Athens, Ohio council passes resolution drafted by socialist students declaring city a ‘safe haven’ for trans-identifying students
‘Athens City Council encourages the Administration to adopt policies to support the City of Athens as a Gender-Affirming Healthcare Safe Haven,’ the resolution reads.
‘This resolution reinforces Athens’ long-standing commitment to inclusivity,’ a city council representative told Campus Reform.
A resolution written by socialist students was adopted and passed in the Athens, Ohio City Council declaring the city a “safe haven” for transgender-identifying students.
The resolution, drafted by Ohio University’s chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America, states that “the City of Athens recognizes its responsibility to protect the physical and psychological well-being of all individuals, including transgender and non-binary people, and aims to safeguard residents from harmful actions, including discriminatory practices and barriers to gender-affirming healthcare.”
[RELATED: UCLA Health prioritizes ‘gender-affirming’ services to minors and students]
The document goes on to declare that “Athens City Council encourages the Administration to adopt policies to support the City of Athens as a Gender-Affirming Healthcare Safe Haven.”
It also calls on the city administration to call for “decriminalization” of so-called “gender-affirming care” and expand access to transgender surgeries, among other measures.
The City Council unanimously voted to pass the resolution on March 3.
“This resolution reinforces Athens’ long-standing commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that all residents, including transgender individuals, have the right to access healthcare without unnecessary barriers. It aligns with Athens’ values and existing policies protecting individual rights,” Micah McCarey, at large representative of the Athens City Council, told Campus Reform.
He added that Athens “has a history of supporting inclusive policies.”
This development mirrors a similar occurrence in 2024, when the city of Columbia, Missouri also adopted a resolution declaring itself a “safe haven” for LGBTQ-identifying individuals. That resolution was put forward by the Young Democratic Socialists of America, among other groups.
