San Francisco City Hall was lit up in the colours of a transgender flag (Photo: Peter Hosey. License: CC BY-ND 2.0)

A transgender flag will fly over City Hall in San Francisco in honour of the city’s Trans Awareness Month.

The flag was raised over city hall in a ceremony on Friday, as part of efforts to celebrate the local trans community.

Trans people from across the city joined Mayor London Breed, Senator Scott Wiener and Supervisor Rafael Mandelman for the ceremony.

San Francisco ‘committed to trans equality’

The mayor said: “In San Francisco, we celebrate our diversity.

“Despite transphobic and bigoted efforts around the country to dismantle the rights of trans people, our trans community will never be erased.

“We are committed to continuing our investments in the trans community, providing support through policies and programs, and maintaining our unyielding commitment to equal rights for all.”

Today we kicked off Trans Awareness Month in San Francisco & raised the Trans Flag! Tonight City Hall shines bright in the trans colors in recognition #TransMonth #TransRights pic.twitter.com/JdiOhbBbml — TransCitySF (@TransCitySF) November 2, 2019

Clair Farley, Director of Office of Transgender Initiatives added: “Here in San Francisco we celebrate Transgender Awareness Month to highlight the way that the community and the City are working together to advance equity for trans and gender nonconforming communities.

“This is also a time to ground ourselves in our observance of Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day where we pay respect to the lives of the predominantly Black transgender women we have lost to anti-trans violence.

“As transgender people are under attack across the country San Francisco will not rest until everyone in our community is thriving and has a safe place to call home.”

Leaders warn about epidemic of trans murders

Senator Scott Wiener said: “Itali Marlowe, Elisha Chanel Stanley, Bailey Reeves, and Jordan Cofer are just a few of the beautiful trans souls we‘ve lost this year to the epidemic of hateful, tragic murders.

“As our federal government turns its back on and attacks the transgender community, we must recommit to stand with our transgender neighbors. In San Francisco, we will always uplift transgender people, and I remain committed to the fight for safety, dignity, and equality.”

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman said: “The trans civil rights movement started in San Francisco at the Compton’s Cafeteria riot.

“This year the City has made historic investments in trans housing with Our Trans Home SF and opened the state’s first shelter for trans youth. These are major milestones but we still have a lot more to do.”