Feminist to Know: Cecilia Chung

Cecilia Chung is an activist, civil rights leader, and advocate for HIV/AIDS destigmatization. Chung was born in Hong Kong and emigrated to the United States with her family when she was in her late teens. Soon after, she moved to the Bay Area to attend college.

When she came out as trans in her late twenties, she lost her job in retail sales and became estranged from her family. During this time, Chung came to rely on sex work as a way to support herself but soon lost stable housing, experienced sexual violence, and turned to drug use as a coping mechanism. Within a year, she was diagnosed HIV-positive. 

After three years of being homeless, Chung was stabbed during a sexual assault attempt and she was brought to the hospital. Her mother visited her there and the two reconciled, leading to Chung pursuing a gender affirmation surgery with familial support a few years later.

Chung quickly became a leader in her local queer community working on health advocacy as a HIV test counselor at UCSF AIDS Health Project. She went on to found the San Francisco Transgender Advocacy and Mentorship and the annual Trans March, which is now observed by cities all around the world. Chung also serves on the Board of the Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center and became the first deputy director of the Transgender Law Center in 2005. In 2013, she was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS by President Obama, and she created a national support network of HIV-positive trans people (Positively Trans) two years later.

As an Asian, trans, HIV-positive woman, Chung has often been the first person of her identity to lead organizations, committees, and boards. Her accomplishments have paved the way for other people to be brought to the table, and have increased the health and safety of her community in the Bay Area.