April 12, 2026

Sociologists for Trans Justice (S4TJ) strongly condemns the American Sociological Association’s (ASA) refusal to put a member-led resolution on the ballot. The 2026 Resolution for the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions was signed by 428 individuals, more than the 3% of the membership required by the bylaws to put a resolution to the membership for a vote, yet in their March 2026 letter to ASA members, President Shelley Correll and Executive Director Heather Washington determined that “the proposed petition actions fall outside of the scope for member petitions.” This response echoes the ASA’s response to the 2024 Resolution on Justice in Palestine, when the ASA leadership introduced an arbitrary distinction between “public policy” and “operational decisions” to remove a clause calling on ASA to divest from weapons manufacturers. 

S4TJ is appalled by these undemocratic actions that further erode academic freedom. We voice our full support for Sociologists for Palestine’s demands: 

  1. Council Deliberation. The ASA Council must consider the 2026 member resolution on the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions, per the bylaws.
  2. A Membership Vote. In accordance with ASA procedures, if Council does not approve the resolution on the Boycott of Israeli Academic Institutions, the resolution should be placed on the April 2026 ballot for a vote by the full ASA membership. 
  3. Stop the Abuse of Power. The ASA Council must introduce an amendment to Section 9 of the ASA bylaws that will remove the arbitrary distinction between public policy and operational decisions and ensure that Section 9 can never again be interpreted in ways that exclude member voice.

Demands 1 and 2 are already enshrined in the bylaws; demand 3 ensures the removal of an arbitrary distinction used to undermine democracy. Sociologists for Palestine, Sociologists for Trans Justice, and many ASA sections and sociologists who support these demands are simply calling for the ASA to restore and protect the democracy it claims to uphold. 

If these demands are not met by April 14, when the ASA ballot is published, S4TJ will join with Sociologists for Palestine to  boycott the 2026 ASA Annual Meeting. We will not pay registration fees or stay at the Hilton New York Midtown and Sheraton New York Times Square, where the Association has negotiated its room blocks. 

Additionally, in the event that the ASA fails to meet the demands above, S4TJ pledges to work with Sociologists for Palestine to create alternative spaces, opportunities, and avenues to support those participating in the boycott. S4TJ is committed to solidarity with Palestinian, Iranian, Lebanese, Arab, and Muslim sociologists and their accomplices. As a US-based organization of/for trans, nonbinary, and intersex sociologists, we reject homonationalism and pinkwashing. We refuse to have our positionality used to justify US imperialism and Israeli state genocide. As we write, queer and trans Arabs and Muslims, and their families, friends, and lovers are being displaced and murdered. We refute the lie that war and genocide will provide protection to queer and trans people. The only safe future for all trans and queer people is a future free of imperialism. 

ASA has lost sight of an important part of its mission, “to promote the use of sociological insights to drive positive social change.” Stifling of the sociological contributions of a group that predominately consists of scholars of color is a tragic repetition of past organizational decisions we now consider racist and unjust. While a member vote would be challenging, we believe ASA members can rise to the occasion and move forward with clearer, more transparent protocols to prevent replicating these same injustices. 

We believe in the power of ASA to influence the social and political landscape, and hold that a resolution to boycott Israeli institutions is well within the purview of ASA’s efforts, mission, and responsibilities.