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Residents urge Lakewood to adopt protections for transgender residents; council signals forthcoming legislation
Summary
Multiple residents urged the Lakewood City Council to pass protections and make the city a sanctuary for transgender residents; council president said she intends to introduce related legislation soon and councilmembers described ongoing meetings with advocacy groups.
A group of Lakewood residents used the public comment period on Sept. 2 to urge the council to pass protections for transgender residents and to adopt sanctuary-style measures to shield local residents from state and federal actions the speakers described as discriminatory.
Public speakers included Matt Brown (resident and community worker), Mackenzie Frato (resident), Robin Zukowski (resident), Reverend Nathan Self (St. Peter—s Episcopal Church, speaking also as a member of the DSA), Michael Gill and Christina Gill McAllen. Speakers described having friends or family who left the state after laws or policies limited access to gender-affirming care or posed risks to transgender people—s employment and safety. Several speakers said they had collected signatures from Lakewood residents in support of local protections.
Council President Keppel said it was her intention to have related legislation on a future docket; she noted Councilwoman Strubig and others are meeting with the ACLU and community members to refine possible measures, including protections related to access to medical care and all-gender restrooms. Keppel said she did not want the measures to be merely "performative" and that staff and council would work to craft protections that provide meaningful safeguards while remaining legally defensible.
No ordinance or resolution on this topic was introduced or voted on at the Sept. 2 meeting. Council members indicated they will continue meetings with advocacy organizations and plan to bring measures back to the docket in a future meeting.
Ending: Council acknowledged the public comments and signaled an intent to draft and introduce legislation; residents and advocacy groups indicated they will continue engagement with council as measures are developed.
