Elected officials in New York City and across New York State, from Governor Kathy Hochul to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, observed Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31.
The governor issued a proclamation designating the day as Transgenger Day of Visibility across the state and announced the lighting of 16 landmarks in pink, white, and blue — the colors of the Trans Flag. The lit-up landmarks include the World Trade Center, Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Empire State Plaza, Niagra Falls, the State Fairgrounds, Albany International Airport, and Grand Central Terminal.
“On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor New York’s rich transgender history and recognize the contributions that transgender New Yorkers have made to the state,” Hochul said in a written statement. “As the birthplace of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, New York will always remain a beacon of hope and acceptance for transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary New Yorkers, and I remain committed to celebrating and protecting the LGBTQ+ community by investing in programs that provide critical services and address inequities facing transgender New Yorkers.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a video message for Transgender Day of Visibility. After acknowledging the overwhelming transphobia facing members of the community, James said, “I want trans New Yorkers, and all of our trans siblings, to hear this clearly: I see you. You’re not alone. You deserve to live openly, safely, and authentically. And as your attorney general and friend, I will continue to fight fiercely to protect your rights.”
Mamdani also acknowledged Transgender Day of Visibility in a social media post early in the day.
“Today is Trans Day of Visibility,” Mamdani wrote. “Trans, non-binary, and gender-nonconforming people have always been here — from the hijra of India to the Diné nádleehi to the leaders who built the modern LGBTQIA+ movement here in New York. Your existence is not up for debate. Your lives are not a political issue. We’re fighting for a city where every trans New Yorker can live openly, safely, and with joy.”
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, the first out borough president in New York City, used the occasion to record a video shining a Transgender Day of Visibility spotlight on Bernie Wagenblast, who is the out trans voice of the New York City subway system.
LGBTQIA+ Caucus Co-Chairs Chi Ossé and Justin Sanchez issued a joint statement acknowledging Transgender Day of Visibility, stating, “New York City is the birthplace of the queer liberation movement… On this Trans Day of Visibility, we recommit ourselves to ensuring that New York City remains a bastion of trans freedom. For decades, that freedom has been under attack, and while the federal government comes for our ability to live openly, the responsibility falls on cities like ours to lead. When hospitals like NYU Langone deny care for trans youth, we have no choice but to double down on protecting them. These children are the future teachers, artists, scientists, and elected leaders who will one day carry the torch we will pass to them.”
City Council Speaker Julie Menin, for her part, made the case that visibility is just one step towards supporting transgender New Yorkers.
“Trans Day of Visibility is a reminder that visibility alone isn’t enough,” Menin wrote on X. “Trans and nonbinary New Yorkers deserve real access to housing, healthcare, safety, and opportunity. We will keep working to deliver a city where trans New Yorkers are not just visible, but supported, protected, and able to build full lives.”
Among others, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson collaborated with the non-profit organization Destination Tomorrow and the Bronx LGBTQIA+ Taskforce to host a Transgender Day of Visibility event at Hostos Community College on March 30.
Transgender Day of Visibility was founded in 2009 by Rachel Crandall Crocker, the co-founder and executive director of Transgender Michigan. Crocker told Gay City News last year that she “wanted a day that we could celebrate the living” and “come together as one community all over the world.”
