Strut Panel Talks Healing During Trump Era

Panelists speaking at an LGBT-focused discussion about how to survive the Trump administration urged attendees to develop strategies for keeping funding flowing to organizations and to personally share their stories to change hearts and minds.

A standing-room-only crowd packed the second floor meeting area at the Strut health center in the Castro Monday, January 23 for "What Now: Mobilizing Over the Next Four Years," a panel discussion about the LGBTQ community's response to the Donald Trump presidency.

Since Trump won November 8 there has been an uptick nationally in hate crimes, including against LGBTs. GOP-controlled legislatures in several states are attempting to pass so-called religious freedom and bathroom bills that would enable anti-LGBT discrimination on religious grounds and force transgender people to use public restrooms that correspond with their gender assigned at birth.

Many of the new president's Cabinet picks have expressed their opposition to LGBTQ equality or worked against the community, while Vice President Mike Pence has supported conversion therapy and cutting AIDS funding.

As early as this week, Trump is expected to name his Supreme Court nominee, and three conservative white men are reported to be on his short list. That justice would replace the late Antonin Scalia, who was vehemently opposed to marriage equality and other LGBT issues.

Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and drag performer Honey Mahogany hosted the panel, which was part of Strut's Real Talk series. Topics included protecting affordable health care and women's reproductive rights, HIV funding, Black Lives Matter, as well as LGBTQ rights and the rights of undocumented immigrants.

Panelists were Stonewall Project founder Michael Siever, Ph.D.; Shaun Haines of San Francisco Black Community Matters; Ivan Ramirez of Mission Neighborhood Health Center; and Janetta Johnson, executive director of the Transgender Gender-Variant and Intersex Justice Project.

The panelists were first asked what social justice means to them.

"Equal justice," said Johnson. "If you're in power share your wealth." Johnson, who is African-American, also urged people to be more mindful of the needs of the black trans community, which faces disproportionate amounts of poverty and violence.

How to create change was also discussed. Siever said that he tried to save people's lives by becoming a psychologist and creating the Stonewall Project, a harm reduction program that was eventually merged with the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, which also operates Strut, a men's health center.

Haines, who is African-American, addressed discrimination. "We need to figure out how to get resources into the hands of people who need them."

"I try to speak to groups in the Latino community about supporting our services," said Ramirez. "It's gonna be very hard for everyone, not just my community."

A number of the panelists addressed the possibility of burnout.

"I'm eating my greens, getting rest, and taking time off," Johnson said with a smile. She then took on a more serious tone. "We are often not supported in the work that we do," she said. "There needs to be more support."

Haines said that he does yoga and energy work like chanting. He also emphasized the importance of more personal contact, like hugging.

"When I hug and kiss you, it's because I need that love," he said.

"Be kind to yourself and forgive yourself," Siever said. "If you don't forgive yourself, you'll burn out."

Roma advised people to continue attending events such as What Now.

"It's important to stay active and engaged," she said. "We care about these issues and about each other."

An informal poll by text survey was then conducted, which found that 67 percent of the approximately 150 attendees said they identified as activists.

"Just by being here you are doing activism," said Roma. "By living our authentic lives we are activists. You may be an activist and not know it."

Effective activism, panelists said, includes social media and more.

"Direct person-to-person contact is how you will change hearts and minds," said Haines.

Ramirez pointed to social media.

"I use Facebook to let people know about HIV and services," at the health center, he said. "Facebook helps me to answer questions about HIV and legal status."

"Art and grassroots messages," said Johnson. "We need to promote more positive messages."

Jeff Sheehy, the newly appointed District 8 supervisor, then stepped up to address the audience. Sheehy, a gay man and father, received thunderous applause when he said that he was the city's first HIV-positive supervisor.

"The energy and love in this room is fantastic," Sheehy said. "That's what we need for the next four years. We've been through this before but now the mask has been ripped off and we can see the naked face of hate."

Sheehy recalled the AIDS pandemic of the 1980s and 1990s, noting how hated and reviled HIV-positive and LGBTQ people were during that era.

"It's our love that brought us here," he said. "Our loving sacrifices changed the hearts and minds of America. My office is dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS."

Sheehy also said that his office would fight to preserve health care and that the city would not abandon its immigrant citizens. On Wednesday, Trump was expected to take action on sanctuary cities, which would affect federal funding for San Francisco and numerous other locales across the country.

Courtney Mulhern-Pearson, director of state and local affairs for SFAF, spoke of the fight for the Affordable Care Act, which she said was important for people living with HIV and those who are at risk. Trump and Congress have already taken initial steps to dismantle the program, which could affect 20 million people across the country.

"San Francisco is very fortunate to have supervisors committed to making sure that we maintain funding. I'm pleased to see Governor [Jerry] Brown pushing back on Trump's plans," she said, referring to the governor's State of the State speech Tuesday when he closed with, "California is not turning back. Not now, not ever."

Mulhern-Pearson urged community members to sign up for SFAF's newsletter and to follow the foundation on Facebook and Twitter in order to stay informed about health-related and other issues.

Another informal text poll was conducted. This one showed that 10 percent of attendees said that housing was their chief concern. Nineteen present went for health care, while 25 percent cited funding as their main concern. Immigration was chosen by 16 percent, while 22 percent went for the environment. Just 5 percent cited LGBTQ equality as their chief concern.

Johnson said that she was disappointed that no one chose personal safety as a concern, citing the extreme levels of violence that trans women of color were subjected to.

Audience member Zwazzi Sowo said that it was important for people to recognize diversity.

"We have to look across the aisle at people who are different from us," she said.

Advised Mahogany, "Acknowledge your privilege. That's part of being an ally."