Students and activists protested in San Francisco after the Trump administration withdrew guidance surrounding protections for transgender students and access to bathrooms and lockers that correspond to their gender identity. Christie Smith reports.
Students and activists protested in San Francisco after the Trump administration withdrew guidance surrounding protections for transgender students and access to bathrooms and lockers that correspond to their gender identity.
Bay Area school districts like San Francisco adopted protections ahead of the state and the previous administration. But activists feel a new urgency to stand up for those outside of California.
"We need to mobilize the trans community nationwide," said Theresa Sparks, the mayor's senior adviser on transgender initiatives in San Francisco. "In California, in San Francisco, we can rest assured that we're protected."
In light of the Trump administration revoking federal guidance directing schools to allowing transgender students to use a bathroom in line with their gender identity, Sparks is concerned with the bigger picture.
"He seems to be being guided by people who are against LGBT rights and who clearly don't understand what a trans person is," Sparks said of the president.
Mayor Ed Lee released a statement with city schools calling the administration's rescinded guidelines -- a misguided act.
"We have a local policy with our school district that will remain, but we don't have a federal partnership to rely on anymore," Lee said. "I think they want every state to do it. I think that is a horrible example.
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Meanwhile, a national virtual town hall was held at the Transgender Law Center in Oakland to share information with groups across the country.
