Committee Backs Transgender Sanctuary Resolution

Transgender flags. Photo by Ted Eytan. (CC BY-SA 2.0) 

A county board committee has recommended that Milwaukee County be declared a sanctuary for transgender and non-binary people.

If passed by the full board, the legislation would commit the county to protect transgender and gender non-binary people and urge the Milwaukee County Sheriff‘s Office (MCSO) not to enforce a law, should one be passed, against providing hormones, puberty blockers or surgery for transgender and gender non-binary people.

Recent legislative attempts to put restrictions on health care, education and freedom of expression for LGBTQ+ people are referenced in the resolution. And during a meeting of the board’s Committee on Judiciary, Law Enforcement and General Services Monday, many county residents made reference to these political developments, too.

“2023 has been the worst year yet for political and legal attacks on LGBTQ plus community, especially transgender and gender non-conforming, nationally, more than 500 Anti-LGBTQ plus bills have been introduced at least 450 of those are explicitly anti-transgender,” Megan McDonald, executive director of FAIR Wisconsin, said to the committee.

The resolution was sponsored by Supervisor Ryan Clancy with co-sponsorship from Peter Burgelis, Shawn Rolland, Juan Miguel Martinez, Willie Johnson, Jr. and Caroline Gómez-Tom.

“This resolution makes a statement that Milwaukee County stands next to our LGBTQ-plus community and will not tolerate discrimination, bigotry from any legislative or governmental body,” Burgelis said.

Members of the public also underscored the importance of a public statement of support for the transgender community.

“Making Milwaukee County a sanctuary for trans and nonbinary folks will save our lives,” said Yante Turner. “It will change our communities. It will change the culture of Milwaukee.”

“For many trans people the trans experience is incredibly scary,” said Jamie Person. “And many of us don’t have the support of family and people in our lives.”

A declaration like the one being considered by the board is “crucial to show Milwaukee stands with us,” Person said.

The resolution was not without opposition, though. A handful of people showed up to speak against it. All of their testimony was colored by appeals to Christianity, with most quoting from biblical scripture about God creating man and woman. Their opposition, several said, was focused on medical care and procedures for transgender people, which they believed the resolution would protect.

“This a about health care in a sanctuary county,” said Karen Schram, who said she opposed “mutilating surgeries” on transgender people.

Another speaker, Marcus Schroeder, repeated this idea and said surgeries like mastectomies were “essentially mutilating their body.” He also said children should not be allowed to have these procedures. “That is a life-altering decision that is going to impact the rest of their life, and the way that they’re viewed by others, and their brain is not fully developed enough to make that life-altering decision.”

The committee voted three to two to approve the resolution, with supervisors Deanna Alexander and Patti Logsdon voting in opposition.

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Related Legislation: File 23-694