In response to President Donald Trump’s flurry of executive orders targeting transgender people, Cambridge has become the nation’s fifth sanctuary city for transgender and nonbinary people, pledging to provide a safe haven for the community.
The ordinance, which passed unanimously at the March 3rd City Council meeting, is an amendment to the Welcoming Community Ordinance—the same ordinance that makes Cambridge a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants. Carolina Almonte, executive director of the Cambridge LGBTQ+ Commission, explained to the Register Forum that this action “sends a clear message that Cambridge stands firmly against transphobia and will actively resist efforts to erode transgender rights.”
Worcester, just 40 miles away from Cambridge, received national coverage when it became the first city to declare transgender sanctuary status following President Trump’s inauguration. Sources such as Fox News and the Daily Mail were quick to attack the ordinance as an “embarrassment” and “unnecessary.” However, local response across Massachusetts has been overwhelmingly positive, viewing similar declarations of transgender sanctuary status as necessary.
During the city council meeting, everyone who gave public comments expressed their support for the ordinance. Cambridge resident Siobhan McDonough explained to the city council, “With this resolution you will resist Trump and Musk, show your support for a community under siege, and provide valuable protections for those seeking and providing [gender-affirming] healthcare in Cambridge.”
Similarly, much of the transgender community in Cambridge has expressed that this ordinance allows them to feel safer—a feeling that seems to have been lacking recently despite Cambridge’s progressive nature. Finn Graham ’26, shared with the Register Forum “It’s really scary to be a trans person right now[…] This is a symbolic but really significant way to show support and make the Cambridge trans community feel safer and supported in a time where that feeling isn’t very common.”
Despite the overwhelming support of the ordinance, many also urge the city to take concrete action in protecting the most vulnerable members of the transgender community. Transgender people are disproportionately homeless—an issue that came up frequently in the city council meeting. Former city council candidate Dan Totten addressed the recent closing of an emergency homeless shelter during the meeting, asking, “How can we feel good about a resolution that specifically says the city will take active steps to ensure trans and nonbinary people have access to housing, one week after terminating a homeless shelter with no input or public discussion?”
Furthermore, transgender people report high rates of depression and suicide. These statistics have been reflected in Cambridge, with the city’s Teen Health Survey finding gender nonconforming students reporting the highest rates of gender-based violence, suicidal ideation, and self harm.
During the vote on the ordinance, Mayor Simmons emphasized the importance of this action, saying, “Our silence, if we were to be silent, would not protect us. So we might as well stand up like we’ve always stood up. And tonight, we’re saying we’re not going to be afraid, and we’re not going to be turned back. We will enshrine that with this sanctuary city status, which explicitly extends to the transgender and nonbinary community.”
This article also appears in our March 2025 print edition.
