In this week's city council meeting I was proud to support two major wins for our Transgender and LGBTQIA+ community, establishing the new Transgender, Gender Diverse, Intersex & LGBTQIA+ Oversight Committee and officially recognizing November 20 as Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Here in Boston, and everywhere, we must do the work.

It is our collective responsibility to ensure that our transgender and gender-expansive neighbors can live their lives and thrive.

Our silence is not an option.

Amidst escalating & vicious federal attacks on the rights and dignities of transgender people, many have pointed to Boston as a sanctuary.

But a sanctuary is not a title.

It is a promise that requires action.

This tradition is rooted in Boston, & began 26 years ago, on November 20, 1999.

Largely in response to the murders of Chanelle Pickett & Rita Hester, young Black transgender women here in Boston.

There continues to be an epidemic of violence against transgender & gender-expansive people.

This violence particularly affects Black & other transgender women of color.

Systemic underreporting & misidentification by authorities obscure the true scale of this violence.

Triple-Deckers are iconic to our city, yet often illegal to build under current zoning.

Read my Policy Deep Dive on why legalizing them is the key to our housing future here:
mailchi.mp/boston/2025-...

This rally took place just before a public hearing I sponsored with Councilor Murphy on a proposed ordinance to ensure the safety & efficacy of commercial autonomous vehicles.

Visibility fights stigma. It saves lives. To the Intersex community, I see you.

I'm proud that we've been able to pass resolutions in 2024 & 2025 to make Intersex Awareness day official in Boston.

This is exactly why being visible is so critical. It’s why we must say the word "intersex" out loud and why the "I" in LGBTQIA+ is so vital.

Intersex traits are more common than many people realize, and studies find that anywhere from 1.7 to 5% of people have these traits.

Due to a lack of awareness and education, the intersex community is subject to countless challenges, including medical discrimination, low public awareness, stigmatization, physical and mental health disparities, nonconsensual irreversible surgeries, and insufficient research.

To mark the occasion, we hosted a screening of the documentary Every Body yesterday. Afterwards, we had a powerful discussion led by Esther Leidolf of the MRKH Intersex Organization. I’m so grateful to everyone who came, shared their own stories, and brought so much passion for the work still ahead.