New San Francisco Supervisor Dorsey is gay, sober, and living with HIV
In naming Matt Dorsey as the new District 6 supervisor, San Francisco Mayor London Breed has not only appointed the second gay man living with HIV to fill a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors in recent years but also someone who has personal experience combatting a substance use disorder.
An alcoholic who also overused a variety of drugs, including crystal meth, Dorsey has been clean and sober for 19 months as of May 7."I was very honest about it," Dorsey, 57, told the Bay Area Reporter about his discussion with Breed when he spoke with her privately last month about his interest in being named the supervisor for the city's South of Market, Treasure Island, and Mission Bay neighborhoods. "I have spent most of my adult life in recovery."Breed will swear Dorsey in as supervisor at noon Monday (May 9) at Delancey Street, the nonprofit provider of services to substance abusers with a restaurant on the city's Embarcadero in District 6.
Brothers John and Bill Maher, the latter of whom served on the Board of Supervisors, co-founded the agency in 1970.According to a 1988 Los Angeles Times story, Bill Maher was himself "a former Delancey Street resident and reformed drug addict." More recently, District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin admitted last summer that he had a drinking problem and sought treatment for alcohol use.Dorsey will now serve alongside Peskin and gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, until now the lone LGBTQ community member on the board.
