Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ Affairs

The Santa Clara County Library District has curated a thoughtful and powerful reading list in honor of Trans Day of Visibility. This collection not only celebrates the lives, stories, and contributions of transgender people, but also highlights the ongoing inequities the community continues to face, including disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination, and violence compared to cisgender individuals.

Thank you to for care and intention that went into assembling this list. Efforts like this help broaden understanding, uplift trans voices, and encourage our community to engage more deeply with the realities and resilience of transgender people.

Find the list through the link in our bio, or at tinyurl.com/SCCLDTDOV

Join us in honoring Transgender Day of Visibility!

We invite you to gather with us on Wednesday, April 1st as we raise the transgender flag in celebration of the strength, resilience, and contributions of transgender, nonbinary, and gender‑expansive community members. This day is about visibility, pride, and standing together for a more inclusive future.

What to Expect · A welcoming gathering of community members and allies · Reflections and messages from community speakers and County leadership · The raising of the transgender flag, and other activities.

When: Wednesday, April 1st, 11:30 AM–1:00 PM

Flag Raising Ceremony: 12:00–12:30 PM

Where: McEntee Plaza, 70 West Hedding, San Jose

Everyone is welcome. Let’s come together for visibility, solidarity, and community. We hope to see you there!

Did you know today marks the first annual International Day to End Conversion Therapy? C.T. Survivors Connect (Canada) and Conversion Therapy Survivor Network (US) worked together to create this new awareness day. Conversion therapy is when someone tries to change a LGBTQ+ person to be straight and/or cisgender. Even though the word therapy is a part of the term, it is not a real type of therapy.

January 7 is important because in 2022, Canada passed a national ban against this practice for people of any age. While 27 US states have bans against conversion therapy for minors, there is no national ban. Washington DC is the only place in the US that bans conversion therapy for adults.

From the Office of LGBTQ Affairs fam to yours, wishing you a safe and happy holidays!

We took a quick wander through Christmas in the Park yesterday afternoon in downtown San Jose, enjoying some cider and the festive atmosphere. Each of us got a photo with our favorite tree.

If you're at Christmas in the Park, don't forget to check out the Office of LGBTQ Affairs' Dolly Parton themed tree. Take a pic with and tag us❣️

Red Umbrella Day (Dec 17) is a global day of remembrance and solidarity with s*x workers who have lost their lives to violence, and a call to end the stigma that fuels that harm.
Here are a few things to remember:

✨S*x work is work.
✨S*x workers’ identities are diverse — (They represent multiple gender identities, s*xualities, nationalities, abilities, or immigration statuses)
✨Consensual s*x work is not the same as human trafficking.
✨S*x worker rights are human rights.
✨S*x workers deserve dignity and safety.

S*x workers around the world face disproportionate violence because of criminalization, stigma, and discrimination. Today is about remembering those we’ve lost and standing with the living through advocacy, education, and care.

Learn more about the issues s*x workers face and how communities are organizing for change via the Global Network of S*x Work Projects.

https://www.nswp.org/

*xWorkerRights

Each year, World AIDS Day is held on December 1st and is an opportunity for people across the globe to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with and affected by HIV, and to honor the lives of those who lost their lives to AIDS.
Today, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department, the Office of LGBTQ Affairs, and Getting to Zero Initiative met for a Flag Raising Ceremony with this year’s theme of “Facts, Not Fear”. Together, we honor the fight to end HIV and AIDS together. For information on s*xual health programs and services in Santa Clara County, visit: http://gettestedscc.org/

Join us for a Mid-Day Masterclass!
Hosted by the Office of LGBTQ Affairs in partnership with CA LGBTQ+ HHS Network and We Breathe.

Safely Engaging Policymakers as Q***r Person in 2025
Date: December 11, 2025
Time: 11:30 am to 1:00 pm
RSVP via zoom: tinyurl.com/OLGBTQADec2025

Want to make your voice heard while protecting your safety and well-being? This masterclass will cover strategies for engaging policymakers in LGBTQ+ health advocacy, advocating effectively,
and navigating today’s political landscape as a q***r person. The workshop will be presented by Ryu Oda (he/they), a We Breathe Program Coordinator at CA LGBTQ+ HHS Network.

Whether you’re new to advocacy or already involved, this session is for you!

Register today and join your community for this empowering conversation.
Let’s build safer, stronger advocacy together.

SAVE THE DATE!
Join us for the LGBTQ+ Summit 2025, a day to connect, celebrate, and work toward change, hosted by the County of Santa Clara Office of LGBTQ Affairs.

Date: October 24, 2025
Time: 9 AM – 3 PM

You’ll meet leaders, advocates, and community members. Together we’ll learn, share stories, and take action to make a difference.

Want to be first to know when you can register?
Sign up here: tinyurl.com/LGBTQ-Interest2025

Let’s rise together to build a future where everyone belongs and is celebrated!



Alt text:
The graphic show the text SAVE THE DATE LGBTQ plus summit October twenty four Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
It has the picture of two hands holding together in rainbow color. The second picture show variety of four people in different background.
The last image shows variety of LGBTQ plus flags.

Things can feel overwhelming at times!
We at the Office of LGBTQ Affairs understand and see you.

You are BEAUTIFUL
You are WORTHY
You are SACRED

In August 2023, Santa Clara County committed to supporting gender-affirming care for everyone. In March 2025, the County reaffirmed that commitment by passing a resolution that declares the County a safe and affirming place for transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming, q***r, and inters*x people — including children and youth

Your mental health is important to us.
Your physical health is important to us.
You are important to us.

You can find our resource page or download our LGBTQ+ resource cards at https://linktr.ee/lgbtqsccgov

See y'all in Cupertino on Monday!

🏳️‍🌈 Join the City of Cupertino to raise the LGBTQ+ Progress Pride Flag in a ceremony to celebrate June as Pride Month! 🌈

📅 Monday, June 2, 2025
🕓 4–5 p.m.
📍 Cupertino Civic Plaza, 10350 Torre Ave, Cupertino, CA 95014