San Francisco Mayor London Breed appointed a drag performer named “Honey Mahogany” to oversee a governmental department, according to a press release from the city.
“Mahogany” will serve as the director of the city’s Office of Transgender Initiatives. “Mahogany” is a biological male who identifies as a female. In the press release, the city refers to him with “she/her” pronouns.
“Mahogany” is the founding “queen” of Drag Story Hour, which aims to connect young children with drag queens to read books about gender ideology. Other qualifications for the office include playing a “critical role” in saving an “iconic” gay bar in San Francisco.
The transgender-identifying government official is most known for his performance on the fifth season of the television show, “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” In a 2021 statement, Mahogany said that being on RuPaul’s Drag Race was akin to working in politics.
“Drag Race was a great learning experience for me,” Mahogany said. “Having to work all day in heels, perform, be funny, be fierce, and face challenges all while being cut down by other queens … it’s basically San Francisco politics.”
Breed claimed in a statement that the appointment of a transgender drag queen was necessary as many transgender people are reportedly “under attack”.
“Right now, across the country, our Transgender and LGBTQ+ culture and community is under attack, but in San Francisco we continue to embrace and celebrate the amazing individuals and organizations who through their advocacy and art have contributed to our history around social justice and equity,” Breed said in a statement.
In 2020, Mahogany became the first “non-male identified transgender person elected to the body that oversees the Democratic Party,” per the Bay Area Reporter. He became the chair of the party in 2021.
San Francisco officially launched the Guaranteed Income for Trans People program in 2022 as part of the city’s Office of Transgender Initiatives. Mahogany will oversee providing low-income transgender residents with $1,200 each month for 18 months.
