Sacramento County will honor trans residents — but one supervisor voted against it
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to pass a symbolic resolution to recognize a Transgender Visibility Week “celebrating the history and present day lives of transgender people.”
In a brief presentation to the board at the Tuesday meeting, Evan Minton, a Sacramento man who serves on California’s Transgender Advisory Council, contrasted the support from Sacramento County leaders with the open hostility of other politicians across the country.
“We’re just your friends, we’re your neighbors, we’re your constituents. And this moment finds us under attack,” Minton said. “Thank you for standing by our side in a moment where we need it most.”
Supervisor Phil Serna, who represents District 1, read the entire resolution aloud to his colleagues while sporting a “trans people belong” button on his lapel. He said he was “very honored and proud to bring this before you.”
He also clarified that Supervisor Sue Frost had gone out of her way to vote “no” on the consent item when she called out to the clerk, “I just would like to go on record as a ‘no’ vote on item 37.” Frost voted yes on all other consent items.
The board’s move comes amid what one public commenter, former New Hampshire State Representative Lisa Bunker, called, in air-quotes, a “‘culture war’ … regarding the existence and the legitimacy of the existence of people like me.”
According to Track Trans Legislation, more than 250 anti-trans bills have been introduced in the first three months of 2023 across 44 states. Although it is unlikely to pass, the California Assembly is considering such a bill as well — one that would obligate schools to out trans children to their parents or guardians.
Bunker characterized the nationwide attack on trans rights harshly: “It is political theater. It is cynical and manipulative outrage manufacture. We are being unwillingly co-opted into a war in which we want no part — we simply want to live our lives in peace.”
During public comment, the mother of a transgender child who lives in Frost’s district stood up to criticize her representative. “Supervisor Frost,” she said, “I am so disappointed as a member of your district that you chose not to support this.” She invited the supervisor to her son’s school art show.
Frost responded that she would try to come to the show, and that she wanted to talk to the mother further. After Frost said, “When I look at people, I look to the heart and soul,” several members of the audience laughed at her.
Frost represents District 4, which covers a boomerang-shaped northeast corner of the county including all or parts of Citrus Heights, Folsom, Orangevale, Antelope, Rio Linda, Elverta, Gold River, Rancho Murieta, North Highlands, Carmichael, Foothill Farms and Fair Oaks.
After the resolution was passed, Serna posed for a smiling photo with 13 supportive members of the public and supervisors Rich Desmond, Patrick Kennedy and Pat Hume. Frost remained on the dais, alone.
