We call on the City Council to make Tacoma a safe city for transgender and queer residents. In the face of Trump administration attacks, Tacoma should follow the example of Olympia City Council by passing an ordinance which:
Affirms the right of trans and queer individuals to access healthcare, self-expression, and advocate on behalf of their community.
Prohibits the use of municipal resources—including but not limited to city property or employee time while on duty—for investigating, assisting in an investigation, or detaining an individual based on the exercise of their rights identified above.
Ensures that whenever the city collects or disseminates information about an individual’s sex or gender, it does so without regard to biological sex assigned at birth. The city will not collect or disseminate information about sex assigned at birth.
The Tacoma DSA Transgender and Bodily Autonomy Working Group, along with the community, is proud to stand in full solidarity with our queer and transgender neighbors in defending the human right to bodily autonomy. Trans people and our issues have increasingly entered the public eye over the past decades, thanks to the work of many brave activists. But our progress has been met with a mounting wave of reaction. Now, with Trump in office, we are facing the rapid institutionalization of these attacks, as outlined in his initial executive orders and Project 2025. As queer and transgender individuals, we will never allow ourselves to be treated as anything other than full humans - deserving of rights, responsibilities, and the opportunities to live fulfilling lives.
Although the struggle for bodily autonomy is a national issue, we believe that this fight starts in our local communities and that our local governments have a duty to do everything in their power to shield the community from fascistic attacks—whether from the federal government or elsewhere.
The Tacoma Democratic Socialists of America and our community allies are circulating this petition because we stand in full solidarity with our queer and transgender neighbors. Additionally, we recognize that the targeting and scapegoating of trans people are closely connected to the injustices faced by our immigrant neighbors, and we strongly affirm our support for the safety of immigrant communities as well.
We commend the City of Olympia for declaring a sanctuary city for trans and queer people, and implementing tangible measures to achieve this goal. We must spread these affirming policies to Tacoma and help inspire a movement for safe towns and cities statewide.