Pride 2022 - Stand Down

The San Francisco Police Officers Pride alliance, the LGBTQ+ members of the San Francisco Sheriff’s
Office (SFSO), and the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) stand in solidarity with Mayor London
Breed. They will not participate in this year’s San Francisco Pride Parade unless the San Francisco
Pride Board of Directors reverses its decision to exclude our Police Department and Sheriff’s
Department members from marching in the parade in uniform.
The LGBTQ+ members of San Francisco’s public safety agencies believe that radical inclusivity is a
core San Francisco value and are asking that the 10-member SF Pride Board of Directors reverse its
decision. Their next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 8 at 7 pm.
Over the past week, many news outlets, elected officials, and social media posts expressed views and
opinions on our stand down to what we collectively view as discrimination towards LGBTQ+ uniformed
public servants. Although many maintain professional journalistic standards, some of the coverage fails
to explore both sides of the issue. Instead, they employ a speculative approach that fails to review
available information. Your LGBTQ+ uniformed public servants, many of whom have taken an active
part in the LGBTQ+ movement of the past fifty years, are part of the change and are part of this
community. Coverage of this type embraces political expediency at the cost of the truth. In this case,
the truth is the courage that it took for LGBTQ+ members to put on uniforms and change the system
from within.
Many peace officers support the Black Lives Matter movement and many work for Police Reform both
within and outside their organizations. These reforms are accomplished through transparent discussions
by community leaders and the public servants entrusted with their protection. During the George Floyd
protests and demonstrations, many Law Enforcement Officers marched and took a knee in solidarity
with their community. The keyword here is PEER, as LGBTQ+ officers affect change, despite the risks
they face from both their fellow officers and the community. In doing so, they have become a beacon of
change.
Imagine a world with no LGBTQ+ public servants whose presence alone forces the change. Imagine the
LGQTB+ youth who want to help be the change and see the unwritten message here in San Francisco
that it’s NOT okay to be what you want to be. In effect, this dictum forces LGBTQ+ officers into a
different closet, where they are forced to hide another aspect of their identity from the community.