SF lawmaker Scott Wiener claims California kids are 'our kids' at Pride flag raising

In a press conference marking the start of Pride Month, California State Senator Scott Wiener said that California’s kids are "our kids," and that "we're gonna beat" the "nasty people out there who are trying to harm us."

"We are always there for these kids. These are our kids and we need to make sure that we are lifting them up and giving them a path to success. So we are working very hard to make that happen," he said.

Wiener noted that "representation matters," adding that "10 percent of the California Legislature is now LGBTQ, 12 out of 120."  These legislatures are not just from areas like San Francisco or Los Angeles, but from areas across the state.

"It's an amazing and beautiful tapestry of our community and tapestry of California. And even though we know that so much of the hate directed at our community is happening in other states, unfortunately, it's here in California too. And we know that we have school boards in particular in some very conservative areas that are demonizing and attacking our LGBTQ youth in ways that are so so dangerous," Wiener said.

"And so about a week ago, our caucus, the 12 of us, we said 'not on our watch,' and we introduced legislation to ban these forced outing policies that some school boards are starting to adopt. Because we know that for all of us—a lot of experience in this room—in terms of coming out, in terms of when, if, how someone comes out to their parents, that is our decision, and no else’s damn business and we're going to make that clear the law of the state of California." 

"But as we fight all the nasty people out there who are trying to harm us, and we're gonna beat them and we're gonna win. Let's celebrate, let's have just a festive and uplifting month. I'm so excited about it. Happy Pride, everyone," he concluded.

Wiener previously brought forth a bill that designates California as a sanctuary state for minors who want to receive medicalized gender transitions. The law prevents law enforcement from acting on out-of-state warrants, subpoenas, or child custody issues so long as the minor is now in California looking for a prescription of cross-sex hormones or surgical gender reassignment. The law went into effect in January 2023.

"Tonight at midnight, SB 107 goes into effect & California officially becomes a state of refuge for trans kids & their families. As red states pursue 100s of laws criminalizing LGBTQ people — with incitement to violence all too common — CA stands strong as a beacon of hope," Wiener said when the bill went into effect.