This year's Pride celebrations illuminated the best of our San Francisco's spirit: love, pride, and acceptance. While a vibrant testament to our city's commitment to LGBTQ+ rights, these events should not be confined to just one month each year.
As the city that pioneered same-sex marriage and elected Harvey Milk, our celebration of Pride must be a continuous affirmation of our values — a daily commitment to inclusivity and equality. Despite our progressive heritage, the ongoing struggles within the LGBTQ+ community, particularly for trans women of color, remind us that our work is far from complete.
As a native San Franciscan, I grew up surrounded by and appreciating the LGBTQ+ community. Since launching my mayoral campaign, my understanding has deepened. Engaging with the LGBTQ+ community in new ways, like conducting site visits at key nonprofits, hosting roundtables with service providers, and speaking with members of the Alice B. Toklas and Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic clubs, has deepened my appreciation. It's also revealed some urgent needs within our LGBTQ+ community.
To support and uplift the LGBTQ+ community I will prioritize the following key initiatives:
Public Safety: Every San Franciscan deserves to feel safe. As mayor, I will strengthen policies against violence and discrimination, enhance protections for the transgender community, and advocate for comprehensive prosecution of hate crimes. We must ensure that every resident feels supported and secure enough to report incidents of violence and discrimination.
Protecting and Empowering Our Transgender Community: A resident recently asked, "What will you do to protect my community?" This pivotal question underpins my campaign. The tragic murder of Michelle Henry, a Black trans woman, underscores our ongoing fight against hate. San Francisco must steadfastly protect its LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender people of color, ensuring hate finds no haven here. We'll uphold the privacy of gender-affirming care, expand mental health services for LGBTQ+ youth, and prioritize safe spaces for trans students. I support making San Francisco a transgender sanctuary city — which the Board of Supervisors recently approved — affirming our commitment to empowering transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals.
Revitalizing the Castro and LGBTQ+ Nightlife: Our city's cultural districts, like the Castro, Leather & LGBTQ, and Transgender districts, are central to our identity. I will address public safety and cleanliness to revitalize these areas. We will support small businesses and encourage vibrant, LGBTQ+-friendly nightlife.
Arts and Culture: The arts are vital expressions of a community's spirit and history. It's crucial that our cultural institutions serving the LGBTQ+ community receive adequate and equitable funding. I am committed to supporting and celebrating the myriad LGBTQ+ arts groups throughout our city. By bolstering these organizations, we not only enrich our cultural landscape but also strengthen our community's resilience and visibility.
Addressing Homelessness Among LGBTQ+ Youth: Today, 38% of our homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+. As CEO of Tipping Point Community, I collaborated with Larkin Street Youth Services to fund and develop programs specifically tailored to the unique challenges LGBTQ+ homeless youth face everyday. My administration will continue to prioritize and expand housing solutions, health care, education, and employment opportunities for these vulnerable young people. As mayor, my goal will be to bring the number of homeless LGBTQ+ youth to zero.
Comprehensive Health Care and HIV/AIDS Support: San Francisco has long stood as a beacon of hope, especially during the AIDS crisis — a legacy we proudly continue. My administration will commit significant resources to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and support, with a particular focus on the long-term survivors living among us. We will also support the city's Getting to Zero campaign, ensuring we address the unacceptable number of new infections in our communities of color. (The city's Getting to Zero program aims to reduce new HIV transmissions and HIV deaths by 90% by 2025, in addition to reducing stigma.)
Effective Mental Health Support: Mental health support for the LGBTQ+ community will be a critical priority in my administration. I will uplift the most effective mental health services tailored specifically to the unique challenges that LGBTQ+ individuals face. This includes supporting community-based programs that offer counseling and support and training healthcare providers on the specific mental health needs of the LGBTQ+ population to ensure compassionate and competent care.
LGBTQ+ Senior Housing: My visit to Openhouse in June opened my eyes to the importance of housing for LGBTQ+ seniors. As mayor, I will secure funding for more affordable housing projects for older LGBTQ+ individuals, ensuring they do not age alone or in insecurity. My City Hall accountability plan will streamline the permitting process to expedite these critical housing developments.
Finally Do Away with Prop 8: As we advance toward equality, it's crucial to eliminate remnants of discrimination from our laws. Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, remains an outdated mark on our state constitution. Prop 3 on the upcoming November ballot provides a pivotal opportunity to remove this language and affirm our unwavering commitment to marriage equality for all Californians.
Looking ahead, my mission is clear — we must build on our city's legacy of acceptance and inclusivity. San Francisco must remain a beacon of hope and a leader for LGBTQ+ rights. As your next mayor, I am dedicated to ensuring that our city not only maintains, but enhances its status as a safe, inclusive, and proud place for all who live here. Learn more about my priorities at daniellurie.com/priorities/lgbtq/.
Daniel Lurie, a former nonprofit executive and heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, is a candidate for San Francisco mayor.
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