Worcester City Council approves resolution to become a 'sanctuary city' for transgender people

The City Council of Worcester, Mass., passed a resolution Tuesday declaring it a sanctuary city for transgender people.

The approval followed a vote held after a hearing in which several members of the public raised concerns related to the executive order signed by President Donald Trump, according to which the federal government should only recognize two sexes: female and male, and federal funds should be cut to any institution that provides gender-affirming care to minors.

Under the measure, which passed by a vote of nine to two, Worcester reaffirms its commitment to the transgender agenda, and will not stop those seeking gender-affirming treatment or provide information about it to non-Massachusetts agencies.

One of the councilors who voted in favor was Thu Nguyen, who calls herself non-binary and who returned to work for the first time since announcing her month-long hiatus in mid-January after reporting "transphobia" on the council.

Mayor Joseph Petty expressed, "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."

One councilman's criticism of the resolution

Morris A Bergman, one of the councilors who voted against the resolution, stated that the measure did not provide any new security or rights "that don't already exist" and that its adoption could open the door "for federal dollars to be taken away from the city."