Dane County is set to consider a resolution declaring sanctuary status for transgender and non-binary individuals, including children.

The resolution calls for state and legislative actions to stop medical treatments and surgeries of minors or block transgender people from school locker rooms “legal violence.”

“If the state of Wisconsin passes a law that imposes criminal or civil punishments, fines, or professional sanctions on any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone to receive gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers, hormones or surgery, the Dane County Board of Supervisors urges the Sheriff to make enforcement their lowest priority,” the resolution says.

This comes on the heels of WRN’s investigative series in which we reported that more than 260 juveniles received puberty blockers or hormone therapy in recent years from two major Wisconsin hospitals, and up to 15 juveniles underwent breast surgeries every year – in most cases mastectomies – because of “gender dysphoria.”

One of those hospitals, UW-Health, is located in Dane County.

Yet, a growing body of research is leading European countries to toughen guidelines, even as many on the left in the United States often demand no dissent, and people who want to consider the science or criticize transgender treatments on juveniles are threatened with cancellation.

Dane County supervisors will vote on a resolution “declaring Dane County a sanctuary for trans and nonbinary individuals,” on Thursday, June 15, at the county board meeting.

Dane County Transgender Sanctuary Status Resolution

2023 RES-074
DECLARING DANE COUNTY A SANCTUARY FOR TRANS AND NONBINARY INDIVIDUALS
In the last few years, states have advanced a record number of bills that attack LGBTQ rights, especially transgender youth. So far in this year’s legislative session, state lawmakers across the country have introduced more than 430 bills that restrict fundamentals like health care, education and the freedom of expression for LGBTQ+ people, according to analysis from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Most bills have advanced to committee and nearly two dozen have passed into law. That overall tally is up from last year, according to the Human Rights Campaign, when 315 bills were introduced.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has tracked legislation which takes many forms,
including:

-Bills that attempt to limit the ability to update gender information on IDs and records, such as birth certificates and driver’s licenses.

-Bills that attempt to undermine and weaken nondiscrimination laws by allowing employers,
businesses, and hospitals to turn away LGBTQ people or refuse them equal treatment.

-Bills that restrict how and when LGBTQ people can be themselves, limiting access to
books about them and trying to ban or censor performances like drag shows.

-Bills that target access to medically-necessary health care for transgender people; ban
affirming care for trans youth; create criminal penalties for providing this care; and bills
that block funding to medical centers that offer gender-affirming care, or block insurance
coverage of health care for transgender people.

-Public accommodations bills seek to prohibit transgender people from using facilities like
public bathrooms and locker rooms.

-Bills that prevent trans students from participating in school activities like sports, force
teachers to out students, and censor any in-school discussions of LGBTQ people and
issues.

Trans Americans are four times more likely to be victims of violent crime than their cisgender peers, according to a 2021 study. Trans youth, who have been the primary focus of anti-trans legislation this year, are experiencing a mental health crisis: A 2022 survey by the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention group focused on LGBTQ youth, found that 86 percent of trans or nonbinary youth reported negative effects on their mental health stemming from the political debate around trans issues, and nearly half had seriously considered suicide in the past year.

In this hostile environment, some cities and counties across the country are taking steps to
support and protect trans and nonbinary individuals.

-Kansas City Missouri recently approved measures indicating the city will not prosecute
or fine any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone to
receive gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers, hormones or surgery. The
resolution also says that if the state passes a law or resolution that imposes criminal or
civil punishments, fines or professional sanctions in such cases, personnel in the city will
make enforcing those requirements “their lowest priority.”

-In Texas, the City of Austin declared last year that it should be considered a
sanctuary for transgender youth and their families, and Harris County, home to
Houston, declared it wouldn’t pursue cases against parents over gender-affirming
care.

-California, Minnesota and Washington have declared themselves sanctuary states for
gender-affirming care, as have the cities of Chicago, Minneapolis and West Hollywood.

Dane County values its transgender and nonbinary residents and vigorously opposes measures that would allow legal violence toward trans people in accessing gender-affirming care or expression.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Dane County Board of Supervisors firmly states its commitment to protect transgender and nonbinary individuals, and believes that access to health care is a fundamental right and all people in Dane County and the State of Wisconsin should have access to all health care, including gender affirming care.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the state of Wisconsin passes a law that imposes criminal or civil punishments, fines, or professional sanctions on any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone to receive gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers, hormones or surgery, the Dane County Board of Supervisors urges the Sheriff to make enforcement their lowest priority.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Dane County be considered a safe place, a sanctuary, for
transgender children and adults and their families.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Dane County Board of Supervisors urges all municipal
bodies and school boards in Dane County to join county government in support of our
transgender and non-binary residents by adopting similar resolutions.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Governor Tony Evers; the Dane County state legislative delegation; U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson; the Wisconsin Congressional delegation; all Dane County town board chairs, village presidents, and city mayors; and all Dane County school board presidents