Worcester pauses sanctuary city vote for transgender, gender-diverse people

WORCESTER, Mass. — On Tuesday, dozens of LGBTQ + members and their allies showed up at Worcester City Hall to urge city councilors to declare Worcester a sanctuary city for transgender and gender-diverse people.

Within the last week, a petition, which reads like a resolution, was created and filed by Allie Cislo, on behalf of the group Queer Residents of Worcester and Our Allies. Among other things, it asks the city to protect transgender and gender-diverse people in Worcester from discriminatory and harmful policies coming from state and/or federal levels.

In her appeal to city councilors Tuesday, Cislo says " (t)here is a real and present danger to trans life brewing in the federal and in many state governments, and now, now is the time for Worcester to say that trans lives are precious. For us to look at a gathering storm and say that in our shelter it’s all of us or none.”

Like Cislo, numerous Worcester residents, from all walks of life, poured their hearts out during the public comment session that lasted more than two hours on Tuesday night.

Ultimately, city councilors decided to hold off on the sanctuary city vote until next week.

When asked about the decision, Cislo says she’s “Unfortunately not shocked,” and they will return to city hall next week to await their decision.

For the last two weeks, gender issues have dominated discussions inside the Worcester City Council Chamber.

In January, the first openly nonbinary elected official in Massachusetts decided to take a one-month break from their duties, alleging her colleagues have created a “toxic council culture.”

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