About Us
Mission
Rainbow Families Action is a group of parents of trans youth and their allies in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. We came together in response to increased attacks on trans youth. Rainbow Families Action builds a world where trans and gender expansive youth can live authentically and freely. We engage in collective advocacy, mutual aid, and creative action.
Values
We act with an audacious love that uplifts and fights for the liberation of queer and gender-expansive families.
We build a fierce community that creates opportunities to collaborate and act.
We stand resolute because the joy, health, and safety of trans and gender-expansive children is non-negotiable.
Vision
RFA envisions a joyful world full of radical empathy and acceptance of all genders.
Read more about how you can support trans youth and their families or contact us at: info@rainbowfamiliesaction.org
RFA In the News
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RFA quoted in Medicaid GAC reimbursement story https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/09/29/california-to-fund-gender-affirming-care-for-trans-youth-on-medi-cal
RFA breaks story of chaotic CA response to CMS rule https://calmatters.org/health/2026/08/transgender-youth-medicaid-california-funding/
Medicaid RFA member on NPR https://www.npr.org/2026/08/16/nx-s1-5932491/transgender-health-care-medicaid-trump-oz
RFA helps secure 1.5 million for GAC https://oaklandside.org/2026/08/14/alameda-county-officials-approve-1-5-million-for-gender-affirming-care-lgbtq-health/
Stanford families successfully sue to block subpoena→
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/12/nx-s1-5855728/transgender-youth-healthcare-trump-subpoena
"Federal Pressure on Transgender Care Reaches San Francisco Clinics" → https://www.sfpublicpress.org/federal-pressure-on-transgender-care-reaches-san-francisco-clinics/
"Justice Department drops demand for records naming transgender kids treated at Children's Hospital L.A." → https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-23/doj-childrens-hospital-la-transgender-patient-records
"Parents of trans kids ask: Does California really protect our rights?" → https://calmatters.org/health/2026/02/rady-transgender-health-bonta-lawsuit/
"Rainbow Families Action fights for local trans kids with protests, board resolution" → https://48hills.org/2026/02/rainbow-families-action-fights-for-trans-kids-gender-affirming-care-san-francisco-connie-chan/
"From Play Dates to Protest: Rainbow Families Chart a Trans Evolution" → https://www.assignedmedia.org/breaking-news/sutter-transgender-care-protest-rainbow-families
"They're losing health care, even in the Bay Area..." → https://oaklandside.org/2025/12/19/transgender-care-youth-curtailed-california-trump-hhs-rule/
"Sutter Health's Trans Youth Care Hasn't Stopped, Parents Say..." → https://www.kqed.org/news/12067552/sutter-healths-trans-youth-care-hasnt-stopped-parents-say-but-trump-wants-a-ban
"California braces for showdown as Trump administration targets gender-affirming care" → https://www.sfchronicle.com/us-world/article/hhs-gender-care-minors-funding-21250344.php
"California hospital will continue youth gender-affirming care after families protest" → https://www.advocate.com/sutter-health-gender-affirming-care
"After backlash, Bay Area's largest hospital pauses plan to end care for transgender kids" → https://sfstandard.com/2025/12/16/sutter-trans-youth-healthcare-reversal/
"Families protest as Sutter Health ends gender-affirming care for Bay Area youth" → https://www.ebar.com/story/161064/News/Families%20protest%20as%20Sutter%20Health%20ends%20gender-affirming%20care%20for%20Bay%20Area%20youth
"Parents protest Sutter's retreat on gender-affirming care for transgender teens" → https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/sutter-gender-care-minors-21226151.php
"It's Just Cruel': Bay Area parents say Sutter Health is set to halt trans youth care" → https://www.kqed.org/news/12065480/its-just-cruel-bay-area-parents-say-sutter-health-is-set-to-halt-trans-youth-care
"Kaiser Bans Gender-Affirming Surgery For Minors..." → https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101910758/kaiser-bans-gender-affirming-surgery-for-minors-whats-next-for-transgender-healthcare
"Devastating Blows to Trans Care at Kaiser, Yale & Others" → https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/devastating-blows-to-trans-care-at
"'A huge betrayal': Parents fume as Kaiser ends gender-affirming surgeries for kids" → https://sfstandard.com/2025/07/23/kaiser-permanente-is-ending-gender-affirming-surgeries-for-youth/
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RFA prompted first national mainstream coverage of this win https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/01/trump-trans-athletes-california-lawsuit-dismissed
LA Times picked up DOJ story from RFA https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-09-01/judge-dismisses-doj-lawsuit-california-transgender-athlete-policies
More in depth on DOJ loss featuring RFA https://oaklandside.org/2026/09/03/judge-strikes-down-trump-doj-lawsuit-against-trans-inclusive-sports-california/
RFA organizes rally supporting Valkyries https://www.ebar.com/story/169282
Article RFA pitched and helped shape about AB’s last track meet → https://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/story/2026-06-01/how-transgender-athlete-ab-hernandez-beat-vitriol-stoked-by-trump
RFA organized around SF Giants Pride Hat debacle https://www.kron4.com/mlb/giants/giants-pride-night-marred-by-player-protest-bible-verse-inscriptions/
RFA organized resistance at CIF meeting https://www.kqed.org/news/12081357/they-picked-on-the-wrong-kid-how-families-are-speaking-up-for-trans-athletes
"'They Picked on the Wrong Kid': California Families Speak Up for Trans Athletes" → https://www.kqed.org/news/12081357/they-picked-on-the-wrong-kid-how-families-are-speaking-up-for-trans-athletes
"Supreme Court hears oral arguments in trans sports cases" → https://www.kalw.org/bay-area-news/2026-01-13/supreme-court-hears-oral-arguments-in-trans-sports-cases
"Parents urge CIF to drop rules around transgender student athletes" → https://www.kcrw.com/shows/kcrw-reports/stories/cif-transgender-student-athletes
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“Trans and immigrant advocates are pushing back against DMV data sharing”→
KPFA Radio (minute :30) on DMV Data Grab endangering trans community→ https://kpfa.org/episode/full-circle-june-5-2026/
"'Grow a spine': S.F. protesters target California Democratic Convention" → https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/sf-california-democratic-convention-protests-21421282.php (subscription required) https://web.archive.org/web/20260223103454/https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/sf-california-democratic-convention-protests-21421282.php(free via archive.org)
"LGBTQ Activists Rally at Newsom's Home, Demand Stronger Trans Rights Commitment" → https://www.kqed.org/news/12033818/lgbtq-activists-rally-at-newsoms-home-demand-stronger-trans-rights-commitment
"Kentfield demonstrators protest Newsom position on transgender athletes" → https://www.marinij.com/2025/03/31/kentfield-demonstrators-protest-newsom-position-on-transgender-athletes/