Politician of the Year: When I started thinking about this award in early December, I couldn’t settle on a winner. Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins, Congressman Scott Peters and Mayor Kevin Faulconer were in the mix, but I didn’t feel like anyone had locked it down. What a difference two weeks, and two votes, can make….
According to the USA Today article VA Treats 2,500 Veterans, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA – part of the overall Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA), in 2013 treated 2,567 veterans with the diagnosis of gender dysphoria for transgender specific health care. That’s a significant population of trans veterans in the VA. And, being statistically…
Yes, last week’s back-stabbing political coup against former interim mayor and council president, Todd Gloria was led by Republicans but had the help of some weak and unprincipled Democrats. In my view, the coup’s chief organizer was Councilman Scott Sherman, the new “Dick Cheney of San Diego.” In one of the biggest betrayals and back-stabbing…
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed away last week with the close of the 113th Congress. It was 40 years old. ENDA had been surviving on life support in the House of Representatives for slightly over a year, its suffering ending when Speaker John Boehner formally withdrew care by not scheduling a vote. ENDA was…
I’ve been put in the position of thinking about musical anthems in past weeks. That’s because Kate Pierson of the B-52s released a song planned to be included in her upcoming solo album – a song she hoped would become a “trans anthem.” The name of that song is “Mister Sister.” It’s strange to think…
The reports of Todd Gloria’s political death are greatly exaggerated. Let us begin by unpacking the current narrative. Council Republicans feared that returning as Council President would give Gloria the power and profile to launch a challenge to Mayor Kevin Faulconer in 2016. So they conspired with new Council President Sherri Lightner to elect her…
Mayor Kevin Faulconer and San Diego’s first lady Katherine Faulconer, along with their two young children attended the 28th annual Scott Carlson Community Thanksgiving Dinner at The Center which saw over 300 homeless people, seniors, people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, struggling families with children, both GLBT and straight have a wonderful big dinner including second…
#icantbreathe and #blacklivesmatter have become omnipresent social media tags since the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner and the decisions not to indict the men who killed them. They are important statements about problems with our law enforcement system, but they also have important meanings in other discussions, like the assault currently being waged…
How does one meet the needs of the local trans community? During holiday seasons I often think about my community peers. I’d say my community peers like me, but many of my peers aren’t like me. I’m white; I transitioned in middle-age; I had a long military career; I’m invisibly disabled and can’t hold down…
In honor of World AIDS Day, the below text is the speech I gave at the Reasons We Remember Vigil for AIDS Walk San Diego, Friday, Sept. 26. 1981 was the beginning – the early 1980s – yes, the worst of times and the best of times; the worst of times for our community and…
