Redefining Protections for Queer Communities
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/04/05
Janelle Kellman, Esq. is a former Mayor of Sausalito (2022) and city council member. She restructured the city’s finance department post‑COVID‑19, secured $2 million for sea level rise mitigation and infrastructure planning, and led housing equity initiatives. In 2020, she founded the Center for Sea Rise Solutions to advance coastal resilience, workforce development, and ocean health. The nonprofit launched an international blue economy job creation program with the City and Port of Barcelona and the World Ocean Council, and established a local task force with the US Army Corps of Engineers and Congressman Jared Huffman’s office. Janelle holds a BA from Yale, a Master’s in Environmental Management from Oxford, and a J.D. from Stanford Law. She is a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California 2026. She highlights the expansion of nondiscrimination protections, grassroots activism’s role in legal advancements, and the need to prioritize economic security, housing affordability, and public safety over culture wars. Kellman’s leadership includes launching Sausalito’s first Pride celebration and securing funding for infrastructure. She advocates for collaborative governance to ensure inclusive policies that benefit all Californians.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: What legal shifts seem most transformative in redefining protections for queer communities?
Janelle Kellman: One of the most significant legal advancements has been the expansion of nondiscrimination protections that explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity. Efforts to ensure equal access to public accommodations, housing, and employment are essential in creating a more just society. Additionally, comprehensive protections that prevent discrimination in schools and foster inclusive learning environments are critical in ensuring that LGBTQ+ students feel safe and supported. At the same time, the fight to codify abortion protections into law remains a key issue, as reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights are deeply interconnected in the broader fight for bodily autonomy and personal freedom.
Jacobsen: As a Stanford-trained legal expert and former mayor, what innovative strategies have helped promote equity for LGBTQ+ individuals?
Kellman: As Mayor of Sausalito, I launched the city’s first-ever Pride celebration—a three-day event honoring and celebrating our diverse and inclusive community. This public recognition was about more than just celebration; it was a statement of values and a commitment to inclusion at every level of local governance. I support integrating minority rights, including LGBTQ+ equity, into broader policy initiatives, including nondiscrimination protections in public spaces and efforts to ensure that all residents, regardless of identity, have access to the same opportunities and resources.
Jacobsen: What is the dynamic interplay between grassroots activism and policy-making in the advancement of queer rights?
Kellman: Grassroots activism is often the spark that drives policy change. Many of the legal protections we now take for granted—workplace protections, marriage equality, and inclusive nondiscrimination laws—started as demands from activists on the ground. These are now being threatened again, and are major distractions and avoidance tools for tackling the real issues that plague our Country like the economy, housing and public safety.
Jacobsen: What is effective in rewriting the narrative for sexual and gender minorities?
Kellman: The key is moving beyond division and distraction to focus on what truly impacts people’s lives. Too often, politicians use discrimination as a wedge issue to stir controversy instead of addressing real problems—like the cost of living, access to good jobs, and public safety. The best way to rewrite the narrative is to put these shared priorities at the center of the conversation. LGBTQ+ individuals, like all Americans, want economic security, affordable housing, and safe communities. When we focus on solutions that benefit everyone, we take away the power of those trying to use identity as a political weapon.
Jacobsen: As a candidate for California Lieutenant Governor, what policy initiatives are important to champion?
Kellman: California has real problems to solve, and we need leadership focused on results. That means:
Strengthening the economy by supporting small businesses and investing in the workforce of the future.
Expanding housing affordability so that all Californians—no matter their background—can afford to live where they work.
Prioritizing public safety by ensuring law enforcement has the resources they need while also investing in mental health and community-based solutions.
Ensuring that all Californians have access to high-quality education and healthcare without political interference.
We can’t afford to let fear-mongering distract from the urgent issues facing our state. California’s leadership must be focused on creating real opportunities for all, not fanning culture wars that divide us.
Jacobsen: What do you feel have been your most significant professional challenges—and triumphs?
Kellman: One of the biggest challenges in public service is cutting through political noise to focus on what actually improves people’s lives. As Mayor of Sausalito, I saw firsthand how easy it is for important issues to get sidelined by unnecessary political fights. My biggest triumphs have come from putting people first—whether it was leading Sausalito’s first-ever Pride celebration to build a more inclusive community or working on infrastructure projects that improved daily life for residents. Real leadership means ignoring distractions and keeping the focus on what matters: jobs, housing, and safety.
Jacobsen: How can activists, lawmakers, and legal experts collaborate to ensure evolving legal frameworks empower all queer communities?
Kellman: The best way to advance real progress is to move beyond performative politics and focus on meaningful reforms that benefit everyone. Activists, lawmakers, and legal experts need to work together to ensure that legal protections are strong, enforceable, and rooted in economic and social stability. That means making sure all communities—including LGBTQ+ individuals—have access to safe housing, stable jobs, and fair treatment under the law. If we stay focused on these fundamentals, we take power away from those who use division as a political tool and instead build a more united, prosperous future for all Californians.
Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Janelle.
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