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On Thursday, riters uild of America est picket lines were oined by at least transgender and non-binary writers in a featured “Trans Takeover” led by WGA members Sydney aloue, and am, ranchesca “Chescaleigh” amsey in front of Netflix’s Los Angeles corporate offices on Sunset lvd. The “Trans Takeover” was staged to address concerns about trans employment and how the transgender and non-binary community is portrayed in contemporary pop culture. “Trans people are workers too. e’re in solidarity with the labor movement around the world and we are showing up in ways that we are often not depicted,” said writer Jacob Tobia speaking to ariety. “Strikes are moments where you redefine who is at the table, and we want to
be sure that we’re sending a really strong message to the world that we’re at the table now and we want to stay at the table.” Tobia and others speaking with the entertainment trade magazine noted that the hostile backlash to LGBTQ+ rights, particularly for trans and nonbinary people, in states including Texas and Tennessee has come on the heels of a number of T series and movies focused on this marginali ed but emerging community. “If you want to stand with us, you need to stand with us. ou can’t ust put us in a few T shows and then, when things get hard and when people are paying attention, stop greenlighting our pro ects,” they said. “ ou have to commit to us as a community and show that you really care about our dignity, our lives and our economic vitali-
e o City Coun i votes to a
our sheriff’s positions
its Semi-Annual Community Safety pdate as part of its At a regular West Hollywood council meeting, on Monregular meeting. The City’s community safety partners, day, May 15, the city council voted to refund Los Angeles which included representatives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies positions during a discussion on County ire epartment, the lock by lock Security the semi-annual community safety update. Ambassadors program, and the Los Angeles County SherWest Hollywood Mayor Pro Tem John Erickson made the iff’s epartment LAS est Hollywood Station, providmotion that was seconded by ayor Sepi Shyne. ed the City Council with detailed updates about the City’s City Council voted on the motion regarding citywide community safety activities. community safety contract staffThe Semi-Annual Community ing levels. The City Council voted Safety pdate, tem . ., con4-1 (noting the no vote of Countains details. The item is posted cilmember yers to approve a as part of the meeting agenda motion to add four positions to and the meeting is available for the City’s budget for Los Angeviewing on the City’s eHoT les County Sheriff’s epartment ouTube channel at www.youservices, as follows: two (2) nontube.com wehotv. sworn Public nformation Officer “The safety and well-being Community Liaison positions of our community is the City of one (1) Entertainment Policing est Hollywood’s top priority. Sergeant and one Sheriff’s e’re seeing that crime is trendeputy. ing downward in from The approved motion addilevels. e’re deeply committed tionally provides direction for the (Photo Credit: Paulo Murillo/WEHO TIMES) to continuing that trend and City Council to consider adding making sure our city is safe,” another one Sheriff’s eputy said ayor Shyne. “ e are continuing to work proactivefollowing the City Council receiving its next Semi-Annual ly with our community safety partners. There are more Community Safety pdate in ecember . Block by Block security ambassadors than ever before and The budget for these additions will be incorporated into our Sheriff’s community policing team is out during days the City anager’s ecommended udget for and our entertainment policing team is out at night so , which will be on the agenda for the regular meeting that est Hollywood is a safe place to live, work, and visit of the West Hollywood City Council on Monday, June 26, around the clock.” . The agenda will be posted in advance of the meeting As background, in June the City Council of the City at www.weho.org councilagendas. of est Hollywood approved changes in community safeThe City Council of the City of West Hollywood received
10 • MAY 26, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM
ty,” Tobia said. The future of ueer representation in film and television could be at stake in the ongoing negotiations between the Writers Guild of American and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers, many people are saying at the A strike enters its third week. The A is broadly demanding better pay and better working conditions for film and television writers, alleging that studios are increasingly demanding unpaid labor from writers and reducing writing obs in television. They’re also demanding limitations on the use of artificial intelligence in drafting scripts. The A says these developments are making writing in Hollywood unsustainable for the vast ma ority of writers. BRODY LEVESQUE
ty as part of its approval of the City budget. Changes included an increase of Block by Block Security Ambassadors by positions to perform foot patrols in residential neighborhoods adding one Sheriff’s eputy assigned to the Entertainment Policing Team maintaining existing funding levels for LAS Supplemental Patrols for the fiscal year and decreasing the number of LAS eputies by two within days. uring the second half of , the City’s lock by lock Security Ambassadors program was expanded by personnel for a total of security ambassadors. lock by Block Security Ambassadors work in collaboration with the est Hollywood Sheriff’s Station to provide supplemental safety services. Expansion of the program aims to provide an additional public presence to proactively reduce crime and the City will maintain expanded staffing levels for its lock by lock Security Ambassadors program. The lock by lock Security Ambassadors Hotline provides access to free, support by phone at EHOor by phone and text message at . or additional information, visit www. weho.org bbb. The City of West Hollywood contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s epartment for law enforcement and the Los Angeles County ire epartment for fire protection. or anyone with public safety concerns, please reach out to the Sheriff’s Station at . n an emergency, always call . or additional information about Community Safety programs in est Hollywood, visit www.weho.org publicsafety. PAUL MURILLO/WEHO TIMES