Cecilia Chung
“When I transitioned, there was no protection for transgender people against discrimination, and living with HIV meant that barriers to a good quality of life were amplified,” Cecilia Chung tells GO. “So when I began to advocate for transgender rights and inclusion, it’s not because I was interested in public policy. I was literally fighting for my life and my rights to exist.” Fighting for the rights of transgender persons and those living openly with HIV is one Chung has been at for nearly thirty years. In 2008, she was elected president of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, becoming the first transgender woman living openly with HIV to hold the position. Under her watch as Health Commissioner of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, she spearheaded the city’s initiative to become the first to cover gender-affirming surgeries for the uninsured. In addition to serving as Health Commissioner, Chung is also Senior Director of Strategic Projects and Evaluation at the Transgender Law Center, previously serving as the Center’s first deputy director in 2005. As one charged with speaking on behalf of so many, Chung says that her own openness and visibility are a job requirement — a way to let others know they aren’t alone. “I survived the hate and the violence. I stepped out of isolation and reconciled with my family, and I want to make sure others can hold on to that bit of hope I shared until they see their own silver lining.” —RK
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