LPAC Rescinds Endorsement of CA's Dr. Jennifer Tran

Today, LPAC announced that its Political Committee has voted to rescind the endorsement for Dr. Jennifer Tran, a candidate for California's 12th Congressional District, due to statements by Dr. Tran furthering dangerous and harmful myths about LGBTQ+ people

As part of LPAC’s endorsement process, we ask candidates a series of questions including whether or not they support gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth. When she applied for our endorsement, Dr. Tran stated her support for gender-affirming care for youth. Upon learning about Dr. Tran’s comments, detailed below, LPAC immediately raised this issue for our Political Committee, which voted promptly to rescind Dr. Tran’s endorsement.

“As an organization committed to advancing the rights of LGBTQ+ and nonbinary people, LPAC rescinds our endorsement of Dr. Jennifer Tran, effectively immediately,” said Janelle Perez, Executive Director of LPAC. “The LGBTQ+ community and our allies deserve leaders who fight for us, defend us from bigotry, and help ensure our youth can thrive. Instead, Dr. Tran has promoted harmful myths and misinformation, which have devastating consequences for our youth. LGBTQ+ youth in Oakland deserve better.”

Dr. Tran stated on Twitter that she opposes gender affirming care for minors, as "there are too many cases of trans youth medically transitioning as children regretting it in adulthood." In the same social media post, Dr. Tran repeated baseless claims about a member of the Mayor’s staff, who is gay. Seneca Scott, who initially made this claim, was previously condemned by the East Bay Stonewall Democratic Club and the Alameda County Democrats for making this accusation without evidence. 

Tran’s comments go against recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics, which has affirmed the need to “ensure young people get the reproductive and gender-affirming care they need and are seen, heard and valued as they are.” Dr. Tran’s statements further tropes which prevent transgender and gender-diverse youth from accessing services shown by the National Institute of Health to be lifesaving, preventing depression and suicidality.