New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is launching a $15 million initiative aimed at expanding services for transgender residents, marking one of his administration’s most significant investments in LGBTQ-related healthcare since taking office.
According to Them, an LGBTQ-focused publication that first reported the plan on Friday, the funding will support three major initiatives intended to improve access to what supporters describe as gender-affirming care throughout the city.
The package includes the creation of a direct service access fund for transgender residents, a new call and text hotline designed to assist people seeking transition-related services, and additional funding for LGBTQ medical care providers. City officials say the investment comes as uncertainty grows over federal policy affecting transgender healthcare.
Mamdani framed the initiative as a response to actions taken by the Trump administration.
“Every New Yorker should have the freedom to live as themselves and access the healthcare they need,” Mamdani told Them. “As the federal government attacks transgender people and attempts to intimidate patients, families and providers, New York City is stepping up.”
He continued, “We will protect care, support the providers delivering it and make clear that trans New Yorkers belong in this city. Healthcare is a human right, and we will do everything in our power to defend it.”
A news release from the mayor’s office described the effort as “a proactive $15 million investment at a time of growing uncertainty and escalating attacks from the federal government.”
The announcement drew praise from supporters in city government. New York City Council Member Justin E. Sanchez, who serves as co-chair of the Council’s LGBTQIA+ Caucus, said the initiative represents more than a symbolic gesture during Pride Month.
“This is the best news that we’ve heard all Pride Month,” Sanchez told Them. “As fun the parades, balls, and celebrations have been, the work we do and the progress we continue to make in the face of adversity is what Pride is all about. I’d like to thank Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his understanding of the challenges that transgender people face every day, working with our Caucus, and delivering on his promise to protect them.”
The funding announcement arrives against the backdrop of an ongoing national debate over transgender policies. The Trump administration has pursued a series of actions affecting gender identity policies and transgender-related healthcare, prompting legal challenges and policy disputes in several states and cities.
Earlier this month, New York City opposed federal grand jury subpoenas seeking medical records related to transgender patients. According to Fox News, a federal judge later issued an injunction temporarily preventing the Department of Justice from obtaining those records while the legal dispute proceeds.
Mamdani has also taken executive action on LGBTQ issues since assuming office. In March, he signed an executive order establishing the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, a new office tasked with coordinating policies and initiatives across city agencies serving LGBTQIA+ residents.
Supporters of expanded transgender healthcare frequently point to mental health concerns within the transgender community. An August 2021 fact sheet published by the Center for American Progress, citing 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, reported that 60% of transgender adults experienced poor mental health on at least one day during a month, compared with 37% of cisgender adults.
The Daily Caller News Foundation contacted Mamdani’s office for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
