The City of Sacramento recently became a sanctuary city for people who are transgender.
The Sacramento City Council passed a resolution last month guaranteeing no city resources be used to criminalize people seeking transition-related care, according to the resolution.
In interviews with 10 students at Cosumnes River College, most said they support the decision.
“The whole thing the United States stands for is personal choice and freedom to choose,” said Ryan Steiner, a 19-year-old restaurant entrepreneurship major. “So I don’t see why that’s outside of that boundary.”
Steiner said the principles of people who are seeking transition related medical care are similar to people getting plastic surgery.
“As one of those people, it’s cool that the city I live in is safe,” Anna McGuirk, a 17-year-old who has an undeclared major, said.
McGuirk said she wants transgender people to feel safe and supported. She said transgender people are often victims of hate crimes and can get hurt.
However, not everyone shared these same opinions.
“I stay on the part of people, woman have to be woman, man have to be man,” said Anastasiia Haluskshko, a 32-year-old accounting major.
Haluskshko said it’s difficult for her to think about transgender people.
“It better have a good impact,” said Ram Rodriguez, a 25-year-old communication major. “We are the capital of California, so we have to make it look good.”
Other cities better follow Sacramento’s lead, Rodriguez said.
“I think maybe more people would want to come here who are seeking that kind of procedure or anything like that,” said Ayla Abreu, a 19-year-old architecture major.
Abreu said everybody should have the right to do what they wish with their body.
Eythan Carsten, an 18-year-old television and electronic media major, said the resolution will probably make Sacramento a safer space.
“It all comes down to just freedom of decision, especially for adults,” Carsten said. “They have the freedom to make up their own minds and so no one should be able to tell them otherwise.”
