lawmakers push to renew CA End of Life law indefinitely

  • POLITICS
  • by Matthew S. Bajko
  • Mar 22, 2021

California lawmakers are aiming to renew the state's "right to die" law indefinitely so that residents with incurable diseases have the option to take their own life rather than suffer unbearably painful deaths.