BOSTON — Amid “attacks” from the federal government, the Boston City Council passed a resolution that recognizes the Hub as a sanctuary city for transgender people and the LGBTQ community.

The Council voted 12-1 Wednesday to approve the measure, which, while symbolic in nature and not legally binding, includes language that aims to provide protections for “transgender and gender-diverse individuals.”

“We’re living in unprecedented times,” Councilor Liz Breadon, the resolution’s co-sponsor and first openly gay woman to sit on the body, said. “It’s a very, very difficult time, very uncertain. There’s a huge amount of uncertainty for so many people in the country at this moment.”

Breadon said there has been an “incredible escalation in anti-trans rhetoric and violence that has caused incredible stress and anxiety” to the LGBTQ community, particularly among transgender people, in recent months. She said the resolution seeks to address some of those concerns.

“Taxpayer-funded agencies shall not comply with federal efforts to strip resources that safeguard their rights,” the resolution states. “Boston will not cooperate with federal or state policies that harm transgender and gender-diverse people and remains committed to ensuring their access to health care, housing, education, and employment without fear or discrimination.”

Ahead of the vote, several councilors spoke of the fear, stress and uncertainty that they say has been caused by a slew of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump since he took office in January.

The president has taken executive action to declare that the federal government would only recognize two sexes, male and female; ban federal funding or support for gender-affirming care for children and teens younger than 19; take steps to ban transgender people from the military; and bar trans women and girls from participating in women’s sports at both K-12 schools and colleges.

Chastity Bowick, a transgender woman and health advocate, said she supported the Council resolution, which she saw as “symbolic” and the “first step” toward creating legislation that would “further protect LGBTQ+ communities in Boston.”

“With trans and gender-diverse communities being attacked on a national level, Boston has to step up and be the staple of the movement for saving our lives, especially black and brown transgender people,” Bowick said. “Since our new administration has (been attacking) our lives, we have not heard Boston support us, say they stand in solidarity with us. It’s been silent.”

Councilor Julia Mejia, the resolution’s co-sponsor, said she had been considering filing it last month, but opted to wait due to feedback from her colleagues.

Those councilors, Mejia said, mentioned that Boston was already under fire from the feds and Congress over the Trust Act, which bars city police and other departments from cooperating with federal authorities on civil immigration detainers.

Mayor Michelle Wu, along with three other mayors, was compelled to testify last week before the Republican-led House Oversight Committee on the city’s sanctuary status for illegal immigrants and its impact on public safety.

Mejia said she decided to move forward with the resolution this week, after holding initial meetings with trans Latinas and other advocates who said they didn’t want to wait any longer.

She also mentioned that Boston’s measure follows resolutions that have been passed by other city councils in Cambridge in Worcester in recent weeks, declaring those communities sanctuary cities for transgender people.

Other concerns, Mejia said, have been raised by advocates, who sent emails to councilors urging them not to pass the resolution and instead pursue legally binding action to enshrine the protections included in the day’s measure.

“I understand and respect that in many cases, elected officials pass symbolic resolutions and leave it at that,” Mejia said. “I, too, believe that this moment is demanding much more from us. This resolution … is a first step.”

Mejia said the Council would also be looking to codify transgender protections in a yet-to-be-crafted city ordinance.

Councilor Henry Santana said he was considering blocking the day’s resolution due to its non-binding nature, but after learning of future plans for legislation, he opted not to delay action and voted in favor of the measure.

“I was fearful of so many things that could happen without having those true protections,” Santana said. “I was really advocating for this to be sent to committee. I wanted us to be able to have conversations with my colleagues, with community, and to actually come up with legal language and protections for our most marginalized communities, which includes our trans residents.”

Councilor Ed Flynn was the lone councilor to vote against the resolution. He cited emails that he’s received from the LGBTQ community and a lack of awareness of what a sanctuary city declaration for transgender people would mean for Boston.

“I would like to learn more about what this resolution does as it relates to sanctuary cities, the Trust Act, what impact it has on city services, what role the city departments will play,” Flynn said. “I don’t want to be disrespectful to anybody, but it’s just something I would like to have before I vote.”

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