NEW: Boston City Council Hearing Spotlights Threats to LGBTQIA+ Access to Lifesaving Online Resources

November 12th, 2025 — Local queer and trans organizations, together with concerned parents and youth, spoke at a Boston City Council hearing led by Councilor Henry Santana. The hearing, officially titled “Order for a Hearing to Ensure Access to Lifesaving Online Resources for LGBTQIA+ and Other Marginalized Communities,” examines the impacts of proposed federal and state digital censorship legislation, including the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), the SCREEN Act, the App Store Accountability Act, and efforts to weaken Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

The coalition warns that these measures, if enacted, would severely restrict access to critical online resources for LGBTQIA+ youth, survivors of abuse, and other vulnerable populations. Mandatory age verification requirements and expanded censorship powers could compromise privacy, restrict freedom of expression, and endanger lives. You can find the full recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnX1lX3LRQ

Voices from the Community:

“As a young trans person growing up in south Texas, my first relationship with the queer community was through my phone. Online, I was able to see, for the first time, queer and trans people living authentically as themselves, as parents, artists, leaders. I was able to learn through these creators and content about my own identities. No one is born understanding all the acronyms. I truly think my transition would have been delayed decades without this window into self-understanding, which prevented years of isolation and self-loathing. These spaces gave me the opportunity to envision a future for myself where I could live fully and surrounded by love,” said Teddy, co-founder for Protect Trans Futures.

“I co-founded and co-run the largest trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive online resource group, people who are looking for community, support, and safety every day. I’ve seen an uptick in people fleeing other states to ours, and the first thing many do is search online. What will happen if they can no longer find these vital resources that connect them to the greater trans community? What if trans kids can’t find Bagly, the nation’s oldest youth LGBTQ organization that saved me as a kid for safety, support, and love? “ said Zarie L, Director of Community Outreach and Resources at HELP by AMG.

“Being able to access YouTube was the first time I was able to see people with any level of queer and trans representation. As I’ve grown into adulthood, it’s still the place that I find
different organizations, that I find out where my people are, especially now as a peer leader at BAGLY,
that’s where most people find us. The big fear with censorship is not only I won’t be able to find my people, find where I should go to events, where I can access areas of support, but we’ll be losing organizationally more youth who need to access to our services,” said Sam Bruetsch, Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (BAGLY).

“We’re living through a moment where extremist politicians call queer people groomers, where trans kids are being banned from healthcare, where books are removed from libraries, where drag performers are harassed, where migrants are demonized and trans folks are being legislated out of public life. Fascism doesn’t always announce itself before coming, sometimes it arrives wrapped in sugar-coated language of ‘child safety’ or ‘protecting our minors.’ Online spaces are lifelines for queer and trans youth, for survivors, for people seeking gender affirming or reproductive care– these spaces allow LGBT youth to find community and hope especially in a world that’s increasingly hostile,” said Sal Khan, Out Newcomers + Migrant Activist

“The internet isn’t a distraction. It’s a critical infrastructure for survival when physical spaces
like our homes or local schools become unsafe or non-affirming. Online communities are the essential life raft where a young person can discreetly research gender affirming care, where a queer immigrant can locate anonymous legal aid and where even my own kids are empowered to connect with peers who share their experiences without fear of exposure. This access is not a luxury it’s a public health imperative,” said Jack Bergamo, Executive Director + Founder of The Queer Neighborhood Council

The hearing featured testimony from legal experts, impacted residents, and community-based organizations, providing firsthand accounts of how these federal and state proposals could undermine digital rights and civil liberties. You can find video of the full hearing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdnX1lX3LRQ

About The Queers Against Censorship Coalition: The Queers Against Censorship Coalition is a Boston-based grassroots network advocating for digital rights, online privacy, and equitable access to vital online resources for marginalized communities.