LID Celebrates Transgender Day of Visibility
On this Trans Day of Visibility, LID stands unreservedly with our trans community in New York City and beyond. In the face of relentless transphobia and bigotry emanating from the Trump Administration and their fascist allies nationwide, trans New Yorkers continue to stand strong and resilient.
The last few months have featured continued attacks on trans rights and dignity from the White House, the Supreme Court (including a horrific decision today striking down state bans on conversion therapy), GOP state governments all over the country, and sports and business organizations sadly too eager to throw trans people under the bus. But none of those attacks can take away the fundamental truths of trans dignity and joy, and we will continue to uplift and celebrate trans joy and community at every turn.
Here in NYC, we are fortunate to have a community of activists and leaders who have fought for some of the strongest trans legal protections nationwide. LID actively supported the election of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, elected on the strongest explicitly pro-trans platform in mayoral election history, and we celebrated the groundbreaking creation of the Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, led by director Taylor Brown, the first openly transgender person to lead an NYC government office or agency. This announcement, held at the Brooklyn Community Pride Center, reiterated the importance of elected officials actively working for trans rights.
At the same time, we know that to meet the moment and be a true haven for trans safety and care, New York City and State must do more. The City and State must ensure the our local private hospitals resume providing gender-affirming youth care, and must utilize public dollars and public hospitals to fill the gap and ensure that no one loses access to care. The Mayor must make good on his promise to invest $65 million to protect gender-affirming care, and the state must do its part and fully fund the Lorena Borjas Transgender Wellness and Equity Fund. The state must also pass Cecilia’s Act for Rights in the S*x Trades and the Gender Identity, Safety, Respect, and Dignity Act – both critical pieces of legislation that would protect some of our most vulnerable trans community members.
On this rans Day of Visibility, LID is proud of our history standing up for trans rights and our transgender leaders and members who are making a difference every day.
Message from LID President Stephanie Fox
On this Trans Day of Visibility, we honor the brilliance, resilience, and humanity of trans people everywhere. But we also name a hard truth: right now, trans people are visible in ways that are dangerous. Visibility without protection is not safety, it’s exposure. What our communities need is not just celebration, but action. We need louder, clearer, and more consistent allyship from cis people who are willing to show up, speak up, and stand between trans lives and the harm being aimed at them. Visibility should never come at the cost of survival. Today, and every day, choose to be visibly on the side of trans people.
Right now, there is funding for trans care, to make up for care lost due to actions of the Trump administration and the cowardly actions of major hospitals putting profit before people, in the state Senate and Assembly budgets. Our Governor has been attempting to negotiate this funding out to pander to transphobic voters. Call her office today and tell you you vote and you want funding to protect trans healthcare! The number is 518-474-8390.