San Francisco Becomes First U.S. City To Recognize Transgender History Month

San Francisco is historically a progressive city, especially in regard to the LGBTQ community, and has actively worked to foster a safe space for queer folks. Now, Mayor London Breed (D) has issued an official proclamation celebrating Transgender History Month, which makes San Francisco the first American city to officially recognize the month.

“I am honored to join the transgender community today to declare August as Transgender History Month in San Francisco. Our transgender community has a rich cultural history in this city and is so important to our diverse identity,” Mayor Breed says in her announcement. “San Francisco has been and always will be a place where everyone can seek refuge, sanctuary, and safety. Today, we celebrate both our city’s pride and the transgender community.”

San Francisco is home to an abundance of historical events that helped to shift larger conversations surrounding LGBTQ people, and the announcement comes on the heel of trans history within the city: The Compton Cafeteria Riots became the first officially recognized transgender rights demonstration in America. It is one of the best-known LGBTQ rights demonstrations to take place before Stonewall, which Breed also addresses: “The country’s first Transgender History Month honors the 55th anniversary of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riots, which occurred in August 1966 in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, marking the beginning of transgender activism in San Francisco.”

The Tenderloin location of Compton’s Cafeteria restaurants became a popular hangout for trans folks in the city, and cafeteria employees would often call the police to clear the business out, in fear they were losing other, higher-spending customers. Following police arrival after one of these calls, a trans patron being arrested responded by throwing coffee into the officer’s face, which prompted the riot of approximately 60 people fighting back against police, with a picket taking place the next evening.

The area is formally known as Compton’s Transgender Cultural District, following a 2017 declaration by the San Francisco City Council to preserve and honor the history of Tenderloin’s trans community.

Jupiter Peraza, director of Social Justice and Empowerment Initiatives for San Francisco’s Transgender District and the author of the proposal, says that recognizing Transgender History Month is part of forging forward and another example of LGBTQ people helping to craft their own narratives of progress.

“As we have proven, we are capable of transcending what is imposed on us, to attain lives in which we are authentically and exquisitely us,” Peraza says. “We are our own most prized possessions.”

Watch the historic moment here:

Photo courtesy of Mayor London Breed on Twitter