Zohran Mamdani’s Pride Month message to LGBTQ+ New Yorkers: We’ll protect you from Trump

Mayor Zohran Mamdani invited hundreds to a New York City courthouse Tuesday evening for his administration’s inaugural Pride Month celebration.The event brought together New Yorkers of all different stripes, from politicians and activists to actors and drag artists. Mamdani told The Advocate that the celebration signified his administration’s broader commitment to supporting the queer community, especially given the breadth of attacks on LGBTQ+ rights under President Donald Trump.“We are so proud of our status as a haven for queer people,” Mamdani said. The city is dedicated to “protecting trans and queer New Yorkers from these relentless attacks that we’re facing with the federal administration.”Since taking office in January, Mamdani created the city’s first Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, launched a public awareness campaign around public safety for trans people, and earmarked $15 million for gender-affirming health care in the city’s executive budget. Plus, the city’s health department last week announced plans to open its own trans health clinic for adults.The mayor said these efforts mark a “new chapter in New York City history.” They also come as the national political landscape around LGBTQ+ rights, and especially trans rights, has grown more hostile.In his second term, Trump has limited access to gender-affirming care, targeted LGBTQ+ school resources, and made it harder for trans people to obtain passports, enlist in the military, and simply get recognized by their own government. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks to an assembled crowd at a Pride Month celebration in lower Manhattan.Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography OfficeNew Yorkers are protected from anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and breaches of health privacy by robust laws on both the city and state levels. But that has not shielded residents entirely from the fallout.Threats from the Trump administration have led major New York City health providers to shutter gender-affirm