ARE THERE PLANS TO MAKE EVANSVILLE A SANCTUARY FOR GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE?
MARCH 31. 2025
Evansville City Council members have been fielding phone calls and emails about a resolution to make Evansville a sanctuary city for those seeking gender-affirming care. However, there is no such resolution on the council agenda.
Not on the agenda doesn’t mean that the topic won’t be raised.
Even though the resolution is not on the agenda, it is still likely to be discussed. A member of the advocacy group Trans and Queer Hoosiers Organizing for Prosperity and Equality has been quoted in local media reports stating that she will ask the council for a “safe-haven” law this month. There is a time for public comment at the council meeting.
The group hopes to convince the Evansville City Council to pass a resolution similar to one that passed in Bloomington in 2024. The resolution would establish the city as a “safe haven” for what the group calls “gender-affirming healthcare.” The Bloomington resolution directs city staff not to penalize anyone for providing gender-affirming care. The proposal would also make enforcement of state and federal laws a low priority.
The group has provided a proposed resolution to city council members, and they wanted a first reading of the resolution at the March 31 council meeting. Thus far, no council members have stepped forward to sponsor the resolution and it has not been placed on the agenda.
City council meets at 5:30 on Monday (3/31)
Trans and Queer Hoosiers Organizing for Prosperity and Equality will participate in Transgender Day of Visibility with a march prior to the council meeting on Monday.
Citizens on both sides of this issue have been calling city council members and the mayor’s office.
When asked for a comment from Mayor Stephanie Terry, her spokesman said, “The mayor has not seen any proposed resolution, nor has she heard from or spoken with the group. So, at this point, she does not have enough information to comment.”
What is “gender-affirming care?”
The definition in the resolution is medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services to support and affirm a person’s gender identity.
