NiK Kacy, an original member of the newly formed LGBTQ+ Commission was given the boot just two weeks before the WEHO PRIDE celebration. Kacy, the direct appointee of Council member Sepi Shyne and the driving force behind the Equality Fashion Week received the notice on the eve of the event.
“It is with great sadness and shock that I inform you, that on Wednesday May 15th, on the first day of my 4 days of Equality Fashion Week events, I received an email from Council member Shyne, “I appreciate your service to the West Hollywood. I am going to be going a different route with respect to my appointee to th the LGBTQ Commission. This is my notice to you that effective immediately your service is no longer needed.” Shyne has less than 6 months in her term to ‘go a different route’.
The email to Kacy from Shyne came after Shyne was told she would not able to walk the runway during Equality Fashion Week.
Kacy who identifies as a trans male wrote to their fellow LGBTQ+ commissioners and city staff “I feel that I have been treated unjustly and unfairly as I have done nothing to deserve this treatment by Council member Shyne. “I am shocked and still processing all of this as I am closing out Equality Fashion Week and have not had time to process and respond to the Council member email.”
“My biggest concern right now is addressing the lack of representation for our TGI community on the Commission, as well as the fact that our seats, even as volunteers, can be so easily disposable to a city we have worked hard for, particularly as someone who identifies as QTBIPOC. How can a city call itself a ‘sanctuary city” when even those working (for free) for the city and representing those marginalized continue to be mistreated even by the city?
“I wanted you to know that I did not choose to leave and that it has been an honor to work side by side with you.” Kacy to fellow commissioners. “I will always be on your side, even if not by your side.
Equality Fashion Week was a stunning success even as Shyne threw the boomerang at Kacy on the eve of the event. On the Equality Fashion ‘Week website Kacy thanks all for a great week of work.
“In a world where representation matters more than ever, NiK Kacy Presents Equality Fashion Week® (EFW) 2024 emerges as a beacon of hope and resilience, standing tall since its launch in 2018. At a critical juncture in history, amidst a rising tide of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, EFW serves not only as a platform for underrepresented voices within the LGBTQ+ community but also as a vital movement advocating for equity, equality, and diversity beyond fashion with its 4-day event.
While serving as Mayor Shyne also fired Keely Field, her direct appointment to the Women’s Advisory Board. Field was dismissed after a story https://wehoonline.com/2023/02/19/sepi-shyne-retaliates-against-rape-victim-after-wehoville-interview/gave credit for her work behind the Drink Test Strips that ware being rolled out at all West Hollywood bars. Shyne dismissed Field despite Field’s role as Chair of the Womens Advisory Board and just weeks before Domestic Violence Month programming that Field was overseeing.. “You can go as a guest”, said the vindictive Mayor Shyne.
Sources close to Kacy have told WEHOonline they are preparing a statement that will be shared with the public at the next LGBTQ+ Commission meeting on June 13th.
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[…] Fashion Week. Kacy was appointed by Shyne to the new LGBTQ+ Commission. Kacy wrote about it here. And just two weeks ago, Zekiah Wright was thrown overboard from the Rent Stabilization Commission […]
And I bet Sepi is an expert at booting people around,
Why do we keep hearing about this bitch in every way except for getting rid of her? What’s the holdup?
This is not right, but what can be done about it?
I agree with the idea of demanding her resignation. This is not acceptable behavior from any elected official, whether they are declining running for reelection or not.
How can West Hollywood say that it supports its Trans community if they allow a trans man to be treated like this? That is hypocritical and drastically unfair to that person, who deserves better. There must be a way to reverse this and fight back, in our city, of all places. If trans people are not protected here, where could they ever possibly be safe?
“Only bad witches are ugly.” — Glinda, “The Wizard of Oz”
It is high time that a massive citizens descends on the city council chambers and rises as one voice in a fury of unified screaming to demand but the current city council take a vote of no confidence against the vile, vicious, vindictive, and out of control colleague they have in SEPTIC Shyne. She’s not running for reelection, which is obviously due to her gross incompetence and foul behavior during her entire tenure in the office she never should’ve been elected to in the first place, so rather than allow her to leave a scorched earth policy of damaged lives,… Read more »
How about taking a card from the toolbox published by Beautiful Trouble, the radical disruptive organization led by our own Councilmember Chelsea Byers. Under Public Filibuster (https://beautifultrouble.org/toolbox/tool/public-filibuster), “In a public filibuster, a group of people interrupt and seek to shut down a public hearing or government vote by standing and speaking, one after the other. It’s confrontational, but polite and constructive.” Who’s up for some Beautiful Trouble (courtesy of Chelsea and gang) at the next council meeting? I’ve already suggested to the City Manager, the City Attorney, the entire council, the director of public safety and the captain of the… Read more »
i’m in!
As a resident I am grateful to Nik Kacy and his contributions to West Hollywood and the queer community. Whatever Shyne’s issues are, we are proud to have Kacy as part of our community. What a sad and unnecessary controversy and great loss for our LGBTQ+ Commission and a set back for diversity. Just another example of why Sepi Shyne is too immature and self-centered to be an elected official. This is just the sort of spiteful, mean girls middle school behavior that has become the hallmark of West Hollywood’s Student Council. We have another six months of Shyne on… Read more »
Ostracize her. It has worked for centuries.
Wow.
Echo most of the sentiments expressed below.
Petty and vindictive…
Sepi Shyne is disgusting–everyone knows that. But delusional John Erickson and anti-semite Chelsea Byers remaining on our city council are the real dangers to our once-proud city.
Well said.
This is quite funny! Or should I say funnY?! It is like a scene out of an LGBTQ+ version of “Zoolander.” Of course, an “Equity Fashion Show” itself is rather comical, but to add in this aspect just ups the comedy. In 1990, a prophetic Madonna actually tried to warn us that this would happen: “Look around, everywhere you turn is heartachE. It’s everywhere that Sepi goes (just look around) You try everything you can to escape The pain of life that is WeHo (that is WeHo) When all else fails and you long to be Something better than you… Read more »