On February 11, a Massachusetts city council voted in favor of resolution that will effectively make it a sanctuary city for “transgender and gender-diverse” people. Worcester, a city with a population of over 207,000 people, enacted the resolution in light of measures taken by the current presidential administration towards gender-affirming care and other related issues.
Worcester has become the first U.S. city to declare itself a sanctuary for “trans-identifying” individuals. Prior to the vote, one person threatened the city council during public comment (video obtained by Fox News): “If you say that you’re afraid of Trump and that’s why you don’t want the city to be a safe space for trans people, you better prepare for trans people to make this a very unsafe space.”
Other commenters complained about their safety with President Trump in office. “How many lives have to be lost before you consider fighting back against fascism and corruption?” one questioned.
The resolution states, in part: “NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Worcester hereby reiterates its commitment to transgender rights and equal protections for transgender community members and declares itself a sanctuary city and a place of safety for transgender and gender diverse people.”
The Worcester City Council declared its commitment of providing “gender-affirming care” to its citizens. The city even considers such care to be a right. The resolution did not mention whether “gender-affirming care” will be provided to minors: an act which has been banned by the federal government.
The resolution states: “THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Worcester recognizes the importance of gender-affirming healthcare as a matter of health, privacy, and equality, and to ensure, to the greatest extent permitted by law, that those rights are upheld for all residents and visitors within the City of Worcester.”
However, the resolution praised Massachusetts Bill H.1190, which was passed into law in May 2019. The measure is described as “an Act relative to abusive practices to change sexual orientation and gender identity in minors… which bans harmful and abusive Conversion Therapy practices.” According to Fox News, the council voted 9-2 in favor of the resolution.
