Union Square was full of people on Saturday, Feb. 8 — transgender youth, their parents and activists organizing in solidarity. The Rise Up for Trans Youth Rally was across the street from Mount Sinai, one of three New York hospitals that have begun slowing down gender-affirming care in the last two weeks.
On Jan. 28, President Donald Trump signed an executive order intended to end medical gender-affirming care for children and adults under the age of 19. This can include counseling, hormone treatments, and surgeries. According to the order, hospitals that do not comply risk losing federal funding.
NYU Langone and Mount Sinai have delayed and canceled appointments for some transgender kids, according to parents interviewed by Hellgate.
The City reported that New York-Presbyterian removed Transgender Youth Care from its website, only to replace it with a page that no longer includes the word “transgender.”
New York State’s Attorney General, Letitia James, released a letter on Feb. 3 questioning the legality of the executive order.
“Regardless of the availability of federal funding, we write to further remind you of your obligations to comply with New York State laws, including those that prohibit discrimination,” James’s letter said.
Neither Mayor Eric Adams nor Governor Hochul have addressed the contradiction in executive order and state law yet.
“We need to call on government officials to stand with New Yorkers and equal rights and not self-oppress and say we will not comply,” said Ariel Friedlander, an artist and Act Up volunteer who helped organize the event.
Several people clung to the edges of the rally crowd, handing out fliers to other attendees. Seventy-two-year old activist Travis Morales was one of those people.
“We’re here to stand against all the attacks and attempts to erase people,” Morales said. “Attacks on immigrants, women’s rights, science, stopping climate change, all these different outrages.”
Morales emphasized the importance of showing support for all the marginalized groups under attack.
“We’re bringing people the message that this is fascism — undisguised violent rule of capitalist imperialists openly using violence and force,” he said.
Mindy G., a 73-year-old retired grandmother who declined to share her full name, was one of many attendees chanting and cheering while holding a handmade sign.
“You know, I’ve been an activist since college,” she said. “It’s rarely about anything personal. Today it’s personal.” She has two transgender granddaughters.
“The powers that be are looking at the problems in the United States and blaming trans kids, blaming immigrants.” She said she didn’t expect support from Mayor Adams but hoped Governor Hochul might take action and show support.
Among the kids and teens at the rally were Louis Phillips and some of his friends. Phillips is an 18-year-old trans man attending Catholic high school. Though he’s been out for four years, he said he has only been on testosterone for about one year.
“It takes so long,” Phillips said. “Every one of my appointments is like six months in between.” This was before the recent postponed appointments.
Phillips also said he’d noticed transphobia at his school has worsened since President Trump’s reelection. But he said he was happy to see how many people came to support trans youth at the rally. He was glad to take part and added, “The most I can do is make my voice heard, protest, post online, do what I can.”
The subject matter was serious, but there was joy at the rally, too.
Many of the people there laughed and chatted between chanting and listening to the speakers. Some had dressed up in outfits one might expect at a pride parade or a drag event. One attendee was offering hand-made bracelets braided in rainbow and trans flag colors to passersby.
Tables placed out of the way held boxes of snacks and water bottles or piles of fliers listing resources for transgender children and their parents. Volunteers passed out signs to some of those who hadn’t brought their own.
One of the earliest speakers was a third grader named Eli. As cheers of “Eli, Eli, Eli!” died down, several people in the crowd put hands over their hearts and crowded close to hear the child’s quiet voice.
After taking the microphone, Eli thanked everyone for being present and said, “Please keep fighting for me.”