City Council Members Tiffany Cabán (C.D. 22) and Erik Bottcher (C.D. 3) gathered with other elected officials, advocates, and LGBTQIA+ community members on Wednesday, Nov. 20, on Transgender Day of Remembrance for the introduction of Pride in Policy: the New York City Council LGBTQIA+ Caucus’s updated policy report on “how New York City must uplift and protect the LGBTQIA+ community from the incoming incursions of the Trump administration.”

 

“We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re putting the Pride in Policy,” said Cabán, who represents parts of Queens and LGBTQIA+ caucus co-chair. “Our new report, “Pride in Policy,” is a blueprint for the path forward. Over the next few years, the Council’s LGBTQIA+ Caucus must fight to enact each and every one of these policies and budget proposals.”

 

Cabán added, “This blueprint was developed in coalition with many of the incredible advocates and organizers standing here today, over the course of countless community roundtables, rounds of outreach and over two years of collaboration with queer and trans leaders. While we remain committed to leading these efforts, we cannot do it alone. Our work ahead will require our partners across all levels of government to push forward bold solutions to support our queer community.”

 

She said their demands will require significant investment that could be best met through increased taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers, something she said that is under the State legislature’s authority, rather than the City’s. She said under the incoming Trump administration, federal funding to support the LGBTQIA+ community would “certainly be cut,” and it would be up to City and State legislatures to take on that responsibility.

 

“As we witness the rising backlash to the advancement for LGBTQIA+ people, and a Presidential campaign hellbent on scapegoating and harassment of LGBTQIA+ individuals, New York City must become the safest and most welcoming place in the nation for LGBTQIA+ people,” Cabán said. “By enacting this agenda, we will move closer to our vision of a city and world that is full of joy and love, and in which we uplift and celebrate our beautiful LGBTQIA+ community.”

 

For his part, Bottcher, who is also LGBTQIA+ caucus co-chair, and who represents parts of Manhattan, said, “Now more than ever, we need to band together as a community and fight for our rights. New York City has and always will be a safe haven for our community, including our transgender siblings who are under attack nationwide. The New York City Council will do everything in our power to fund programs and pass legislation that protects the LGBTQIA+ community.”

Meanwhile, Kyron Banks, manager of policy and advocacy at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, said, “At a time when our very existence as LGBTQ+ individuals is threatened, we need our leaders to step up and protect our communities. We applaud the LGBTQ+ Caucus for listening to communities and advancing a timely agenda that prioritizes the health and safety of LGBTQ+ New Yorkers through significant investments in programs like “Ending The Epidemic” and gender-affirming care.”

Sean Ebony Coleman, executive director of Destination Tomorrow, a grassroots agency and the LGBTQ+ center of the Bronx borough, drives LGBTQ services and acceptance in The Bronx. Video courtesy of CBS News via YouTube

Banks added, “Health equity is not just a policy goal — it is an obligation to ensure every New Yorker, regardless of gender identity or expression, has access to the care they need and deserve.”

 

Bryan Ellicott-Cook, director of government relations at SAGE, said, “At SAGE, we welcome the insights presented in the Pride and Policy report, which highlights the pressing need for inclusive and equitable solutions for LGBTQ+ elders. This report underscores what we at SAGE have long championed: the critical importance of housing, health care, and community support systems that respect and uplift the dignity of LGBTQ+ elders.”

 

SAGE is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ older people. It was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in New York City.

 

Ellicott-Cook added, “As we strive for a just future, this roadmap helps us ensure that every elder, regardless of their identity, can age with the dignity and care they deserve.”

 

The full Pride in Policy report can be read here.

 

Sean Ebony Coleman, executive director of Destination Tomorrow, the Bronx’s designated LGBTQ+ center, leads the way in serving the Bronx’s LGBTQ+ community.

 

To read some related coverage on this topic, click here, here, here, and here.