Some Democratic leaders have expressed concern over using the word sanctuary. They fear it draws attention, invites backlash, or becomes a political liability.
Let’s be clear: We don’t care what you call the policy. We don’t care if the word sanctuary appears in the policy titles, in your statements, or anywhere at all. What we care about is whether you’re doing something real to protect transgender people from a rising authoritarian threat.
But the fact that so many “progressive” responses to coordinated, deliberate, and unconstitutional attacks are hung up on buzzwords—instead of confronting the threat itself—is unacceptable.
This fear of words isn’t new. It’s the same hesitation we’ve seen around climate change, Black Lives Matter, and the growing list of terms erased from federal websites. This isn’t about poking the bear—but maybe it should be.
This is exactly the kind of centrist paralysis that has cost Democrats the trust of communities they claim to protect. People are scared. People are angry. And if your first instinct is to focus-group your language instead of taking action, then you are not hearing us.
We are not here to appease those who fear our existence. We are here to defend it.
We will continue to use the word sanctuary on this site and when we speak—because we have the right to, and because sanctuary reflects the spirit of our demands. Protection. Refusal. Safety. Courage.
You don’t have to say the word—but it is what we need.