Following Governor Newsom’s decision to cut over $17 million in dedicated funding for LBTQ+ women and non-binary health programs, the Los Angeles LGBT Center CEO, Joe Hollendoner, issued the following statement:
“The Los Angeles LGBT Center is outraged by Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to eliminate critical funding dedicated to the health of lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LBTQ) women, trans men, and non-binary people—populations already facing severe health disparities and systemic neglect.
On May 10, the State of California convened an emergency meeting with grantees of the landmark $17 million LBTQ Health Equity Fund. We were informed that all contracts under this funding—including ours—would be terminated six months early, and that the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Health Equity—a historic division created to serve this population—would be shuttered. This decision would halt life-affirming services on June 30, stripping care from those who need it most.
This reversal is not just a budget adjustment—it is a betrayal of queer and trans Californians.
For decades, LBTQ women, trans men, and non-binary people have been marginalized within both public health systems and LGBTQ+ care spaces. Health risks for this population—including higher rates of cancer, chronic illness, and barriers to preventive care—are well-documented. It was only after years of relentless advocacy that California finally recognized this gap in 2019 and committed funding to address it.
In 2022, the Center, in coalition with five community partners, received $1.9 million to expand our Audre Lorde Health Program—a clinic rooted in trauma-informed, body-positive, gender-inclusive care. Since then, we’ve hired dedicated staff, expanded services, and restored trust with communities historically left behind. Now, that trust is at risk—again.
Let’s be clear: balancing the state budget on the backs of vulnerable queer communities is a moral failure. In cutting this funding, Governor Newsom has chosen to sacrifice the health and dignity of those already navigating intersecting barriers of misogyny, racism, transphobia, and xenophobia—including undocumented LGBTQ+ people. These cuts, along with the pausing of enrollment for adult undocumented Californians, are a clear attack on our healthcare system and the people who depend on it.
We call on the Governor and the State legislature to reverse this harmful decision by honoring the promise made by the legislature in 2019 and renewing this critical funding for next year. The health and safety of LGBTQ+ women and non-binary people cannot be optional.
We will not go back.”
