During its first year, the Los Angeles County’s LGBTQ+ Commission dealt with some major issues, including bans on gay, lesbian and trans books, federal policies targeting transgender people, plus the loss of homes of two of its own commissioners amid the massive January wildfires.
These are just some of the problems the brand new county commission outlined in its inaugural report released on Oct. 22.
“Yes, TGI (Transgender, Gender Expansive, Intersex) and LGBQ immigrants are under crisis,” said Hector Plascencia (they/we), who chairs the new commission, during an interview on Monday, Oct. 27.
Plascencia also referenced raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents in Southern California since early June that has created an atmosphere of fear to “an undocumented immigrant and person of color. All of these attacks have positioned LGBQ immigrants and TGI folks into very vulnerable positions;” they said.
The report, which Plascencia called “a first of its kind” in L.A. County, covered the period from June 2024 to June 2025. The commission was formed June 6, 2023 through a motion from L.A. County Supervisors Hilda Solis and Janice Hahn. The 15-member commission advised county departments on LGBTQ+ issues and offered recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, Human Resources, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and other departments on the particular challenges facing this population by ensuring inclusivity and protecting them from harm.
About 665,000 LGBTQ+ adults live in Los Angeles County, according to recent research from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.
“There are too many states and local governments across the country who are moving backward on LGBTQ rights,” said Hahn, who represents the Fourth District. “I am proud that, with our LGBTQ+ Commission at the helm, L.A. County continues to be on the right side of history and uplifting LGBTQ voices when we need to hear them most.”
The commission’s core values include: guaranteeing the rights to systemic justice for the entire LGBTQ+ community; being able to have full bodily autonomy, and to express themselves openly, with dignity, free from violence and discrimination.
These tenets were put to the test by federal policies that “escalated anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-TGI sentiment at the federal level,” the report said, placing stress on commissioners and on LGBTQ organizations throughout the county.
Immigration enforcement raids and anti-immigrant sentiment discouraged people from attending meetings in person. To ensure their safety, the Commission allowed virtual or streaming participation options, “To ensure community voices continue to be heard,” the report stated.
One of the goals for this year is to keep gender-affirming care for transgender and queer youth, despite continual pressure by the Trump Administration to reduce or place limits on this care. Federal rules, recently applied to all Federal Employees Health Benefits programs, removing gender-affirming care to workers, spouses and their families.
Also, about 800 bills from other states include only allowing transgender individuals to use restrooms matching their gender assigned at birth, not the gender with which they identify. Other laws prevent them from playing sports on teams that align with their gender identity.
The changes are seen as being more fair and equitable, as to not create an advantage for teams with a transgender female who was born a male and competes on a girls team after having gender-reassignment surgery.
Plascencia said the effect has created a narrative that eliminates opportunities to travel, play sports, and wear the clothing that they prefer. “Physical violence as well as online violence has increased,” they said. “This is very much a psychological warfare against transgender people.”
After the report was released, the commission wrote two letters to the Board of Supervisors, asking for a commitment to transgender people. “We reach out with urgency to advise the Board of Supervisors to act now and publicly affirm and commit resources for the care of TGEI2S+ (Transgender, Gender-Expansive, Intersex, and Two-Spirit (TGEI2S+) lives throughout Los Angeles County.”
Plascencia said the commission will continue training county departments to help them understand who the TGI and LGBQ communities are and their problems with housing, harassment and mental health. “We are grateful they are open to it. We are a bridge for the county and the community,” they added.
The commission held 12 meetings but paused after two commissioners lost their homes in the wildfires.
The commission sponsored a Wildfire Town Hall in Altadena in May, supporting LGBTQ+ residents affected by the January disasters. The event was attended by 65 people, with 13 virtual participants. The commission worked with the Williams Institute and aided assessment of housing and mental health needs for those affected by the fires.
On Oct. 5, the Commission along with the LA County Library System joined with West Hollywood for a writers’ festival featuring LGBTQ+ authors and marginalized authors of color.
“Yeah, books are being banned,” said Plascencia.
But he was optimistic for the support of many LGBTQ groups and cities as well. The commission participated in 35 Pride events this year across the county.
It also provided advice during more than 100 meetings with L.A. County departments, including the LASD and the District Attorney’s Office, the report said.
The Commission wants to “establish partnerships and to identify the types of advice and recommendations the Commission can provide,” read the report.