Somerville Now Has An Ordinance Protecting Gender Affirming Care

SOMERVILLE, MA — Last month, the Somerville City Council unanimously passed an ordinance protecting those seeing gender affirming care. Here’s what you should know about the new legislation.

What does it do?

The ordinance prohibits the Somerville Police Department from initiating investigations or taking law enforcement action on the basis of an individual seeking gender affirming care.

Therefore, Somerville officers cannot assist with enforcing laws enacted by other states that prevent people from accessing gender affirming care and are forbidden from complying with any requests for information made for the purpose of taking civil or criminal action against someone seeking this care.

"The purpose of this ordinance is to reaffirm our city as a welcoming community, to declare again that all are welcome here, and to continue to increase public confidence in Somerville’s government by clearly stating guiding values and standards associated with our city’s involvement in any civil or criminal action originating in another jurisdiction related to attempts to obtain gender affirming care for transgender individuals,” the ordinance says.

How did this come about?

Sponsored by Somerville City Councilors Willie Burnley Jr. and Charlotte Kelly, the ordinance is a response to a rising number of states threatening access to gender affirming care.

"It is not within the purview nor mandate of the City of Somerville to enforce another state’s civil or criminal law seeking to curb an individual’s right to bodily autonomy and to engage with gender affirming care,” the ordinance says. "Further, it is contrary to the City of Somerville’s public policy to criminalize a person’s efforts to live as their full, authentic self, and thus the City’s resources should not be expended toward that end."

When does the ordinance go into effect?

The ordinance went into effect immediately upon passage on June 9.

What happens if the ordinance is violated?

Individuals can file an official complaint in the event a police officer or city employee violates the ordinance. Complaints can be filed with individual personnel departments or the Somerville Police Department's Internal Affairs Office.

To read the ordinance in full, click here.