California has become the first state to declare a Transgender History Month. The state Assembly last week passed a resolution marking August as the month.
The resolution doesn’t require approval by the Senate or governor. August 2024 will be the first official observance. The Assembly passed the measure 58-0, with only Democrats voting on it.
Democratic Assemblymember Matt Haney, a heterosexual cisgender ally who represents a San Francisco district, introduced the resolution.
LGBT History Month is recognized nationwide in October, but Haney felt that there needed to be a month to celebrate the contributions of trans people. “There is no proper representation and emphasis on the imperative leadership of transgender individuals in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights throughout history, and the transgender community substantially trails behind the level of inclusion and acceptance afforded to the broader LGBT community,” the resolution reads in part.