The city council of Worcester Massachusetts has voted overwhelmingly to become a sanctuary city for transgender and gender-diverse people. The resolution to become an official sanctuary city passed by a 9-2 vote.
The decision follows the departure of nonbinary city council member Thu Nguyen who cited the “discriminatory and toxic” environment and the “transphobia” of the city council’s culture as reasons for leaving. Upon their leave, Nguyen said “I wish to have felt safe on this council floor, but I don’t.”
Nguyen also claims that Worcester Mayor Joseph M. Petty had misgendered them on the council floor, while another council member repeatedly referred to them as “it.” They were the first nonbinary elected official in Massachusetts and they have been serving in office for three years up until the hiatus they took in January.
Petty, however, has seemingly backed the idea, telling the chamber: “we’re just passing a resolution saying, ‘Hey, we’ve got your back.”
LGBTQ Nation reports that the resolution was only settled upon after four hours of heated debate that took place in front of a full council chamber. Those in disagreement with the establishment of the city as a sanctuary warned that the city could lose federal funding for not complying with executive orders imposed by Donald Trump.
Trump has recently passed directives ordering federal agencies to cease funding DEI programs and cut off funding to nonprofits, academic institutions and more. Federal agency websites have also been scrubbed of information addressing trans issues on a directive from Trump. Petty rebuked this practice saying “I don’t care what your beliefs are, but to take the word ‘transgender’ out of the vocabulary in the federal government is just plain wrong.”
Local LGBTQ+ petitioner Allie Cislo said she was glad that the resolution was passed. “It’s sad that it wasn’t unanimous, but I think we’re very pleased that Worcester has decided to affirm existing Massachusetts law and to reiterate that Worcester is a sanctuary for trans or gender-diverse people,” she told the Telegram & Gazette.
Reports from the Telegram & Gazette also indicate that Councilor Nguyen returned to council for the first time since their hiatus to vote in favor of the petition.
Massachusetts currently has multiple sanctuary cities for trans and gender nonconforming people including Northampton, and across the nation various cities have passed similar solutions including Sacramento, CA and Ithaca, NY.
