The newly elected mayor has been a longtime supporter of the LGBTQ+ community.
Zohran Mamdani, the mayor-elect of New York City, brings a strong record of support for LGBTQ+ rights to the office.
Mamdani, a Democrat, began serving as a member of the New York State Assembly in 2021, representing the 36th District, covering parts of Queens. In his first session, he fought for the repeal of the state’s anti-loitering law that was nicknamed “Walking While Trans.” It was often used against transgender women of color, supposedly for engaging in sex work, whether or not they were doing so. Trans and gender-nonconforming people could be stopped by police for even wearing a skirt or standing on the sidewalk at a point other than a taxi stand or bus stop. A bill passed that repealed parts of the law, and then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed it.
Also early in his term, Mamdani cosponsored the Gender Recognition Act, making it easier to change one’s gender on official documents and offering a gender-neutral X option. It passed, and Cuomo signed it into law in June 2021.
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In 2023, with actions against gender-affirming care stepping up in conservative states, Mamdani supported New York’s shield law, which prohibits law enforcement and other state officials from cooperating with investigations into this care from other states as long as the care provided is legal in New York. The law covers abortion as well. Gov. Kathy Hochul, Cuomo’s successor, signed the legislation.
