Transgender New Yorkers, especially transgender women of color, face disproportionate levels of violence, housing insecurity, healthcare discrimination, and economic exclusion. As your next Council Member, Harvey Epstein will work to expand city-funded trans support services—like legal assistance, workforce development, and community-run safe spaces—while protecting access to gender-affirming care and identity documents. We will invest in partnerships with grassroots trans-led organizations that know how to reach our most vulnerable residents and ensure they have a seat at the table in shaping city policy.

We can’t protect LGBTQ+ rights without enforcement power. That’s why Harvey will fight to dramatically increase funding for the New York City Commission on Human Rights, so they can better investigate discrimination in housing, employment, education, and public accommodations. Additionally, funding should increase for the Unity Project. By hiring more investigators and expanding public outreach in LGBTQ+ communities, especially immigrant and non-English-speaking ones, we’ll ensure our civil rights laws are more than just words—they’ll be tools for justice.

Every person deserves dignity, safety, and comfort when using a public restroom. Harvey will sponsor legislation to require all city-owned and leased buildings to provide all-gender bathrooms that are clearly marked and accessible. This includes schools, libraries, police precincts, and recreation centers. We must also train staff on affirming practices and ensure that gender-diverse individuals are not harassed or policed when accessing public spaces.

Healthcare – including gender-affirming care – is a human right. Harvey will introduce legislation to guarantee that all NYC Health + Hospitals facilities provide comprehensive, respectful gender-affirming care, from hormone therapy to surgical referrals, with no barriers based on income or insurance. Additionally, we will fund targeted epidemiological research through the Department of Health to better understand and respond to health disparities in LGBTQ+ communities, especially among BIPOC and HIV+ populations.

Nearly 40% of homeless youth in New York identify as LGBTQ+, and many have fled unsafe homes due to rejection or abuse. Harvey will push for major investments in shelters, transitional housing, and mental health care for queer youth, ensuring that every LGBTQ+ young person has a safe place to sleep, learn, and heal. This means fully funding organizations like The Ali Forney Center and creating city-run programs that provide wraparound services with cultural humility and trauma-informed care.

Hate has no place in our city—but hate crimes against LGBTQ+ New Yorkers are rising. Harvey will fight to triple the size of agency investigation teams and boost the litigation power of the Law Department to prosecute acts of hate, harassment, and discrimination swiftly and visibly. We will make it clear: if you target someone for their identity in this city, you will be held accountable. We will also strengthen community education programs to prevent violence before it happens.

New York City is a global beacon of LGBTQ+ history, culture, and artistic expression—from the Stonewall Uprising to the murals of Keith Haring—and these legacies must be preserved, protected, and expanded for future generations. As your City Council Member, I will fight to invest in and safeguard LGBTQ+ cultural institutions, from grassroots arts collectives to community archives, ensuring they are accessible to all New Yorkers, especially queer youth, BIPOC, and immigrant communities. I will champion expanded city funding through the Department of Cultural Affairs and introduce legislation to prevent the censorship or removal of LGBTQ+ books, exhibitions, and curricula from our public spaces. In the face of rising political efforts to erase our history, we will make clear that New York stands firm in celebrating and defending the full brilliance and complexity of LGBTQ+ lives.

When far-right extremists in Washington come for our communities, New York City must respond with courage and conviction. Whether it’s fighting back against healthcare rollbacks, anti-trans laws, or immigration policies that disproportionately harm LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, Harvey will use every legal and legislative tool available to resist federal overreach and protect our residents. That includes working with the Law Department to challenge unconstitutional policies and joining national coalitions of LGBTQ+ affirming cities.