Trans woman urges Bellingham to secure ‘sanctuary city’ status for transgender rights

Lovejoy lived as a married man, complete with two kids and a corporate job.

Then came an epiphany.

“Instead of thinking I was a mentally ill man, I realized I was a perfectly normal transgender woman,” Lovejoy said.

Six years ago, Lovejoy began transitioning into a world where she is often not welcome.

“The world is not a friendly place, especially right now, for trans people,” Lovejoy said.

Verified attacks like the one on a trans teen in Bellingham last year have increased in Washington since the pandemic, up from 19 in 2021 to 36 in 2023.

Nationally, the Human Rights Campaign reports at least 32 violent deaths of transgender people in 2024.

In 2025, worries are growing, with President Donald Trump signing an executive order that decreed there are only two genders in America.

“I get concerned about my safety, in general,” Lovejoy said.

Now, the Bellingham City Council is considering legal options for its trans community.

During hours of testimony last month, Lovejoy and many others addressed the council, asking members to put protections on the books.

“I need to know, how does this city protect me from the federal government?” Lovejoy said.

The council’s action is still being crafted at City Hall. Its exact contents are not fully known.

The question among many is: Will it go far enough?

Will Bellingham designate itself a “sanctuary city,” for trans and queer people, given the political baggage associated with the term?

The Trump administration has threatened to punish sanctuary cities for immigrants across the country.

The assumption is that it would do the same for transgender people.

“I’d like to see Bellingham just raise a big middle finger to the administration and tell them that we don’t care about your federal funding,” Lovejoy said. “We are not gonna comply. We don’t care about your intimidation.”

In January, the city of Olympia became to first in the state to grant sanctuary status to transgender and queer people.

Olympia authorities will not assist in the prosecution of gender-affirming care or share information about an individual’s sex or health care.

In a recent meeting, council member Hannah Stone told her colleagues she hopes to build on a prior resolution supporting immigrants, reproductive rights and protections for the LGBTQ+ community.

“I just hope it has teeth,” Lovejoy said. “It needs to really mean something, not just be lip service.”

Regardless of the route the city of Bellingham chooses, Lovejoy chooses not to live in fear.

“I’m gonna go out and be me, regardless of the consequences,” Lovejoy said.

This article was originally published by KING 5 News.