Surrounded by dozens of Bay Area political and civic leaders, LGBTQ families gathered Friday morning at the California State Building in San Francisco to denounce the executive orders Republican President Donald Trump has issued attacking the rights and health care of queer and transgender youth. Among them was nonbinary 15-year-old Kanoa Wilson.
For the teenager, it was the first time they had so publicly come out to discuss their gender identity. While shocked that a plurality of Americans had elected Trump last November to a second term fully aware of his anti-LGBTQ stances and other discriminatory positions, Wilson said it was important for people not to be completely disheartened and remain silent.
It was why they and their mom, Minda Murphy, a queer single parent, decided to speak out at the January 31 news conference. For Wilson, they wanted to serve as a role model to younger children questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation.
"I am Kanoa Wilson. I use they, them pronouns. This is how it is going to be," Wilson told a phalanx of journalists and community members in the audience.
Murphy, 47, said the Oakland residents were fully aware their speaking out in such a manner would likely subject them to public harassment from those supportive of Trump's actions. Nonetheless, she said she could not remain silent amid the White House's attempts to deny her child access to their health care and diminish their humanity.
"I would be foolish not to be," Murphy replied when asked if she was scared about taking such a public stance against the president. "But my family is a direct target."
She called out Trump for not leading with compassion or valuing the rights of all Americans.
"He leads with hatred, fear, and intimidation," said Murphy.
Another East Bay family with a transgender son in elementary school also spoke out against Trump's anti-LGBTQ actions. Fearful of the reaction their family could receive, wives Sophia and Nikki declined to provide their last names or the name of their child.
"He is a bright light in this world, and I am in awe of him every single day," said Sophia of their son. "I will never stop protecting that light, nurturing it, and ensuring it shines as brilliantly as it was meant to."
She called it "cruel" for Trump to try to prevent her child and others from accessing lifesaving health care affirming of their identities and to attempt to deny them the right to safely exist in the world.
"I am terrified," she said, "that my son's light, the warmth, the joy and the confidence he has in who he is, will be dimmed by a world that refuses to see him. That these executive orders, these cruel policies targeting transgender youth will strip away the very things that make him feel safe and whole."
The executive orders issued by Trump are not "abstract debates," added Sophia, but have "real devastating consequences" for her child and others like him.
If they are carried out, she worries that her son's "right to exist as himself to receive the medical care he needs to move through life without shame or fear will be taken away from him by people who have never met him ... who do not know the weight of what they are doing."
Earlier this week, Trump signed an executive order targeting federal funding of gender-affirming care for minors. It has resulted in a number of hospitals in various states pausing providing such care, as the Associated Press reported Thursday.
On Wednesday, Trump released an executive order targeting affirmative actions that schools across the U.S. have taken to support queer and transgender students, from teaching LGBTQ curriculum and providing gender-neutral bathrooms to honoring students' preferred pronouns and names and allowing them to play on athletic teams regardless of the sex they were assigned at birth.
"My Administration will enforce the law to ensure that recipients of Federal funds providing K-12 education comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination in various contexts and protecting parental rights," wrote Trump.
In response to questions from the Bay Area Reporter, the California Department of Education said the order from the White House has no bearing on schools in the Golden State teaching LGBTQ curriculum as required under state education codes. It noted the federal government has no legal right to dictate what local schools teach.
"It is against federal law for the White House to dictate what educators can and cannot teach by threatening to defund essential public services for students," stated Liz Sanders, the director of communications for the statewide education agency.
Aiming to address the concerns of LGBTQ students and families in the San Francisco Unified School District, Superintendent Maria Su, Ph.D., sent out a districtwide email Thursday reiterating her support for queer and trans students. She said the district will move forward with its plans to celebrate LGBTQ Pride in April and is looking forward to partnering with its newly formed advisory council specifically for LGBTQ families.
Su reiterated that support at Friday's news conference, which was organized by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). The need for it was "just ridiculousness," she noted.
Fear among school community
Nonetheless, Su said there is a lot of fear among the school community, for students, parents and educators, due to Trump's executive orders. And while it remains unclear what their impact could be if implemented, Su said that SFUSD remains "committed to being inclusive and will not change."
"We have never shied away from leading the charge in San Francisco when it comes to making sure our classrooms and schools are vibrant and welcoming spaces for our students to feel nurtured and seen," said Su.
She said it was important for all students to know they will be welcomed at the city's public schools.
"As a school district, as educators, and staff, we must wrap our arms around our LGBTQ and trans gender diverse students, communities and staff," said Su.
Yet, as Su and other district staff were pledging their support for LGBTQ students, the U.S. Department of Education on Friday sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to K-12 schools and institutions of higher education advising educators and administrators that the federal agency's Office for Civil Rights will enforce the Trump administration's 2020 Title IX Rule. It effectively ends the Biden administration rules that extended Title IX protections to students on the basis of gender identity.
The department informed education leaders that it plans to enforce Title IX protections on the basis of biological sex in schools and on campuses. It also advised its doing so "ends a serious threat to campus free speech" and will mean students have stronger due process protections during Title IX proceedings.
"The Biden Administration's failed attempt to rewrite Title IX was an unlawful abuse of regulatory power and an egregious slight to women and girls. Under the Trump Administration, the Education Department will champion equal opportunity for all Americans, including women and girls, by protecting their right to safe and separate facilities and activities in schools, colleges, and universities," stated Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor.
It prompted an immediate response from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, a vocal supporter of LGBTQ students who is a 2026 gubernatorial candidate. He reiterated that California schools will continue extending protections against discrimination to all students on the basis of gender, gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
"In California, 'all' still means all," stated Thurmond. "While the Trump Education Department announced that they will no longer protect all students from discrimination, California law is unaffected by recent changes to federal policy, and continues to provide safeguards against discrimination and harassment based on gender, gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation. While federal guidance devolves, our commitment to safeguarding the rights of all students persists."
More state actions explored
Meanwhile, Wiener is looking at how to further expand California as being a sanctuary state for LGBTQ youth and their families. He had authored the 2022 law that designated California as a sanctuary state for trans students and their families who have seen access to gender-affirming care for youth be curtailed in their home states.
Now, he is exploring additional legislation to strengthen protections for all queer and trans youth in the Golden State. But he had few specifics to share at Friday's news conference.
"The federal government is very powerful, but we will do whatever we can do to protect anyone who needs to be protected," pledged Wiener.
He criticized Trump and his allies in Congress for using trans youth as scapegoats to go after and attack in hopes of distracting Americans from their other policies aimed at slashing health care access for those on Medicare and providing huge tax cuts to their wealthy donors. Such moves are straight out of an "authoritarian playbook," noted Wiener.
"If Donald Trump and his authoritarian regime are going to come for our trans residents, they are going to have to come through us," said Wiener, referring to the large assemblage of local leaders and LGBTQ community members who had joined him at the podium.
With City Attorney David Chiu by his side, Wiener said they don't believe Trump has the legal authority to enact his anti-LGBTQ executive orders. He was also hopeful the state Assembly would soon pass special legislation he authored to provide $50 million in state funds to respond to Trump's actions in the courts.
"We are not going to let you get away with it," said Wiener, chair of the Senate Budget Committee. "We are going to have these kids' backs, their parents' backs, and their teachers' backs."
Chiu said his office is ready to take Trump to court should his executive orders be implemented. He said they are purposely written to be "quite vague" and cautioned they will not immediately take effect.
"My office is monitoring to see what happens. When we reach the point of them creating a harm to San Franciscans, we will consider all legal options at that time given the state of the law," said Chiu, who said he found Trump's focus on trans youth to be "creepy."
A former state legislator who helped pass various pro-LGBTQ bills in Sacramento, Chiu noted there are numerous protections for trans and queer people in California.
"Regardless of what Trump says, transgender people under the constitution have a fundamental right to equal protection under the law. Our courts have recognized discrimination against our trans community is unlawful," said Chiu. "He cannot simply order federal agencies to violate a law. As far as I know, we still live in a democracy, not a dictatorship."
Never miss a story! Keep up to date on the latest news, arts, politics, entertainment, and nightlife.
Sign up for the Bay Area Reporter's free weekday email newsletter. You'll receive our newsletters and special offers from our community partners.
Support California's largest LGBTQ newsroom. Your one-time, monthly, or annual contribution advocates for LGBTQ communities. Amplify a trusted voice providing news, information, and cultural coverage to all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay -- Donate today!