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Photo: Frank Gaglione/SF Weekly
As head of SF's Human Rights Commission, and previously as President of the Police Commission, Sparks has been breaking new ground for transgendered people in San Francisco politics. She spent fifty years of her life living as a man and as a powerful executive in the oil recycling industry, and was married twice before ultimately moving to San Francisco in the 90s to seek the advice of gender therapists. She almost immediately began transitioning, and flew to Bangkok in 2000 for gender reassignment surgery.
Sparks had trouble finding work after she began transitioning, but with her business skills she ultimately rose up the ranks from being a clerk at sex retail chain Good Vibrations to being the company's CEO. She later gained the attention of some of Newsom's rivals on the Board of Supervisors and was appointed to the police commission.
Now, due to some health issues that prevent her from climbing too many hills, she has relocated out of her former Nob Hill home to a condo at Van Ness and Turk, and she is vocally eying Chris Daly's chair as District 6 supervisor (Daly will be termed out as of next year). It could be an interesting race. As Smiley puts it, "However much San Francisco can look past Sparks being transgendered, there's no question that this is a city where identity politics matter."
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Debra Walker or Jane Kim will be the next D6 supe.
It Is Written.
Yeah, I always watched her on tv when she was heading the police commission. At first it was mostly in a "Look, a tranny!" sort of way.
But after a while you can't help but be struck by how capable she is. She's a really super-competent executive-type person, not like your average civil servant.
I'd vote for her. District 6 should be so lucky to get her. They won't, of course.
Are we ever going to get beyond the point where the BoS is all about which minority group (GLBT, Asian, African American, handicapped, McDreamy, etc.) is represented or not and instead focus on getting the best, most qualified anybodies onto the Board who would care more about running city well and taking care of civic business??
You might also be interested in a feature about Sparks by Nathanael Johnson in San Francisco Magazine: http://www.sanfranmag.com/story/the-life-and-times-of-theresa-sparks
I contributed the photo of Theresa Sparks and Margaret Cho that appears on page 16 of that SF Weekly's article.
Theresa has worked hard; I wish her the best.
I'm sorry, but given Theresa Sparks strong association with our empty suit of a mayor I could never, in good conscience, vote for her as supervisor of District 6.
And Generic should be aware that the term "tranny" is considered highly offensive by both those who are transgender, and those who are transsexual.