The town of Sacramento, California, unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday to function as a sanctuary city for trans people.
The resolution, introduced by Katie Valenzuela, a member of the Sacramento City Council, means that Sacramento may protect the trans community’s rights, safeguarding them from anti-trans legislation such as the growing push across the country to boycott gender-affirming care. It follows Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-Calif.) signing of a law in 2022 that established California as a sanctuary state for transgender youth.
California has been a force in defending the rights of trans people to access treatment, but several states across the state are moving in the opposite direction,” the quality states.
It is crucial for the City of Sacramento to become proactive in reaffirming our responsibility to transgender rights and equal protections for trans people by declaring ourselves a sanctuary area and a place of safety for trans people in preparation of potential legislation that may prosecute those providing or seeking gender-affirming care and given the Council’s stated values of equity and inclusion.
According to the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit think tank focused on equality, California is one of 11 states with varying laws protecting access to trans healthcare.
The Trans Legislation Tracker is currently tracking 533 anti-trans bills and believes the number will likely rise as the year progresses. According to the tracker, 228 of the bills carried over from last year.
The City has taken a step beyond state law and sent a powerful message to everyone in our community that we are a safe place for everyone, Valenzuela said on Tuesday night on X, formerly Twitter, affirming our commitment to supporting our LGBTQ+ community and ensuring that no city resources or staff time will be used to enforce these harmful laws in other jurisdictions.
The testimony to back this resolution tonight served as a powerful reminder of the resilience and drive to defend our transgender neighbors.
Critics of the resolution have argued that gender-affirming care is harmful to young people.
Beth Bourne, a member of the Sacramento chapter of the conservative political organization Moms for Liberty, told Sacramento NBC affiliate KCRA-TV that “this sanctuary city is saying that we will promote the idea that people can be born in the wrong body.”
Political attacks are robbing the LGBTQ community all over the nation.
479 anti-LGBT bills introduced in 2024, five of which have already been passed into law, were accounted for by the American Civil Liberties Union as of March 15. So far, 135 of the bills have been defeated, while 211 have advanced, according to the ACLU.
