SF supervisors unanimously vote to support historic intersection in Trans district
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously June 7 to support the designation of an intersection in the Transgender District as a historic landmark.The intersection of Turk and Taylor streets is the former site of Compton's Cafeteria where, in August 1966, a groundbreaking riot by transgender people tired of being harassed by police took place, three years before the Stonewall riots in New York City.Introduced by former District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney, who has since resigned after he was sworn in as a state assemblymember May 3, the effort was inherited by District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston after the Turk and Taylor streets intersection moved into District 5 as a result of redistricting.
Preston's office then contacted the Transgender District's leadership to find out which issues were on their agenda, said Preston legislative aide Kyle Smeallie in May.
The landmark designation was one, and Preston has since adopted sponsorship of the resolution. Now that it has passed the Board of Supervisors, it will move on to the Planning Department and the Historic Preservation Commission before coming back to the supervisors for a final vote.Supervisors approved the measure without comment."It's important that the city recognize and lift up the courage of LGBTQ San Franciscans who stood up against police violence and oppression at Compton's Cafeteria," Preston stated in a news release. "I hope that by landmarking the intersection of Turk and Taylor streets, we can help educate future generations on how important this space has been to the LGBTQ community."A historical marker denoting the Compton's riot was installed outside the former diner in 2006.
