By Gray Trammel
Last week, the Seattle LGBTQ Commission sent a letter to city leaders encouraging them to declare a civil emergency for an internal Trans refugee crisis, which would immediately open up supports and services for 2SLGBTQIA+ people fleeing red states and relocating to Seattle. Despite Mayor Wilson issuing a response, stating that she hears the community’s concerns, she did not declare a civil emergency. In response, about 150 community members marched from Cal Anderson Park to the steps of Seattle City Hall on May 23 to ensure their demands are heard.
“We need our jobs, we need health care, we need housing, we need places to be. We have so many of us who are unhoused. One thing that Katie Wilson can do immediately is stop the fucking sweeps,” Elle Cree, a speaker at the event said.
The letter outlined concerns about legislation across the country, citing a growing body of national data indicating discriminatory actions, conduct and legislation have created hostile sociopolitical conditions for LGBTQ+ people, particularly Transgender and gender-nonconforming people, resulting in some making life-altering decisions to relocate to Seattle or elsewhere in the country to ensure their safety.
Mayor Wilson responded to the letter on May 19, stating, “I share your view that a coordinated, citywide approach is needed to evaluate immediate needs, fortify critical services, and chart a longer-term path forward for us.”
She also outlined short-term efforts to address urgent needs while creating a roadmap for long-term investments to support current 2SLGBTQIA+ residents and those newly arriving, and also notated the city’s budget restraints.
The march and rally, organized by GEM and MANTIS, featured a plethora of Trans Pride flags and drums, as bystanders stopped their Saturday activities to film, some even nodding their heads in approval during chants which included, “Katie Wilson you can’t hide! There’s a Trans genocide!”
The coalitions are demanding that Mayor Wilson declare a state of emergency on anti-Trans violence and displacement; end all encampment sweeps; expanding housing support for Trans-led organizations; implement police accountability measures; and create a stockpile of gender-affirming hormone therapy.
“When you legislate a civil emergency, that triggers the federal administration. We don’t need these motherfuckers here. So, what we need to do is work with the city, the county, the state, the courts and every other municipality,” Dominique Stephens, an advisor to the mayor’s office said.
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