Queer San Francisco Democratic Party Chair Honey Mahogany will officially announce her run to become the city's first transgender supervisor Thursday. She will be the third out candidate to launch a bid to represent District 6.
The newly redrawn supervisorial district covers the city's South of Market, Treasure Island, and Mission Bay neighborhoods. The Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District in western SOMA falls within the district boundaries, as does the section of the Transgender District along Sixth Street.
Mahogany will join with supporters at 5 p.m. June 2 at The Crossing, located at 200 Folsom Street, to make her announcement at the parklet in the East Cut neighborhood. Formerly a temporary bus terminal during the construction of the new Salesforce Transit Center, it is now operated by East Cut Landing Partners as a recreation facility and beer garden, among other uses.
She had worked on the reuse of the land as the de facto chief of staff to former District 6 supervisor Matt Haney, whom she had worked for over the last four years. He resigned the seat after being elected in April to the city's 17th Assembly District seat.
Mahogany did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. She is expected to highlight her plans for how to address the pressing issues of crime, housing, and homelessness at her campaign kickoff event.
She was one of the people who had sought to be appointed by Mayor London Breed to serve out the remainder of Haney's term through the end of the year. But she instead chose Matt Dorsey, a gay man who had been serving as chief spokesman for San Francisco Police Chief William Scott.
Living with HIV, Dorsey is in recovery for alcohol and drug addictions. He is also running to be elected in November to a full four-year term as the District 6 supervisor.
Also vying for the seat is Ms. Billie Cooper, a longtime transgender advocate in the city. The former Tenderloin resident was forced out of her apartment last year due to a water leak and moved into the Trinity Plaza apartments at Market and Eighth streets, where Dorsey has lived for 12 years.
Dorsey is the second gay man now on the board, serving alongside gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. Up for reelection in the fall, Mandelman so far is expected to easily win a second term.
Should Mahogany, or Cooper, be elected then they would be the first Black transgender supervisor in California. Mahogany would also be the first nonbinary supervisor in San Francisco and the first drag queen elected as a supervisor.
In addition to her political work, Mahogany is part of the collective that owns the Stud Bar. It is looking to reopen the queer nightlife venue somewhere in SOMA.
Last month, Mahogany had told the B.A.R. that if was her belief "what voters of District 6 need is someone with experience in the legislative office and doing the work."
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