LGBTQ organizations and state lawmakers rallied at the State Capitol in Albany on May 6 to call for passage of state-based bills to protect coverage of gender-affirming care, establish a 24-hour LGBTQ crisis hotline, and limit coordination with federal immigration authorities.
One of the top political priorities outlined at the rally included a bill known as the Gender Affirming Care Protection Act, which would require Medicaid to cover gender-affirming care — no matter the status of federal funding — and bars discriminatory practices by healthcare entities and insurers. That bill, carried by State Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, has yet to reach the floor of either house.
Advocates are also supporting legislation carried by Assemblymember Carrie Woerner and State Senator Nathalia Fernandez that would create a 24-hour, toll-free hotline and website for LGBTQ people who are experiencing emotional distress, suicidal ideation, or crisis-related challenges. The hotline would deliver “immediate support, referrals, resource lists, and other information,” according to the legislation.
Another bill supported by advocates would ban police officers, school resource officers, probation agencies, state entities, state employees, and others from questioning people over their citizenship or immigration status. It also bars school officials and third-party contractors from collecting information about a person’s citizenship, immigration status, nationality, or country of origin “unless required by law or necessary to administer a public program or benefit sought by such person.”
The legislative package highlights an effort to counteract the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdowns and relentless attacks on gender-affirming care and the broader LGBTQ community.
The New Pride Agenda, a statewide advocacy organization, spearheaded the event alongside out Assemblymember Harry Bronson of Rochester. The rally also featured Amida Care, GLYS-WNY, NYCLU, Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts; out State Senator Erik Bottcher of Manhattan; out Assemblymembers Jessica González-Rojas and Tony Simone of Queens and Manhattan, respectively; and Assemblymembers Linda Rosenthal of Manhattan, Catalina Cruz of Queens, and Gabriella Romero of Albany.
“To distract from its own failures, the Trump administration is targeting vulnerable communities — transgender people, immigrants, and others — and New York must respond with decisive action,” Kei Williams, executive director of the NEW Pride Agenda, said in a written statement. “That means ensuring transgender New Yorkers can access the gender-affirming care that state law protects, guaranteeing LGBTQ+ young people have somewhere to turn in moments of crisis, and shielding immigrant New Yorkers from persecution. Existing safeguards and investments are insufficient: the rights our state claims to confer will be hollow promises if New York cannot effectuate them. If New York wants to remain a place where all people are welcome, we must act now.”
The rally came just one day before Gov. Kathy Hochul announced state leaders had agreed to the framework of a state budget.
“In New York we pride ourselves on being inclusive, with laws that are based on justice, equity and fairness — not hate, fear or exclusion,” Bronson said in a written statement. “As we face unprecedented challenges due to federal funding cuts and attacks, there has never been a more important time to defend these principles. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I proudly stand alongside my transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary siblings in the fight to protect their right to live as their authentic selves.”
Some of the same organizations on hand in Albany had also joined a separate rally the previous week at City Hall in Manhattan, where LGBTQ community members demanded greater investments in initiatives for transgender New Yorkers in the upcoming city budget.
