WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — The City of West Hollywood is taking bold action to reaffirm its commitment to its core values and to work to defend the rights of community members as Donald J. Trump takes office in Washington, DC. At its regular meeting on Monday, December 5, 2016, the City Council of the City of West Hollywood approved several actions to respond to the incoming administration, which include:
- Reaffirming the City’s core values of respect and inclusion for all;
- Directing the City Manager to convene a staff working group to respond to proposed actions by the new administration that contravene the City’s core values;
- Authorizing the City’s Mayor and City Manager to send letters opposing proposed appointees who have a history of supporting programs and policies which are contrary to the City’s core values; and
- Increasing the City’s programming about threats to civil rights and civil liberties.
“West Hollywood is founded on celebrating people for who they are and we will continue to set an example through our core values, our policies, and our actions,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lauren Meister. “In West Hollywood, we treat people with respect, dignity, and thoughtfulness. In West Hollywood, we don’t tolerate intimidation, harassment, or violence. And, in West Hollywood, we pull together when we face adversity.”
“Regardless of what happens in Washington, West Hollywood will remain a beacon of inclusion and equality,” said Mayor Pro Tempore John Heilman. “As a City, we have reaffirmed our core values and our commitment to women and girls, to a full array of reproductive health care, and to equality — full equality — for the LGBT community. We are prepared to fight to protect the rights of our residents.”
The City of West Hollywood has begun monitoring proposals by the incoming administration and has been communicating its profound objections about several key appointee nominations to Chairs and Ranking Members of U.S. Senate Committees during confirmation hearings. Focused attention is being paid to large-scale policy changes that may have a direct negative impact on West Hollywood’s residents, including:
- Threats to repeal the Affordable Care Act (known as Obamacare);
- Threats to dismantle environmental protections;
- Threats to LGBT people’s and women’s rights; and
- Threats to economically disenfranchised people and to housing.
“Mr. Trump made it very clear he intends to go after Roe v. Wade and I hope that gay men in West Hollywood and elsewhere realize that Roe v. Wade is, in fact, the lynchpin that holds our equality together,” said Councilmember John J. Duran. “Without privacy rights under Roe v. Wade, the struggle for LGBT liberty, equality, and the freedom to marry would not be available to us today. We’re prepared to do battle once again and we hope that young people link arms with those of us who’ve been around for a while longer, so that we all stand strong during the upcoming years.”
The City of West Hollywood has declared that it will remain a sanctuary city and that it will not participate in any effort to deport immigrants living or working in the City.
In the upcoming months, the City of West Hollywood will offer programming to focus attention on threats to civil rights and civil liberties and the City will continue fighting vigorously to protect the lives and well-being of its community members.
