New York City is dedicating $15 million to gender-affirming care initiatives for both children and adults, a move Mayor Zohran Mamdani described as a necessary defense against potential federal government actions. The funding aims to establish a "direct care access fund" to support providers offering these procedures and will fund research into LGBTQ+ healthcare access. The city's health department is also slated to launch a pilot program later this year at a Queens clinic, offering gender-affirming hormone therapy to adults regardless of immigration status, at little to no cost.
Mamdani accused the federal government of attempting to "intimidate patients, families and providers," asserting that the city will "step up" and "do everything in our power to defend" these medical procedures. The mayor's office has directed the city's law department to prepare for potential litigation to counter any federal efforts to restrict gender transition services. Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su characterized the federal government's approach as a "dehumanization of transgender people," deeming it "not just cruel, it’s dangerous."
Earlier this month, the city opposed federal grand jury subpoenas for the medical records of transgender patients, and a federal judge recently issued an injunction preventing the U.S. Department of Justice from accessing these records. The director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, Taylor Brown, criticized what she called an "ideological war" waged by the Trump administration, driven by "political instincts, not science."
Some city officials have suggested that the $15 million allocation may be insufficient. Councilmember Tiffany Caban is advocating for an increase to $60 million, citing the city's projected additional $2 billion in tax revenue for the current and upcoming fiscal years. "We got money for 500 more cops in the executive budget, but we don’t have money for healthcare and trans kids," Caban stated.
City Budget Director Sherif Soliman indicated a desire to expand the program, referring to the $15 million as a "start" and expressing hope for future funding increases within the city's fiscal capabilities.