Our Statement on Dave Chappelle’s “The Closer”
Despite the ongoing attacks and attempts to erase and divide us, know that you are not alone.
In his recently released Netflix special “The Closer”, comedian Dave Chappelle made a number of hurtful jokes and statements about the transgender community. As part of his routine, he willfully misgendered and mocked Daphne Dorman, a local trans activist who died by suicide in 2019. The controversy over Chappelle has made national headlines, prompted protests and an employee walkout at Netflix.
We understand and share the hurt and anger trans community members and our allies are feeling and expressing in the wake of these verbal attacks. As San Francisco Pride Board President Carolyn Wysinger explained in her November 1 op-ed for SFGate, Black and trans are not mutually exclusive:
“The problem with this isn’t one of free speech. It’s that fundamentally, Chappelle sees LGBTQ+ people and Black people as distinct entities whose very existence is at odds with one another. Chappelle’s words completely erase the existence and the work that Black LGBTQ+ people have undertaken for decades in our communities.”
In San Francisco, we honor our history in the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, the 1966 riot of mostly Black and Brown queer and trans femmes. The site of that riot is now home to the world’s first Transgender District, one of several Bay Area organizations founded and led by Black trans women. We recognize that punching down at marginalized people is not “edgy”, it’s oppressive.
Despite the ongoing attacks and attempts to erase and divide us, know that you are not alone. Our trans community is strong and resilient. We will not give up doing the important work and you will always have a supportive community here in San Francisco. Our genders, our pronouns, and our lives are legitimate and precious.
If you are in crisis and need someone to talk to, please see our list of trans-friendly helplines.
In community,
Office of Transgender Initiatives, City and County of San Francisco.
